COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mixed martial arts fighter and Ohio native Mark Coleman returned home Friday following a whirlwind press tour for "The Smashing Machine," which premiered in theaters across the United States on Friday.
The film tells the story of Coleman's close friend and fellow MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, portrayed by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Coleman, who is also portrayed in the movie, credits Johnson for making the film possible.
"He watched the documentary, and it stuck in his mind forever, then he got the power in Hollywood and was able to say, 'I'm gonna do this.' It was all him," Coleman said.
Credit: Submitted to WBNS-10TV
The movie chronicles Kerr's struggles both inside and outside the ring. Coleman's character is played by actor Ryan Bader.
"Man they got it right, Ryan Ba