The Original Smashing Machine

It’s been exciting following the news and, now, finally seeing the trailer drop for A24's upcoming rendition of The Smashing Machine. Charting the life and career of MMA legend Mark Kerr, Dwayne Johnson looks predictably incredible and imposing, virtually unrecognisable, disappearing into the titular role starring opposite Emily Blunt, under the eye of director Benny Safdie.

This prompted me to reflect on director John Hyams' original and critically acclaimed sports documentary of the same name, from 2002. It gives an unflinchingly honest, harrowing and uncompromising portrait of a man who was, among other accolades, became a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship winner and PRIDE FC competitor. From a filmmaking perspective, what’s even more surprising is that Hyams actually shot this years before his better-known narrative features, with the likes of Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, Dragon Eyes, Sick and the TV series, Black Summer.

In my first Life of Action book, which coincidentally just celebrated its 10th anniversary, John Hyams told me about the documentary. He said, "my main comparison or reference was Pumping Iron because we were making a documentary about a misunderstood sub-culture and a world people view a certain way, in this case at that time with a degree of derision. If you spend enough time with people you’ll usually have a stake in the outcome and this is what we wanted to do with Mark. As the audience gets to know him, they like him and not only will they want him to win; they won’t want to see him get hurt!"

So, before we see Dwayne Johnson bring his unique physicality and charisma to portray this complex, admittedly flawed, but fascinating icon of the sport, I’d encourage everyone to check out what I consider to be The “OG” Smashing Machine documentary from John Hyams. A raw, fearless and sobering account of Mixed Martial Arts in its early days as a competitive sport, and one of its pioneers, recently inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.