Dwayne Johnson may have never stepped inside a real MMA cage, but he’s now stepping into the shoes of one of the sport’s most complex figures on the big screen. Although WWE star clearly dedicates himself to portraying MMA legend Mark Kerr, fans remain unconvinced, particularly after seeing the first look. Last week, the much-anticipated biopic The Smashing Machine finally secured a release date: October 3. The film dives deep into Kerr’s dominant heavyweight run through MMA promotions like UFC and PRIDE in the late ’90s, as well as his harrowing battle with painkiller addiction.

Dwayne Johnson, known for his larger-than-life presence both in the WWE and in Hollywood, takes on the role—but it’s not the usual that fans are used to. When A24 dropped the first look back in 2024, fans were genuinely stunned. Gone were the iconic bald head and signature tattoos—’The Rock’ looked nearly unrecognizable. Since then, the hype around the film has only grown, with even UFC CEO Dana White praising the transformation on Instagram: “Congrats @TheRock. It’s going to be an AWESOME movie, my brother.”

Still, not everyone is convinced. Recently, MMA Fighting‘s Facebook update about the film generated mixed fan reactions. Sure, Dwayne Johnson once dominated the wrestling world and smoothly transitioned into Hollywood with box office hits like Pain & Gain, and the Fast & Furious series. At one point, he was Hollywood’s highest-paid actor. But these days, fans are feeling fatigued. Many have called out his repetitive typecasting—muscle-bound savior roles in over-the-top action flicks like Jungle Cruise and Rampage. And behind the scenes, things don’t look much better.

A report from The Wrap alleged that the WWE star’s unprofessional behavior has become a major issue on film sets, causing delays and inflating budgets. These problems reportedly surfaced during his stint with DC’s Black Adam, where the character was controversially reshaped from a villain into a spotlight-hogging anti-hero. The result? Shazam got sidelined, and the film struggled to live up to the hype—contributing to the eventual collapse of the DCEU.

With James Gunn now taking over, Dwayne Johnson’s future with DC remains unclear. The same goes for his status at the upcoming WrestleMania 41. But for now, it’s The Smashing Machine that has fans talking—and not necessarily in a good way. The concern isn’t about the story or even the subject matter—it’s whether ‘The Rock’ can truly disappear into a role that demands more vulnerability than bravado. Let’s take a look at what fans are really saying.

Fans dismissed Dwayne Johnson’s “highly anticipated” movie based on the MMA legend

Dwayne Johnson made his most recent box office appearance during last year’s holiday season, starring alongside Chris Evans in the Christmas action-comedy Red One. Centered around the rescue of a kidnapped Santa Claus, the film failed to land with audiences and couldn’t recoup its production budget. Now, as speculation grows about his potential return at WrestleMania 41—a rumor fueled by the fallout from the Elimination Chamber—’The Rock’ finds himself caught in yet another round of public scrutiny.

But what’s really drawing criticism is Dwayne Johnson’s transformation as he steps into the role of MMA legend Mark Kerr? Under a recent MMA Fighting post, fans didn’t hold back. One commented, “Kerr was a monster. Tragic story. The rock is dead to me so I’ll skip it.“ Another added fuel to the fire, questioning the very premise of the film’s buzz: “Highly anticipated by whom?” Biopics have become something of a Hollywood obsession lately. In just the last two years, two major ones have stood out. The Apprentice, a 2024 biopic about Donald Trump, featured Avengers star Sebastian Stan in the lead role during a heated election year.

A year before that, The Iron Claw captured the heartbreaking story of the legendary Von Erich wrestling family. Both films resonated with critics and audiences alike. But Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming portrayal of Kerr isn’t receiving the same praise. One fan criticized the age gap, writing, “A 55 years old man playing another 60 years old man when he was 25.” Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “So a Hawaiian who’s like 50 is going to play Mark Kerr when he was younger.”

The thing is, Kerr’s life isn’t exactly untold. HBO already spotlighted his journey in the 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine, covering his meteoric rise and turbulent fall in MMA. That film even featured his close friend and fellow MMA icon, the “real-life BMF” Mark Coleman. With the documentary still considered definitive by many fans, some are questioning the need for a dramatized retelling. One fan pointedly asked, “Didn’t they already do documentary ages ago. Mark Kerr was brought down by his crazy gf.”

Others drew comparisons between Dwayne Johnson’s physicality and Kerr’s. A user commented, “Even though the rock is big he isn’t as big as Kerr in his prime.” While The Rock is known for his imposing frame, Kerr’s athleticism and build during his fighting peak were in a different league. Frustration with the WWE star’s ubiquity in Hollywood roles also came through, with a fan asking, “Does the rock have to play everybody lol.”

And for some, Johnson’s physical transformation for the film didn’t even land correctly. Rather than resembling Kerr, one fan joked, “Damn they made the Rock look like Chael Sonnen.” Now that The Smashing Machine will be out in a few months, how do you feel about Dwayne Johnson’s transformation into Mark Kerr? Did The Rock’s look truly capture the essence of the MMA legend, or did it miss the mark? And how excited were you for the film before its release—were you all in, or already skeptical? Share your thoughts in the comments below.