Dwayne Johnson Could Win an Oscar for 'The Smashing Machine' Says UFC Chief Dana White [Exclusive]

The Big Picture

• Dwayne Johnson is diving into a new role as UFC champ Mark Kerr, impressing UFC President Dana White.
• White believes Johnson's dedication to The Smashing Machine could lead to him earning an Oscar nomination.
• Johnson's transformation into Kerr for The Smashing Machine showcases his commitment to the role, even as he sustains an elbow injury.

Dwayne Johnson has been renowned for his action roles for some time now, but the busiest man in Hollywood and pro wrestling's 'Final Boss' is going in a bold new direction with his next role, that of Mark Kerr, a two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Tournament Heavyweight Champion. Johnson is taking the lead role in The Smashing Machine under the watchful eye of Benny Safdie, directing, for the movie which will be produced under the A24 banner — which, true film fans will know, symbolizes a mark of quality. One person taking a keen interest in the project is Dana White, the President and CEO of UFC, a man who knows both the subject of the movie, and its star, very well. And from what White has seen, the film has the potential to propel Johnson to even greater heights than just one of the biggest movie stars in the world.

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing White on a hectic day for the company, and had a great chat with the face of the UFC about the new Roku series, Fight Inc: Inside the UFC, which takes fans behind the scenes of the combat sports giant, revealing never-before-seen footage of how the matchmaking process works, the almost casual nature of how big fights are proposed to the competitors, and much more.

Dana White Believes Dwayne Johnson Could Win an Oscar for 'The Smashing Machine'

During the conversation, I took the opportunity to mention Johnson's film project to White, following a discussion about the best representations of combat sports in film and television, and I asked White if he believed that the film would not only accurately represent the full picture of what it is to be a fighter, but also make those watching curious to find out more about the sport.

White made reference to an Instagram post by Johnson a few days ago where he uploaded a video discussing an injury he'd suffered while training MMA (mixed martial arts) for the film, an injury which turned out to be a burst bursa sac — and left a gnarly bruise, too — and emphasised that Johnson was not only putting in the hard yards, but that he felt it would be rewarded by his peers.

I don't know if you saw it, but he was showing on his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow. The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how serious he's taking this, I know who's working with him, and I know how hard he's working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.

The prosthetics and make-up applied to Johnson in the first imagery released shows him as almost unrecognisable, and this was another factor that White believed was proof positive of the reception the film will receive, as Johnson loses himself in the intensity of a role that is perhaps closest to him as a person, that of an athlete who toiled and put in the hard yards to make it big.

"He's taken this very seriously,", White said. "This has been a passion project for him for a while, and he has 100% of the support from the UFC. Obviously, he's a friend of mine, and this is his chance for an Oscar."

Fight Inc: Inside the UFC, which premiered June 7 on the free, ad-supported Roku Channel, comprises three 48-minute episodes. The Smashing Machine will open in theatres next year.