“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,” these were the words UFC head honcho Dana White shared for Dwayne Johnson after seeing the Hollywood icon get into the skin of Mark Kerr in ‘The Smashing Machine.’ However, there is another super athlete playing a character in the movie that will leave fans stunned. And he won’t just play the character but also fight ‘The Rock.’ So, who is it? Well, it’s none other than Oleksandr Usyk.

‘The Smashing Machine’ is based on the true story of Mark Kerr, following the MMA fighter during his time in the UFC as he battles addiction, victory, and love. One of his most iconic fights during his time as an MMA fighter was against Igor Vovchanchyn, as the two battled it out at PRIDE 12. It was an iconic fight that was won by Vovchanchyn, so fans were left wondering who would be playing the Ukrainian giant slayer. Now, we know that it would be the Ukrainian boxer, Oleksandr Usyk.

Showing his excitement on hearing the news, MMA analyst Luke Thomas couldn’t help but share his reaction to it. Taking to his X account, he praised the casting choice of the film for perfectly honoring Igor Vovchanchyn by getting another Ukrainian legend to play his character. He wrote, “Having Oleksandr Usyk play ‘Ice Cold’ Igor Vovchanchyn is such a great way to honor Vovchanchyn’s career. Another Ukrainian giant slayer, but in MMA. Pioneer, too. This is such a cool detail.”

It is worth noting that Oleksandr Usyk just beat Tyson Fury in the what was the most awaited fight of the year. The two giants fought in a rematch that had the WBO, WBA, and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles on the line. Everyone expected the fight to be a tough call, and it truly lived up to the hype. However, in the end, it was the Ukrainian fighter who kept all his belts after winning via unanimous decision. With this, the 37-year-old Usyk is undefeated in 23 professional fights and has managed to finish 14 of them before the limit. So it isn’t surprising to see that he was chosen as the pick to play the Ukrainian MMA icon who faces Dwayne Johnson in the climax. But can we see the final project?

When can fans get to see Dwayne Johnson and Oleksandr Usyk fight?

The Smashing Machine is directed by Ben Safdie, a man who has extensive experience in the film industry, having gone through works such as ‘Oppenheimer’ as an actor and ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ or ‘Good Time’ as a director with his brother. However, this time, the filmmaker goes behind the cameras alone and directs Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Oleksandr Usyk. The date hasn’t been finalized yet, but what’s known for now is that it is set to be released in 2025.

So far, people have been all praise for the dedication of Dwayne Johnson that he has shown during filming. In fact, The Rock even suffered an elbow injury during filming that made his arm swell up, and even underwent an MRI. Fortunately, just two days after the injury, the former WWE champion announced that he did not receive serious damage and could continue finishing the shooting while finally wrapping up earlier this summer.

“The elbow was kissed by the monster boo boo. There is no extensive tissue damage. Rupture of the water that will eventually heal. I’ve had much worse things, and, as always, I let myself be guided by pain and tequila. Back to work.”

Well, after the verdict given by Dana White and seeing Oleksandr Usik in the avatar of Igor Vovchanchyn, we would be lying if we said fans aren’t excited to see the project. But what do you think? Will the movie live up to the expectations? Let us know in the comments.