Former Ohio State wrestler Mark Coleman's role in 'The Smashing Machine' explained
A new blockbuster movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson also features the portrayal of a former Ohio State wrestler and UFC fighter.
"The Smashing Machine," is a wrestling biopic about mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, a pioneer for the UFC, on a quest for greatness while battling hardship, including drug addiction. Additionally featured is Mark Coleman, a UFC Hall of Famer and Ohio State national champion wrestler, played by Ryan Bader in the film.
Kerr and Coleman were MMA fighters and gym partners in the film set in the late 1990s.
Read more about the Ohio State wrestler portrayed in "The Smashing Machine" below.
Who is Mark Coleman?
Born in Fremont, Ohio, Mark Coleman is a former wrestler for Ohio State and the inaugural UFC heavyweight champion.
Nicknamed "The Hammer," Coleman fought in 26 MMA fights in his career, winning 16, including UFC 10 and 11 as the tournament champion. Before his professional career, Coleman won the 1988 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
The Ohio State alum was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008. Coleman suffered a heart attack in 2020 and went into rehab for alcoholism in 2021. He now promotes his exercise routines and sober lifestyle on his Instagram.
Coleman was recently featured in "Surviving Ohio State," an HBO documentary detailing Dr. Richard Strauss' sexual abuse of male athletes at Ohio State. Coleman was once in a Sports Illustrated cover story about the Ohio State scandal.
In 2024, Coleman nearly died in a house fire and was hospitalized after suffering smoke inhalation, staying in the fire in an attempt to save the family dog.
What is Mark Coleman's role in 'The Smashing Machine'?
"The Smashing Machine" is a film following MMA fighter Kerr in his quest for greatness. The film shows Kerr's complicated relationship with his girlfriend Dawn as well as Kerr's struggle with addiction, taking painkillers throughout his career.
Coleman is portrayed by Ryan Bader, an active MMA fighter and former UFC fighter. In the film, Coleman is a close friend of Mark Kerr (played by Johnson), the main star of the film on a quest for MMA glory. Kerr is from Toledo and was a close workout partner of Coleman's.
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Bader, Coleman's actor in the film, said he got a text from the film's director, Benny Safdie, of a video of Coleman watching the end of the film with both arms raised. Safdie told Bader that the UFC Hall of Famer loved the film.
"That's all I wanted," Bader told MMAJunkie about Coleman's reaction to the film.
"He did a great job, but honestly, everyone did a great job to me. It was perfect very special very humbling," Coleman wrote in the comments of the Bader interview Instagram post.
Coleman praised Johnson's performance as Kerr.
"What a pleasure very kind, humble man the aura around him is something special. He’s truly a giant in so many ways," Coleman wrote on an Instagram post posing with The Rock.
How to watch 'The Smashing Machine'
You can watch the portrayal of Coleman in "The Smashing Machine" exclusively in theaters.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘The Smashing Machine’ spotlights Ohio State wrestler Mark Coleman
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