The Smashing Machine

Mark Kerr arrives in Sao Paulo in 1997 to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament. He uses his fierce freestyle wrestling to defeat his opponent and makes a name for himself in the arena. The interview continues as he discusses his views on the sport and its brutal nature.

In a Phoenix waiting room, Mark talks with a woman and her grandson about UFC and how violent it can be, but he emphasizes that he does not hate his opponents. He signs an autograph for the boy, then gets his prescription medications. The moment reveals both fame and the private struggles he carries.

Back home with girlfriend Dawn Staples, Mark chides her for using the wrong milk in his protein shake, but still shows affection. Behind closed doors, he fights an escalating opioid addiction, masking his pain. The domestic life becomes strained as his dependency grows.

Mark travels to Tokyo with coach Coleman for Pride 7, negotiating payment with fight officials and preparing for the event. He talks to officials about the possibility of losing, a scenario he has never faced before. This trip marks a turning point as his career faces mounting pressure.

Dawn flies to Tokyo to surprise Mark, but the locker room atmosphere is tense and they argue about his focus. The fight proceeds, and his opponent uses questionable moves, resulting in a loss for Mark. The match is later declared a no contest, leaving Kerr distraught, though he shares a friendly photo with his opponent afterward.

Returning home, Mark and Dawn resume arguing, culminating in Mark smashing a door in a fit of rage. The next morning, Dawn calls Coleman in tears to report Mark’s overdose and hospitalization. Coleman visits and helps him begin rehabilitation.

In rehab, Mark begins the healing process; Dawn grows frustrated as she perceives he is less loving. She leaves him, signaling the strain of recovery on their relationship. The couple’s dynamic shifts as rehabilitation takes center stage.

Mark goes to Hollywood in 2000 to train with Bas Rutten. One training round is stalled due to Bas’s injury, and Mark injects him with pain meds to relieve it, illustrating a troubling overlap of training and pain management. He spends substantial time with Bas to get into peak physical shape.

Mark and Coleman compete in Pride 2000 Grand Prix; Mark pushes through to win his round. Dawn returns to visit and presents him with a repaired bowl, signaling reconciliation. Bas is dismayed when Mark leaves the training camp to return home with her.

Their happiness strains again as Dawn resists joining Mark in Japan for his next match, sparking another explosive argument. Dawn nearly shoots herself, and Mark subdues her as she goes into hysterics, with 911 called to secure her safety.

Mark travels to Japan for the final round of the Grand Prix, but is distracted by flashbacks to happier times and suffers a harsh loss. Bas comforts him in the locker room while Coleman clinches the belt in his own final round. Kerr’s emotional toll is reflected in a solitary moment of laughter in the shower.

A flashforward to 2025 in Scottsdale shows the real Mark Kerr grocery shopping, anchoring the film in a long arc of life after fighting. The ending text reveals that Mark and Dawn reconciled eleven days after his loss, married later, but eventually divorced, and had a son. It also notes Kerr’s retirement in 2009 and positions him as a pioneer alongside Coleman in the sport.