Top 10 Things the Smashing Machine Gets Factually Right and Wrong

#10: Ultimate Fighting Controversy

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Many of the scenes in Benny Safdie’s film mirror moments captured in the 2002 documentary, also titled “The Smashing Machine.” One example occurs in a waiting room as Mark Kerr tells a woman about the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She’s familiar with it, noting that politicians are calling for the mixed martial arts organization to be banned. Although Kerr insists that the competition isn’t as savage as critics make it sound, “no holds barred” fighting was banned in over 30 U.S. states. This made it increasingly difficult for UFC to find a television audience. With UFC facing political pushback, Kerr was drawn to Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, which also offered more money. Ironically, UFC parent company Zuffa would acquire Pride almost a decade later.

#9: Kerr Won His First Professional MMA Fight

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The film opens with Kerr’s MMA debut as he faces off against Paul Varelans at the World Vale Tudo Championship 3 in Brazil. By this point, Varelans already had a few UFC victories under his belt, seemingly giving him an advantage over newcomer Kerr. The Smashing Machine, as Kerr came to be known, lived up to his nickname. Slamming Varelans to the floor, Kerr pummeled his opponent with punches and knee strikes. The one-sided fight lasted roughly two minutes before the referee intervened, Kerr being the clear winner. Kerr went on to win his next two WVC fights against Mestre Hulk and Fabio Gurgel, paving his way to UFC and later Pride FC. While he started strong, Kerr’s undefeated status wouldn’t last.

#8: Who Kerr Opened Up to in the Hospital

Wrong

“The Smashing Machine” is accurate in its depiction of Kerr’s reliance on pain medication and other substances. His substance use eventually landed him in the hospital, where he could’ve died from an overdose. Kerr could barely stay awake for more than thirty seconds and even recalled saying Ronald Reagan was still president when the paramedic asked him questions. While this is all true, the scene makes a significant change. In the biopic, Mark Coleman visits Kerr in the hospital, helping him to see that he needs to make some serious changes. In the documentary, two other friends get real with Kerr. One of them says that if Kerr doesn’t seek help, he won’t see the New Year. Fortunately, Kerr took their advice, entering rehab.

#7: Kerr’s Friendship with Mark Coleman

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Although the hospital scene takes a liberty, Mark Coleman is indeed a good friend of Kerr’s. The two started as competitors in college when Coleman was a senior and Kerr was a freshman. Coleman beat Kerr when they faced off in the NCAA National Championship, going on to win for his alma mater, Ohio State. Their paths crossed again when Richard Hamilton scouted them, which led to Coleman training with Kerr before his MMA debut. If there was ever a hint of rivalry between these two during the beginning, it dissipated as they rose up in the MMA world. Even when they participated in the same competition, like the Pride Grand Prix 2000, there was no animosity, with both being supportive of each other.

#6: Dawn Staples Was Sober During This Timeframe

Wrong

His girlfriend turned wife turned ex-wife, Dawn Staples did play an integral role in helping Kerr realize that he had an issue with painkillers. Kerr wasn’t the only one in the relationship with substance use disorder, however. While Staples was sober for a period, she eventually found herself drinking at lunch, then happy hour, and at night. Staples promised Kerr that if he went to rehab, she wouldn’t drink around him when he got out. She didn’t fulfill that promise. While the film shows Staples grappling with her mental health, it isn’t made clear that alcohol is a major factor in her spiral. Kerr also struggled with alcohol, although he stated in 2025, “I’ve been sober for seven years now.”

#5: Kerr Gave Bas Rutten a Painkiller

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Looking to make a comeback at Pride 2000, Kerr enlists former mixed martial artist Bas Rutten, who plays himself in the film. Rutten shifted focus to coaching and other ventures as medical issues kept him out of the ring. Most notably, Rutten experienced tendinitis, which caused unbearable pain in his arms that could last almost two hours. While training Kerr in the movie, this pain suddenly hits Rutten like a pile of bricks. Kerr is quick to remember an old pain medication he neglected to throw away, injecting it into Rutten. A weight is lifted off of Rutten, who now realizes why Kerr got so sweaty. Rutten recalled this ordeal in an interview, saying that Kerr gave him Nubain that turned him into “a plant.”

#4: The No Contest Fight

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Although he lost a few fights before his MMA career took off, Kerr enjoyed a winning streak upon going pro. Between his WVC debut and Pride 6, Kerr won eleven fights in a row. His spotless record was called into question at Pride 7 in 1999, when he competed against Igor Vovchanchyn. In a fight that lasted just under five minutes, Vovchanchyn overpowered Kerr, initially being deemed the winner. As Kerr pointed out, Vovchanchyn used an illegal move with his knees. The higher-ups agreed that Vovchanchyn broke the rules, overturning the fight to a “no contest.” While this meant Kerr was still technically undefeated, it wasn’t a victory either. It was a sign that Kerr wasn’t invincible, marking a turning point in his professional career.

#3: Staples Wasn’t Seen as An Enabler

Wrong

While “The Smashing Machine” doesn’t shy away from their relationship hurdles, it does tiptoe around some of the toxicity that Staples arguably brought to the mix. Many close to the couple, most notably Bas Rutten, felt Kerr needed to distance himself from Staples. Rutten went as far as to say that Kerr’s “biggest downfall was his wife,” calling him “an idiot” when he got back together with her. Observations like this are largely omitted from the movie. Emily Blunt’s portrayal is less critical of Staples, putting more emphasis on Kerr’s shortcomings as a partner. Although we see how the relationship is taking an emotional toll on her, the film avoids tackling how Staples’ actions, namely her frequent drinking, might’ve stalled Kerr’s own road to recovery.

#2: The Gun Incident

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Even if “The Smashing Machine” could’ve fleshed out Staples a little more, it does confront one of the darkest chapters in her relationship with Kerr. Their most intense fight escalates as Staples goes for Kerr’s handgun, turning it on herself. It thankfully isn’t loaded, but Staples proceeds to lock herself in the bathroom, searching for razors. Kerr breaks through the door before Staples can make a life-ending mistake, calling the authorities. In the documentary, Kerr recounted this incident, his description essentially matching what we see in this dramatization. While the couple reconciled and tied the knot shortly after, the marriage didn’t last. As the film depicts, there was a distance that the two could never overcome, despite their best efforts.

#1: Kerr’s Big Loss

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“The Smashing Machine” is more about failure than triumph. This is reflected in the climax as Kerr makes it to Pride Grand Prix 2000. Kerr endured his opening round against Enson Inoue, leading many to wonder if it’d come down to him and Mark Coleman. It ultimately didn’t pan out like this. Kerr lost his next fight against Kazuyuki Fujita, marking the first official loss of his pro career. Although Coleman was set to face him in the semi-finals, Fujita quickly backed out due to injuries from his fight with Kerr. This paved the way for Coleman to take down Igor Vovchanchyn in the finals. Meanwhile, Kerr got stitches, but he still voiced his support for Coleman, demonstrating that sportsmanship is more valuable than winning.

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