Dwayne Johnson Reveals He Was 'Concussed' While Filming The Smashing Machine: 'He Hit Me So Hard'

      The star of The Smashing Machine, Dwayne Johnson, along with writer-director Benny Safdie, made significant efforts to portray the story of UFC fighter Mark Kerr authentically, especially during the fight sequences.

      The film tells the story of Kerr, portrayed by Johnson, as he ascends in the ring while battling addiction outside of it to cope with profound pain. Emily Blunt plays his devoted girlfriend, Dawn, who also confronts her own challenges.

      There’s been speculation about an Oscar nomination for Johnson, who is typically recognized for action and franchise films. It’s important to note that he is the only candidate in this year's Best Actor race who, as he puts it, willingly allowed himself to be "concussed" for his craft.

      In our cover feature on The Smashing Machine, Johnson and Safdie shared that during the film's early development, Safdie proposed a daring concept: to always keep the cameras outside the ring and to refrain from quick cuts or editing techniques.

      “Benny and I were in a meeting when he said, ‘I have a suggestion. Tell me I’m crazy and I’ll never mention it again: I’d love to never cut away when you’re in the ring or cage,’” Johnson recounted to writer Joshua Encinias.

      “I replied, ‘I would love that. I will train hard and come in the best, and hopefully in decent shape,’” Johnson remembered.

      The most intense outcome of this approach resulted in a fight scene that recreates a notable brawl in Japan between Kerr and Kazuyuki Fujita, who is portrayed in the film by actor and MMA fighter Yoko Hamamura.

      Regarding taking a real hit from Yoko Hamamura for The Smashing Machine, Johnson specifically asked Hamamura not to hold back.

      “I pulled Yoko Hamamura aside and said, ‘Hey, you have to hit me in the face.’ He thought I was joking. He said, ‘No, no, I can’t do that.’ I insisted, ‘I mean it. I’m not trying to be tough. You know what happened in the fight with Kerr and Fujita, and Benny's not going to cut away,’” Johnson explained.

      Safdie affirmed: “I’m not cutting away. I’m staying right there.”

      Johnson urged Hamamura: “Please, please hit me. We only have one shot at this. You know how to throw a punch. If you hit me here, you might break my jaw. If you hit me here, you could break my cheekbone. So please... we get one shot at this, so go for it.’”

      Hamamura obliged, leading to the expected painful outcome. The fight features prominently in the Smashing Machine trailer.

      “He rocked me so hard,” Johnson admitted. “It shows in the trailer, where I’m on my knees, dazed and unsteady. I was concussed and disoriented for days afterward. But we didn’t cut away, and I’m grateful for it because that fight was crucial for Mark and truly changed his life.

      “Benny wouldn’t allow us to fake it,” Johnson added. “If Mark got rocked, then I got rocked.”

      Safdie and stunt coordinator Greg Rementer carefully scripted every round and takedown, yet the pain was unavoidable.

      “There’s a respect for what these fighters endure. You can’t pretend that. You have to genuinely feel it,” Johnson stated.

      Safdie elaborated: “Dwayne had to learn to fight like Mark to make it believable. If viewers can tell that it’s not real, that takes them out of the experience.”

      The Smashing Machine is now in theaters, presented by A24.