Oleksandr Usyk shines playing Igor Vovchanchin in biopic

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson isn’t the lone 1 who has wowed audiences playing MMA legends connected the large screen. Johnson plays erstwhile two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr successful the biopic “The Smashing Machine,” written and directed by Benny Safdie, which hits theaters connected October 3.

One of the astir absorbing additions to the formed is Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who has swapped the boxing ringing for the lights of Hollywood for a fewer weeks. Usyk plays Igor Vovchanchin, an MMA fable champion known for his fights against Mark Kerr successful 1999 and 2000.

Vovchanchin was a erstwhile hostile of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and went undefeated successful MMA successful 38 consecutive fights, according to Tapology, from 1996 to 2000.

Filipovic knocked him retired with a legendary “high kick” successful the archetypal circular astatine the 2003 Pride Total Elimination event. Although an awesome fighter, Vovcancin ne'er won a Pride Grand Prix, and his undefeated streak was snapped by Mark Coleman successful the 2000 Openweight finals.

Impressive acting: Fans are satisfied

During a caller Joe Rogan podcast, Mark Kerr, the idiosyncratic connected whose beingness the movie is based, spoke astir however thrilled helium was to play Oleksandr.

“Benny signed him earlier helium became the implicit champion. It’s 1 of those things wherever everything conscionable comes unneurotic and you’re like, ‘Okay, this is destiny manifesting,’” Kerr said.

Both athletes emphasized however large it was to spot Usyk convincingly embody Vovcanin. Kerr specifically noted that Usyk was hired for the task years earlier helium bushed Tyson Fury to go the implicit heavyweight champion.

The Ukrainian boxer proved that his subject and sportsmanship are not lone reserved for the ring, but that they tin besides beryllium successfully transferred to the movie screen, leaving a beardown content connected viewers and MMA veterans themselves.

The Ukrainian is acceptable for assorted roles and transformations to amusement his best.