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November 3, 2025 55 mins

Witness the nbelievable story of how Ryan Bader's Hollywood debut as a legendary fighter Mark Coleman alongside Dewayne The Rock Johnson in "The Smashing Machine", The Mark Kerr story, led to his actual final championship fight. This isn't a movie script; it's the real-life journey of a champion returning to the ring in Japan for one last epic battle under the most brutal rules imaginable.In this episode of the Becoming The 1% Podcast, MMA legend Ryan Bader gives a raw, unfiltered look into his transition from the cage to the silver screen. You will discover the insane story of how playing Mark Coleman launched a real-world opportunity to fight for the RIZIN heavyweight belt, the intense preparation for his acting debut with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and what the pro-fighting community truly thinks of the film. Ryan also shares his personal, inside take on the controversial Cain Velasquez story.Click here to subscribe to our training app: https://train.strictvisionathletics.com/packages/49413/purchase/Chapters:0:00 - How Ryan Bader Landed His First Acting Role Opposite The Rock 1:12 - The Secret World of Hollywood: Life After Filming "The Smashing Machine" 2:01 - What It's Really Like Watching Yourself in a Movie for the First Time 3:09 - The Wild Stories of MMA Legend Bas Rutten On Set 4:20 - The Brutal History of No-Rules Fighting (Vale Tudo) 5:48 - Why Old-School UFC Fighters Were So Jacked 6:38 - Sponsor: Superhero Training App 7:08 - How The Rock Transformed Into Mark Kerr for The Smashing Machine 8:02 - Was The Smashing Machine a Box Office Flop? Here's The Truth 9:34 - Is This Dwayne Johnson's Best Acting Role Ever? 10:25 - Ryan Bader's Shockingly Large Role in The Smashing Machine 11:22 - How to Land a Major Acting Role With Zero Experience 12:12 - The Emotional Arc of Playing UFC Legend Mark Coleman 13:34 - Did Ryan Bader Get to Train with the Real Mark Coleman? 15:16 - What Does the Pro Fight Community Really Think of "The Smashing Machine"? 16:29 - The Outrageous Comments from UFC OG Don Frye 17:41 - The Surprising Secret to Emily Blunt's Acting Genius 19:23 - The Actor's Trick for Crying on Command 21:06 - How Acting With A-List Stars Elevates Your Own Performance 22:44 - The Director's Method: Why Some Scenes Were Filmed in Just One Take 23:33 - The Nerve-Wracking Process of a High-Stakes Hollywood Audition 26:05 - The Secret to Making Fight Scenes Feel 100% Real 28:14 - An Actor's Toughest Challenge: How to Act With Just Your Eyes 29:29 - How Authenticity on Set Creates Movie Magic 31:51 - How Bas Rutten Stole The Show in "The Smashing Machine" 32:22 - The Parallels Between Playing a Fighter and Being One 33:22 - Ryan Bader's Last Fight: Inside the RIZIN Heavyweight Grand Prix 35:42 - Are Soccer Kicks and Stomps Legal in RIZIN? 36:43 - Who is Ryan Bader's Final Opponent? 37:41 - What It's Like Fighting in a 47,000-Seat Arena in Tokyo 38:04 - The Truth About Getting Paid in Bags of Cash in Japan 40:41 - Why Ryan Bader Will Never Announce His Retirement 42:10 - Scouting the Opponent: Alexander Volkov Breakdown 43:23 - The Mindset of a Champion: Fighting with No Pressure 44:27 - The Business of Fighting: Why Cross-Promotional Fights Fall Apart 45:22 - Would Ryan Bader Box Jake Paul? 45:52 - Training with Boxing's Heavyweight Champion, Oleksandr Usyk 47:02 - The Key to Creating Realistic Movie Fight Scenes 47:51 - A Father's Rage: Ryan Bader's Take on the Cain Velasquez Story 50:52 - Was Cain Velasquez's Punishment Fair? A Fighter's Perspective 52:42 - An Update on Cain Velasquez's Time in Prison 55:09 - The Dark Side of MMA: The War Machine & Christy Mack Case

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