Dwayne Johnson didn’t just attend the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony. He made it a defining moment. On Thursday, June 26, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Johnson stood alongside Emily Blunt to help honor a man he’s about to bring to the big screen, per TheWrap. Together, the stars of The Smashing Machine paid tribute to Mark Kerr, who was officially inducted as the 21st member of the Pioneer Era Wing.

Johnson personally handed Kerr the trophy during an emotional portion of the evening. It wasn’t just an acting role coming to life, it was real respect being paid to a real warrior. Blunt, who plays Dawn Staples-Kerr in the film, stood proudly beside them. The bond was evident. This wasn’t just another UFC moment. It felt like a handoff between history and Hollywood.

Kerr's resume speaks volumes. A former NCAA wrestling champion and ADCC Hall of Famer, he exploded into MMA by winning back-to-back UFC heavyweight tournaments in 1997. Known as The Smashing Machine, Kerr dominated with a mix of power, speed, and raw aggression. His battles in the UFC and PRIDE set the tone for a generation of fighters who would follow. But his story also included real-life struggles with addiction, pain, and pressure, all of which the film aims to explore with Johnson's help.

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A legacy celebrated, a story retold

While Kerr’s induction was the emotional highlight, the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame class featured several other notables. Israel Adesanya and Robbie Lawler received their honors as former middleweight champs, while Amanda Nunes joined the class as a trailblazing two-division titleholder. Kelvin Gastelum, Vitor Belfort, and producer Craig Piligian rounded out a group that bridged the sport’s early roots with its modern evolution.

The timing of this honor couldn’t have been more fitting. Johnson stars as Kerr in Benny Safdie’s upcoming A24 sports drama, which premieres this October. Blunt plays Kerr’s former partner during one of the most chaotic periods of his life. The film also features appearances by Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk. Safdie handled multiple roles in the film, writing, directing, producing, and editing, while Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Eli Bush, and David Koplan served as producers.

A24 described the Johnson led project as a character-driven drama based on Kerr’s life during the year 2000. At the peak of his athletic success, Kerr struggled with internal chaos. Fame, painkillers, broken relationships, and the demand to win at all costs all collided at once.

Now, nearly 25 years later, the man they once called The Smashing Machine is being recognized not only for the fights he won but for the ones he survived. On a night where legends were crowned, Kerr’s story reminded everyone that the toughest battles are often fought away from the crowd.