The Smashing Machine (2025)
Director: Benny Safdie
Writer: Benny Safdie
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk
Release dates: September 1, 2025 (Venice); October 3, 2025 (United States)
Plot: The film begins with an interview of Mark Kerr, who explains to the interviewer his success in Ultimate Fighting Championship, before he leaves for his next bout.
In 1999, Mark is at home with his girlfriend, Dawn, with whom he shares a complicated relationship. Mark scolds her lightly for making a bulking shake incorrectly, but then apologizes. He prepares for a fight while being coached by Mark Coleman, and stumbles in and out of drug use while meeting Japanese officials regarding his pay.
Mark sits in his locker room under the influence, when he and Dawn begin to argue. After losing his latest fight drastically, he quietly leaves to his locker room and begins sobbing. Back home, his relationship with Dawn further deteriorates and he overdoses the next morning. Coleman visits him and tells him that he needs to change, which Mark agrees with. He begins rehab, which strains his relationship with Dawn, eventually resulting in her leaving and Mark leaving to camp with Bas Rutten.
Mark does extremely well under the coaching of Bas, getting into peak shape, and winning his first fight. He eventually reconciles with Dawn, which, to the dismay of Bas, results in Mark leaving camp. Mark and Dawn later have a falling out over her hedonistic habits, resulting in Mark breaking up with Dawn and asking her to leave. A distraught Dawn attempts suicide, resulting in her going into care. In Japan, a distracted Mark loses his next fight brutally, as he has flashbacks of Dawn and other moments of his life and career.
Coleman eventually wins the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, while Mark receives stitches. He sits in the shower, smiling and laughing before it cuts to the present day, showing the real Mark Kerr shopping at a grocery store. It is revealed that Mark and Dawn got married 11 days after his loss at the 2000 Grand Prix, he retired in 2009, and while mostly unknown today, is one of the biggest pioneers in the MMA world.
* * *
The Smashing Machine (2025) | Transcript
(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)
Hi, I’m Mark Kerr and I’m representing American freestyle wrestling, and I’m here at the World Vale Tudo 3 to prove that it’s the best fighting style.
ANNOUNCER: And that is wrestler, Mark Kerr. 6’1”, 260 pounds from Toledo, Ohio, and again, his specialty is freestyle wrestling and this is his first professional fight. This guy, we expect a lot out of this guy, ’cause his cornerman, Richard Hamilton, who brought in three of the strongest Americans to ever step into this ring, that would be Dan Severn, Don Frye, and Mark Coleman. He told us earlier today that this guy is the best he has ever seen. And as he enters the ring for the first time in his professional career, we will see how he holds up to some of the toughest competition. And now coming in is the biggest here. Paul Varelans, 6’8″, 330 pounds. From San Jose, California. And he’s had eight years of wrestling experience too, but he’s definitely more skilled on his feet. And there is Sergio Batarelli getting the fighters ready as we await the opening bell.
(BELL RINGING)
And this fight is underway! And Kerr is going at him. He is trying to take him down. Can he take him down? Oh! A massive takedown on Varelans. A double leg takedown by Kerr. Look at him jockey for position. Wrestling skills on full display and… Oh! A knee to the face! Wow! A magnificent knee to the face and another knee to the face. I’ll tell you what. Varelans is one tough kid, but he’s taking some brutal shots to the face here. His face is getting destroyed right now. Batarelli is watching on. He has… Yes, he has stopped the fight. It is over.
(BELL RINGING)
ANNOUNCER: And Kerr wins his debut. That’s right. Varelans was unable to stop the fight. Batarelli had to step in. Whoa. Look at that. Some serious cuts there.
(IMPERCEPTIBLE)
Is he fine?
(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
Okay. Take your time.
Take your time.
Come on. I got you.
Come on. I got you.
Come sit down.
SERGIO: TKO. Ref stop.
CORNERMAN: There you go.
Do you know who you are?
Do you know who you are?
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
In a fight.
CORNERMAN: Yes, you was in a fight. How did it go?
You know what happened?
PAUL: I… lost.
Can I ask him if he’s going to be okay?
I just wanna know.
He’ll be fine, Mark.
He’ll be fine.
Back to your corner.
(CROWD CHEERING)
SERGIO: Folks, we ready?
Just five seconds, please.
(CROWD CHEERING)
INTERVIEWER 1: And what are you thinking at the beginning of the fight?
MARK: You know, the… the second that bell rings, you can just look at some people and you can just tell that… that they’re scared to death. I mean, you can see in their eyes. You can even smell it in their sweat.
INTERVIEWER 1: Wow.
MARK: But you know, it isn’t until the first time I can put my hands on them, and really assert myself on the other person that you can really feel, like almost instantly, if the person is going to give in or not.
INTERVIEWER 1: So, what happens next?
MARK: It’s simple. Am I going to hurt him before he hurts me? And if he happens to hurt me, then I am gonna hurt him two times as bad.
(INTERVIEWER 1 CHUCKLES)
MARK: ‘Cause, let me tell you something, when you get punched in the face, you can have two reactions. You can either cower away, or you can want to punish the person for punching you. But I developed a third way. You know, if I get kicked or if I get punched, I’m going to something different than punish you.
(INTERVIEWER 1 CHUCKLES)
I’m going to physically impose my will on to you. And you… you really feel when that happens, when the person just lets go, and he totally withers away in your arms. And that’s… That’s a pretty powerful thing. It is crazy because in the beginning, I was just kind of having fun. I was operating on this animal instinct that just took over. Uh, I’m gonna try and explain it, and maybe in this way, but it’s… it’s kind of strange, you know? The whole thing felt very evolutionary. I mean, I wrestled in college, but… but this is something totally different.
INTERVIEWER 1: Well, what do you mean?
MARK: Like the moment I felt that rush, that first hit, I realized I was getting pretty close to something that’s… It’s almost magical.
INTERVIEWER 1: Wow.
MARK: You get to the point where you have to ask yourself, like, would you stick your finger in your opponent’s cut? Spread it out a little bit more? Just… Just to win? To make him feel pain? Would you?
INTERVIEWER 1: I mean, I guess I would.
MARK: (CHUCKLING) Of course you would. You know why? Because winning is the best feeling there is.
INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah.
MARK: And keep in mind, this was a tournament down in Brazil. So if you won, you didn’t go home. No. You went on and you fought the next guy, and then the next guy right after that, and then the next guy, and then the next guy. So, by the end, you felt like a god.
INTERVIEWER 1: Sounds amazing. It’s incredible.
(MARK CHUCKLES)
Honestly, when you win, nothing else in this world matters. And it kind of might be the best feeling in the world, you know?
INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah.
MARK: And it’s a feeling I didn’t even know was possible. I mean, fuck, man, I’m getting chills right now just… just telling you about this.
Uh, so, Moti…
Uh, The Hammer.
Yeah.
He has experience in the Octagon.
Uh, you don’t.
He’s tough. Super tough.
What is it that you think you’re gonna bring to this fight?
Well, I think that I feel really good about my cardiovascular level.
I feel great about my power, which I’ve improved on.
(INHALES)
But you know what, it’s like the difference between a flashlight and a laser beam.
Wow.
That’s awesome.
What do you mean by that?
I have to make sure that I’m a 100% concentrated on what I have to do.
Because if not, then my emotions will be running around everywhere, like a flashlight. (CHUCKLING) Yeah, that makes sense, actually.
MARK: Yeah. I mean, think about it.
It applies to you and everybody else in this room.
INTERVIEWER 1: Sure.
If we don’t control our emotions, our fears and our anxieties will get the best of us.
And you know what happens?
We get slapped around by our emotions… (CHUCKLES) …and we can’t have that.
INTERVIEWER 1: That’s right.
Right?
COLEMAN: Hey, Kerr.
Get your ass up.
They’re all waiting, buddy.
INTERVIEWER 1: Hey, thank you so much for your time.
Yeah. Thank you very much.
I appreciate it.
I appreciate you.
Ready? Good to see you.
My man.
Hey, the only difference…
Yeah.
…is the shape of the ring, all right?
A cage.
(CHUCKLES) It’s a cage.
I know. I know.
First time in the Octagon.
INTERVIEWER 1: I was telling him the same thing.
Right.
Yo, guys, come on.
There’s only been 14 of these fucking things.
He’s a killer.
INTERVIEWER 2: Excuse me.
Coleman?
COLEMAN: Yeah, yeah.
INTERVIEWER 2: Vidmark Entertainment.
Can I ask about your plans to take on Bobish?
Oh, Bobish. Um… Kerr?
MARK: Yeah?
COLEMAN: Get him down early.
You got it.
I’m gonna go warm up.
COLEMAN: All right.
Sorry. Where was I?
Uh, you were talking about Bobish.
(INTRIGUING MUSIC PLAYING)
(CROWD CHEERING IN DISTANCE)
COMMENTATOR 1: And now we get to the big boys. Mark Kerr making his debut against Moti Horenstein, who is making his second appearance in the Octagon losing only to Mark Coleman. And here comes 255pound, Mark Kerr, a former Division 1 NCAA champion at Syracuse University.
ANNOUNCER 1: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the big men, as we begin our heavyweight tournaments. Standing to my left, he’s the winner of the 1994 World Cup Wrestling Championship, the winner of the Men’s Freestyle National Championship, an NCAA Division 1 champion, he stands 6’1″, and weighs in at 255 pounds.
(CROWD CHEERING)
ANNOUNCER 1: He’s fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona, please welcome in his Octagon debut, Mark Kerr!
Hi.
Probably looking at my eyes.
How did that happen?
(CHUCKLING) Well, have you ever heard of the Ultimate Fighting Championship?
The UFC?
They were kind of like the first in combat sports.
Is that boxing?
Well, there’s a little boxing in it. Yeah.
It’s more like martial arts that have been around for thousands of years and we bring them all together to see which one is the best.
So, I come from a wrestling background, but I might fight a guy who comes from a karate background or a guy who comes from a boxing background as well.
Yeah, I’ve heard about this.
That’s the bloody thing they’re trying to ban.
(CHUCKLING) Yes, that’s right.
That’s right, it is.
But I gotta tell you, the popularity of the sport comes from the stereotype that you’re gonna see the bloodiest and the goriest sport you’ve ever seen.
Yeah, I can’t do that.
It… it bothers me.
And it should bother a lot of people.
Do you hate each other when you fight?
Absolutely not.
PEGGY: Oh.
MARK: Absolutely not. No.
NURSE: Uh, sorry to interrupt.
Uh, Dr. Cortez can see you now.
Great. Thank you so much.
It was great to talk to you.
Thank you. It was great to talk with you, too.
(MARK CLEARS THROAT)
Here.
What’s up, little man?
I’m sorry. He’s kind of shy.
MARK: That’s okay.
But I think he wants your autograph.
MARK: Sure, no problem.
Wh… What’s your name?
(CHUCKLES) His name is Cosmo.
But could you make it out to his brother, Murray, too?
Sure.
(SOFTLY) Cosmo.
No fighting.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
(MARK GROANS)
DR. CORTEZ: Hey, Mark.
Hey, Raja.
How’s it going?
How are you, man?
Great. You must be a little jetlagged.
Yeah. Just flew in this morning.
Where’d you come from again?
Japan.
So UFC is now in Japan?
No, it’s kind of like an NBA, ABA situation.
Two different leagues.
This one’s called Pride.
Well, why don’t you take off your shirt.
Let me take a look.
RECEPTIONIST: Okay, so we’re doing the usual? Sending your scripts over to Safeway?
You know what I’m thinking this month?
I’m gonna switch over to A to Z.
They handle my insurance much better.
Let’s do that. Yeah.
Okay. Sure. Yeah.
That’s no problem.
I can switch the insurance over.
And they’ll probably…
You know what?
Let’s not even deal with the insurance.
You know how they are over at Safeway.
They’re just a pain in the butt, so…
Plus it’s easier for you.
I’ll just pay out of pocket.
Are you sure? Some of these are going to be expensive.
Yeah, no, not a problem.
I don’t get punched in the face for nothing…
(RECEPTIONIST CHUCKLES)
Yeah, I’ll pay out of pocket.
Not a problem.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING OVER TV)
Honey!
Hi. Uh, thank you.
I made this for you.
Love you.
Mmm.
Do you want me to throw this out or are you going to have this?
You used the skim milk, right?
Yeah, skim milk like last week.
I switched to whole milk last week.
Why didn’t you tell me?
I thought I told you.
I know, but you gotta tell me these things.
I’m gonna get it wrong if you don’t tell me these things.
It’s all right.
I’ll just make another one.
DAWN: Sneakers. (SMACKS LIPS) Hi, my love.
MARK: How much banana did you put in?
DAWN: Half a banana.
Half?
You changed that, too?
What is it now?
It’s actually one and a half.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING OVER TV CONTINUES)
You’re good.
So good, baby girl.
Oh, come on.
Come on, what?
I said not on the couch.
How many times do I say not on the couch?
She just wants a belly rub.
She’s destroyed the couch.
This is expensive.
She’s just a good baby girl.
(SNEAKERS MEOWING)
All right. Come on.
Oh, Mark.
Come on, come on, come on.
You destroyed enough.
(CAT HISSES) I know.
DAWN: See?
MARK: Hey, she tried to bite me.
It’s okay.
Oh, come on, Mark. (CHUCKLES)
MARK: Oh, she sounds like her mama.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Come on, let her back up.
She can sit on me and she’ll be fine.
Come here, baby.
(SIGHS)
(SMACKS LIPS)
Come see Mama.
Mmm, my baby.
(TUTS) Yeah, baby. Hi.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING CONTINUES ON TV)
Hey, it was really nice of you to make my smoothie.
I really…
Mmmhmm.
Mmmhmm.
I… (CHUCKLES) I mean it.
Thank you.
Shut your mouth.
No, I mean it. Thank you.
Even though it was made with the wrong milk, you didn’t know.
But thank you.
(KISSES) How’s that feel?
MARK: It feels great.
Do you want some more?
(LAUGHS) Should you ask like that?
Yes, you can stretch me more. Yes.
Too much?
Never.
Too much?
No.
Too much?
No.
Tell me.
No.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
(GRUNTS)
(GRUNTING) Come on, baby.
(TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)
(SONG CONTINUES PLAYING)
(SONG FADES OUT)
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi, five Mississippi…
(SIGHS)
(TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS PLAYING SOFTLY)
(WHEN I DREAM PLAYING ON HEADPHONES)
Excuse me.
Yes.
I’m sorry. Would you mind opening the shade?
I’d love to see the sunset.
MAN: Okay. Sure.
(SONG FADES OUT)
MARK: Um…
The contract says…
The past contract says $3,300…
Okay.
It say remaining.
Remaining. Yes.
Remaining. So…
$3,300 still remaining come to me.
So, one month no contract?
No money? No more? This is it?
Yes, no contract anymore.
No money. That’s it.
Am I speaking too fast?
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(MARK CHUCKLING)
(IN ENGLISH) Maybe my English too fast.
Um, I’m going to need more money.
But we have to discuss about this.
We have to discuss. Yes.
OFFICIAL: No, no, not you.
I talk to my headquarters.
Not you.
You’re going to speak to your headquarters.
Yeah.
Okay.
It’s okay?
I… I understand that, but before I fight again, we should… we should clear this up.
We should have an understanding.
We should have an agreement, yes?
Before I fight again.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
Yes. Okay.
OFFICIAL: Just wait.
It’s fair.
It’s okay?
Arigato. Arigato. Yes.
(PLEASANT MUSIC PLAYING)
COLEMAN: Kerr.
(CHUCKLES) Coleman.
You’re an animal.
You good?
Anything good out there?
Nope, I’m already back, buddy.
Good?
REPORTER 1: Yep.
Um, so, how do you know Mark Kerr?
Oh, Kerr and I go way back.
You know, we wrestled each other back in ’88, you know, and, uh…
So, way back then I knew who Mark Kerr was.
You know, we competed against each other, but he’s a buddy of mine.
Oh, so…
Who started the professional first?
I guess I did because I was a couple years ahead of him.
Kind of got into that fighting game prior to him.
He got in, I was trained to help him out.
I was actually his, uh, first kind of trainer and manager.
Oh, okay.
Yeah. It was fun times, but, you know, now we train together and he’s come into his own.
I mean, look what he’s been doing.
I’m super proud of him.
And, yeah, I couldn’t be more proud.
SHOPKEEPER: Which one would you like to see?
MARK: The bowl, please.
With the gold.
SHOPKEEPER: There you are.
Wow.
SHOPKEEPER: Yes.
It is so artistic and very expensive.
It’s beautiful.
(SHOPKEEPER SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(IN ENGLISH) I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
I don’t speak Japanese.
What did you say?
Um…
You have a good eye.
Ah! Thank you.
I’ll take it.
(SHOPKEEPER SPEAKING JAPANESE)
MARK: Arigato.
(IN ENGLISH) You know what?
I’ll take this too, please.
SHOPKEEPER: Oh, beautiful.
It’s for my girlfriend.
She loves colors.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) Arigato.
REPORTER 2: (IN ENGLISH) So, let’s talk about your fight. What do you think about your opponent, Igor Vovchanchyn?
He’s a very famous fighter for having a hard punch.
He has a hard punch.
Um, it’s probably gonna be my toughest fight… because of his experience.
But I have to fight a clean fight.
I have to fight a very technical fight if I’m gonna be victorious.
But we as a human, sometimes we lose.
What you think that would feel like?
Can you imagine that?
You know, I try not to let thoughts like that enter my mind.
But if they do…
I really wouldn’t know what to do with them, because I… I don’t know what that’s like. (CHUCKLES) I’ve never lost a fight.
I’m sorry, but that’s the truth.
But can I ask you one more time?
I’ve got to ask you, as a journalist.
Hypothetically speaking, if… if I lost…
I don’t know how to even respond to that because I’ve never lost.
Yeah. Thank you.
I mean, I’m trying to intellectualize it with you, but I just…
Yeah, I can’t. (SIGHS) We apologize if we kept you waiting.
We would like to start with the following rule changes.
The following actions are now deemed to be illegal.
Number one, biting.
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING JAPANESE)
PRIDE DIRECTOR: (IN ENGLISH) Number two, eye gouging.
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING JAPANESE)
PRIDE DIRECTOR: (IN ENGLISH) Number three, headbutting.
(TRANSLATING IN JAPANESE) (IN ENGLISH) And now…
In this position, knee and kick to the face are faults.
(SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
(CROWD MURMURING)
(IN ENGLISH) I’m sorry.
I would just like to make sure that we understood correctly.
If the opponent is in the position while his…
His face is upward, is it allowed for the person standing to kick in the face?
Yes. That is okay.
Thank you.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Excuse me, miss.
Excuse me, miss.
I’m gonna have to ask you close your tray table as the pilot has started his descent.
Yeah, sure.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Thank you.
(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT ON PA)
(ANNOUNCEMENT CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(MUSIC PLAYING ON TV)
(STEAM HISSING)
COLEMAN: Just be patient out there. Have fun. Don’t get in a kickboxing match with him.
Be patient. Find your time.
Get him down. Do your thing.
MARK: Yeah.
You’re gonna have fun out there.
(KNOCK ON DOOR, OPENS)
MARK: Fun.
DAWN: Guess who it is.
Hey, Dawn.
DAWN: Hi.
(IMPERCEPTIBLE)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ON TV)
DAWN: Oh, I’m sorry.
Let me grab this from…
DAWN: Okay.
All right, buddy. I’m thinking like five to ten, all right?
Yep.
(GRUNTS)
Okay.
(MARK GRUNTS) Hi.
Wanna come sit, baby?
Are you okay?
Are you high?
Look at me.
(MARK SIGHS) Look at me.
Are you… (CHUCKLES) Why are you being so weird?
Your eyes look weird. Look–
Okay.
Come here.
Come here.
Okay.
(ELEVATOR DINGS)
You make me feel so fucking stupid coming in here.
It’s like you guys were talking shit or something.
I fucking flew halfway across the globe.
You asked me to come.
I said thank you.
Oh, yeah?
And then you acted like a fucking dick in front of your friend.
Don’t call me next time.
“Please, Dawn, come. I’m lonely.” Fuck you!
I’m trying to focus.
It has nothing to do with you.
Can you say hello to me?
Dawn, it has nothing to do with you.
You don’t even have time to say hello to me?
I just don’t wanna fight.
Not now. Please.
Would it be easier if I punched you in the face?
Yes, punch me in the fucking face.
Yeah? Could we communicate then?
Punch me in the fucking face.
Punch me in the fucking face.
Biggest night of my life.
Punch me in the fucking face.
Come in.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) (IN ENGLISH) I’m so sorry.
We are ready for you downstairs.
Please, just come with me.
Yeah. Thank you.
You’re out of fucking control.
I’m sorry.
(INDISTINCT ELEVATOR ANNOUNCEMENT)
(ELEVATOR DINGS)
STEPHEN QUADROS: This is a true clash of two giants in the sport, Bas.
BAS: Uh, I really don’t know what to expect here. Of course we expect Igor to start pouring bombs on Mark to go for the takedown.
STEPHEN QUADROS: We’ve got Kerr, the quintessential wrestler, the takedown artist, against maybe the purest puncher in the game, Igor Vovchanchyn. And there’s Mark Coleman, a former three-time UFC champion, uh, cornering Mark Kerr. So, you know, he’s gonna be…
I’m gonna go find my seat, okay.
ANNOUNCER: Mark Kerr!
BAS: On paper, I would say Mark Kerr’s going to win the fight.
STEPHEN QUADROS: I would say it too, but Vovchanchyn may have faced a tougher caliber opponent than Kerr has.
BAS: Yeah, that’s what most people say, but if… But I’ll tell you one thing. Vovchanchyn has never faced a Mark Kerr, but let’s be fair. On the other side of the coin, Kerr has never faced a striker, possibly, as dangerous as Igor Vovchanchyn.
STEPHEN QUADROS: This is a monumental battle here.
(DRUMS BEATING)
(CROWD CHEERING)
COLEMAN: Let’s go, Kerr.
(REFEREE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(COLEMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCT INSTRUCTIONS)
(BELL RINGS)
(CROWD CHEERING)
COLEMAN: Move! Move!
Legs! Legs!
(IGOR’S CORNERMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
COLEMAN: Pressure.
Lock his hands, Kerr.
Come on, Mark! Let’s go, baby!
Play smart!
There we go.
(ALL EXCLAIM)
COLEMAN: Under takedown!
Get it!
(MAN YELLING INDISTINCTLY)
Let’s go!
Use your hands.
Use your hands.
There we go! Pull! Pull!
Keep him down.
Come on, Mark!
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
COLEMAN: Come on.
(UKRAINIAN CORNERMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
COLEMAN: There we go.
Get up!
Get up, Mark! Get up!
COLEMAN: Get up! Hands up!
(CROWD CHEERING)
Go! Keep going! Keep going!
Nice! Nice!
Get him! Get him!
He’s got your head, Mark.
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
Detach yourself, buddy!
Get up right now!
(JARRING MUSIC PLAYING)
You gotta get up right now!
Get up, Mark! Come on!
Move, buddy! You got to move!
Protect yourself, buddy!
Get up! Move right now!
Kerr, move!
Come on.
Get up, Kerr!
(MARK GROANS) You gotta go!
You gotta get up!
(REFEREE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
STEPHEN QUADROS: And Kerr is out!
BAS: Oh, my God!
STEPHEN QUADROS: Kerr has been knocked out by Igor Vovchanchyn! On his knees, but… but wait. Vovchanchyn is wild in celebration. He slayed the beast.
MARK: How is that not illegal?
How is that not illegal?
How is that not illegal on top of my head?
It’s illegal.
(APOLOGIZING IN JAPANESE) No, no, no.
STEPHEN QUADROS: Oh, you know what it was?
BAS: I think it was a foul. There are no knees allowed on the ground. He’s no force.
STEPHEN QUADROS: That’s right. That’s right. There are no knees allowed to the head when an opponent is all but…
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
It’s okay, baby.
STEPHEN QUADROS: The referee has raised Igor Vovchanchyn’s arm in victory.
(TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES)
(SAKAKIBARA SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(IN ENGLISH) Mr. Sakakibara?
SAKAKIBARA: Yes?
I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
How are you?
I am fine. And you?
I’m not good. I’m not good.
Bad referee.
Bad… Vovchanchyn bam on top of the head.
It’s wrong. Foul.
Referee no call foul.
And then twice, two more times, bam on top of my head.
And I was laying on the ground waiting for the referee to call a foul.
He didn’t call foul. (PANTING) It’s wrong. It’s illegal on top of the head. Bam.
Okay. Okay. I talk to him.
Twice.
Please. Please.
Okay? Yeah, okay.
Arigato.
I didn’t lose.
Yeah.
(SAKAKIBARA SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(ELEVATOR DINGS)
(ELEVATOR DINGS)
(MARK SNIFFLES)
(ELEVATOR DINGING)
(INDISTINCT ELEVATOR ANNOUNCEMENT)
(SOBBING)
(CONTINUES SOBBING)
COLEMAN: You’ve got some bumps and bruises. You’re not injured.
You’ll heal up in a week or two, tops.
Okay?
(CLEARS THROAT) Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, that’s right.
I’ll heal up in a week or two, tops.
(SNIFFLES) I mean, my hands aren’t broken.
My… my feet are fine.
COLEMAN: Mmmhmm.
(INHALES) My head’s a little banged up.
Igor is one tough motherfucker, huh?
MARK: Tough motherfucker.
COLEMAN: I’ll give him that.
(MARK CHUCKLING)
Yeah.
Thank you.
COLEMAN: All right, guys, I’m gonna run outside.
I’ll be back, okay?
MARK: Yeah, yeah.
Hey, Coleman, um, can I just talk to you?
Yeah.
Sorry. I just want to know if he… if he’s gonna be okay.
I’ve never seen him like this before, so…
He should be fine.
Okay.
And he seemed okay, right?
Yeah, I mean, I just…
I don’t know. I, like, knew it before he stepped in the ring and he just…
What do you mean?
Well, he just wasn’t serious, I think, and…
About the fight.
Like the past two weeks we’ve been out drinking and stuff and partying and…
You never brought that up?
To you?
To me, yeah.
Why?
He doesn’t need to be drinking two weeks before a fight.
I’m not his trainer, and I’m not a fighter.
And… And he seemed fine about it.
He seemed fine.
And I don’t know if he ever thought this was possible, that he would lose.
And I didn’t think it was possible.
Hmm. All right. I get it.
Just be there for him. Okay?
DAWN: Yeah.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(MARK SIGHS)
(SAKAKIBARA SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(CONTINUES IN JAPANESE)
(IN ENGLISH) We have decided to call this fight with Igor no contest.
No contest.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(IN ENGLISH) We would be very happy to have you back at Pride again.
Thank you.
Arigato.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
(IN ENGLISH) Thank you.
What’d they say?
They decided to call it a no contest.
That’s awesome.
That’s awesome.
Why are you still so sad?
Because Dawn… I’m not sad.
It’s just I don’t do that for no contest.
Mmmhmm.
I want the decision.
Mmmhmm.
You know?
I mean, it’s just I’m out there.
I’m sacrificing everything, literally, you know.
Mmmhmm. I see it.
I’m sacrificing everything out there…
Yeah, it’s very heavy.
…for the reward at the end.
Right.
It’s… the high from that thing that I do.
The thing that I just did out there.
It’s a high that…
There’s no other high like it in the world.
I can only imagine.
I… Yeah, I can see it.
I can see it in you when you’re doing it, you know?
It’s 40,000 people…
Yeah.
…in there cheering you on.
I mean, that’s orgasmic.
Yeah, I know… (CHUCKLES) Dawn, I’m not kidding.
I’m not kidding. It’s…
I’m talking about the highest of highs.
Mmmhmm.
And two men out there competing against each other.
And it’s only us and it’s so raw.
But you…
That competition is crazy.
…got to have the competition…
And you had that feeling, you fought.
You had that feeling but you don’t seem… you don’t seem happy about it.
No. I’m trying to explain it to you, but you just keep talking.
Yeah.
You just keep talking over me.
No, I’m trying to understand what you’re saying and I’m trying to support you.
I know, but only because I’m trying to tell you exactly what happened.
IGOR: Whoa, whoa, whoa!
(MARK CHUCKLES) Hey, brother!
IGOR: How you doing?
MARK: How are you? Oh.
IGOR: Ow!
MARK: Oh, you okay?
Gosh, I’m sorry.
Is that from me?
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
Let me see. Can I see?
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
(IGOR GRUNTS)
Nice. How many stitches?
(IGOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
TRANSLATOR: (IN ENGLISH) Four.
MARK: Four stitches.
Four. Four.
(CHUCKLES)
Does the body feel okay?
(IGOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
TRANSLATOR: (IN ENGLISH) A little bit of the knee.
A little bit of the knee.
IGOR: Yeah.
You know why?
A lot of my head.
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
(IGOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
(MARK CHUCKLES) I’m sorry.
No, no, no, it’s okay.
Ah! It’s totally okay.
Tell him it’s natural.
A natural reaction.
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN) My head was down there.
My face is down there.
(TRANSLATOR SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
(ALL LAUGHING)
Let’s all get a picture. Yeah?
IGOR: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let’s do it together.
Let’s do it. Yes. Yes.
IGOR: Of course.
Can you do a picture?
Come on!
Let’s all get in. Let’s all…
Everybody get in.
Hey, Dawn, can you take this picture for us?
DAWN: Yeah.
MARK: Thank you.
Yeah, come on.
IGOR’S MANAGER: Look at you two guys.
The best ones.
Two of the best ones.
(MARK LAUGHING) That’s it.
IGOR: That’s it.
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS, WHIRRS)
IGOR’S MANAGER: Thank you.
Thank you.
IGOR’S MANAGER: Thank you.
Great fight.
No, this is cold.
MARK: Cold?
PHARMACIST: Cold.
MARK: Cold and heat?
This is heat.
MARK: Heat. Okay.
Thank you. Um, three?
PHARMACIST: Three, uh…
Yes.
No, no. Just the one.
Really? Just one?
Yeah.
Just one.
Just one.
MARK: Okay.
Do you have any, um, stronger pain medication?
Pain medication?
MARK: Yes.
Honey, I don’t think they…
I don’t think they do that.
No, they do. They’ve got everything back there.
Like narcotics, opiates.
No, no, no.
Why not?
Um, you must…
Certification.
Certification? Yes. Yes.
Yes. Yes.
Permission.
Permission.
Yes.
Mark, let’s just go.
It’s okay, he has it.
It’s okay. Just take… take what they have and we should go.
We have it. Permission.
You get permission for me.
Thank you.
No, no, it’s too late.
MARK: Yes.
No, no.
What do you have for me that’s strong?
I have Advil. Advil.
Advil? (CHUCKLES) Advil. Yeah, yeah.
(DAWN CLEARS THROAT) Okay. Thank you.
Thank you.
Dawn, would you like some?
No, no.
They’re handing them out like candy.
Thank you.
You want to hold my hand?
Okay.
MARK: Hey, Joan. Hey, it’s Mark.
Yeah, I’m great.
How you doing?
Great. I’m calling because I know Dr. Rob was gonna write that prescription for, um, Voltaren for me.
Yeah, but Voltaren as… as a pill, it’s a little hard on my tummy.
Yeah, and I know that you guys can give me the injection, but you don’t wanna see me in there every day.
(CHUCKLING)
So, what I was hoping is if Dr. Rob can write a prescription, that’s a little better than Voltaren, um, that’s a little stronger, too, as well.
Yeah. Oh, great. Yeah.
That would be great.
So, whenever he gets back in the office, just have him give me a call.
I’ll be here.
I… I’m feeling really good.
I appreciate it.
Well, you know, like a day without pain is like a day without sunshine.
(CHUCKLING)
(RHYTHM OF MY HEART PLAYING ON CAR SPEAKERS)
(PARKING BRAKE CRANKS)
(MUSIC STOPS)
(UNSETTLING MUSIC PLAYING)
(SOFTLY)
Go back to sleep, okay?
MAN: (ON TV) This solitary clock rotates six different melodies on the hour. As the bell ringer strikes the rotating…
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(UTENSILS CLUNKING)
You’re the first bidder…
(INDISTINCT CLAMORING ON TV)
You gotta keep eating, Mark.
Yeah.
DAWN: You’re not gonna get…
I will.
…any better unless you eat.
Yeah.
(FORK CLANKS) I know.
I can’t keep coming out and finding you like this, Mark. It’s just…
What do you mean?
You keep telling me you’re gonna quit and then I come out and…
Baby, I just need to, you know…
I just have to get through this… this moment.
You know, it’s fine.
What do you want from me?
Do you want me just to pretend that everything’s fine?
No. What do you mean?
That you don’t look like this?
I don’t look like…
I just want you to be my girl.
That’s all. What do you mean?
Look like what? (MUMBLES)
DAWN: You keep telling me we’re going to take a hike.
We are gonna take a hike.
We’re going to go today.
You don’t even hide it from me anymore.
I keep going into the bathroom, seeing your shit everywhere.
It’s okay.
It’s not okay.
It’s okay.
It’s getting bad, Mark.
No, it’s for pain.
This is getting crazy.
That’s for pain.
No. No, it’s insane.
And you need to get serious now, okay?
I am serious.
What do you mean?
Because I don’t even know who this person is right now.
I’m ser…
I’m going through this.
What… Going through the house looking to find stuff just to get me into trouble?
No.
How about you stop treating me like a fucking child?
How about that?
How about you stop acting like one, I wouldn’t have to.
Like you… You lost a fight.
Big deal. Just get over it.
(MAN ON TV CONTINUES SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(BLOWS THUDDING)
(ICE DISPENSER CLICKS)
(ICE CLATTERING)
I just need you to treat me like a man.
(SNIFFLES)
DAWN: I love you.
You’re my big strong man.
I love you.
Okay?
(SOBBING)
COLEMAN: You wanna fight?
I’ll take that. Let’s go.
(IMITATES YELLING)
You ready?
Okay, let’s see what you got.
(IMITATES GRUNTING)
(BABY CRYING)
Looks like I’m winning.
KELLEY: Okay, okay, okay.
The winner is Daddy!
(BABY CONTINUES CRYING)
Fought a tough opponent.
My toughest yet.
Feels good to be in the win column again.
And after this payday, I’m gonna get my girl a new playhouse, and a bike.
(PHONE RINGING) And… Hold on.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING ON TV)
(KELLEY SHUSHING) Hello.
(DAWN SOBBING ON PHONE)
He’s laying on the ground and he wouldn’t wake up and I couldn’t move him and…
I was like shaking him…
(WHISPERING) It’s Dawn.
DAWN: …and he’s like…
She’s freaking out.
DAWN: …took too much or something.
(SOBBING) Walk me through everything from the beginning.
I think he did too much and then I couldn’t wake him up.
I found him on the ground and then I just was like shaking him and stuff.
Is he alive?
He’s alive, but I didn’t know, you know, at first.
Oh, my fucking God.
Okay. Um…
(DAWN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
I know. Calm down, calm down.
Okay. I need you to come and help me, okay?
I’m gonna get on the first flight out.
All right?
I’m going to help you.
I will be there as soon as I can.
DAWN: I need you to talk to him.
I got you. I got you.
(DAWN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
I’ll see you soon.
First flight.
DAWN: Okay.
All right. Bye, Dawn.
(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT ON PA) Sorry. Where’s Mark Kerr’s room?
Oh. Right down the hall, sir.
COLEMAN: Thank you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
Coleman.
COLEMAN: Hey.
(SOFTLY) I know.
I know, I know.
(DAWN SOBBING) How’s he doing?
DAWN: He just woke up.
He’s like in and out and he’s not okay.
He’s awake though?
DAWN: Yeah.
You care if I go in?
DAWN: Yeah.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
COLEMAN: What’s going on, buddy?
MARK: Hey. (CHUCKLES) How are you?
What’s up, Coleman?
You’re a sight for sore eyes.
Jesus chrimey!
You’re looking a little rough.
Not gonna lie.
Oh, man. You should see the soap in this place, man.
COLEMAN: Is it bad?
It’s like fucking glue.
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
I can kind of see it.
I know, man.
It’s doing a number on my hair, you know.
Yeah, yeah.
Man, you look good, man.
Thank you.
So, uh, what the fuck happened?
Oh, man.
You get sick or something?
Yeah. I, um, got sick.
I got sick and it was… it was pretty unbelievable.
It was pretty bad.
That’s the right word.
“It” was bad.
Mmmhmm.
Yeah.
Um…
Yeah.
So what happened?
Can you give me the whole story?
Um, I was…
I was on the floor and… and I couldn’t wake up.
And then I, um…
And then Dawn came in and she was trying to wake me up and… she couldn’t…
She couldn’t wake me up either and, um…
Um…
You’re good.
That’s weird.
It’s fine.
Keep going though.
Yeah, yeah. You know me.
I don’t have verbal pauses.
I know that. I know that.
Um…
So, then Dawn called the…
She called 911.
And then the ambulance came, the paramedics came in and then they couldn’t wake me up either.
And then they put me in the ambulance and then they…
I was kind of like in this weird, altered state.
Like, I was aware of where I was, and I could kind of see things a little blurred, but I could hear everything.
So my acuity was… was pretty good.
They were asking me questions, and… I got a few of the questions wrong a little bit.
Like who was the president.
They said, “Who is the president?”
What’d you say?
Ronald Reagan.
(LAUGHING)
You fucking believe that?
I mean, shit, you’d say that anyway, right?
I would say that even on a good day, I was telling them, like, “You guys can’t ask that.”
That’s when I realized, like, that’s kind of unfair, you know, the way they were…
Hey.
Yeah.
Listen.
Just stop, all right? Please?
COLEMAN: Hey, you’re good.
(MARK SOBBING)
Look. I didn’t come out here because I love Phoenix, dude.
All right?
I came out here because I want to see you get better.
(MARK SOBBING) You can’t keep doing this to yourself.
MARK: I know. (SNIFFLES) I’m so sorry.
It’s me.
You don’t have to apologize, okay?
I’m one of your best friends in the world, right?
MARK: Yeah.
COLEMAN: And I’m here because I love you.
(SOBBING) I love you, too.
Okay, come here.
Come here. Come here.
Yeah.
I fucking love you, man.
(MARK SOBBING)
I’m sorry.
I don’t wanna die.
COLEMAN: Hey, look at me.
You’re not gonna die.
All right? Look at me.
I can’t. I can’t.
We’re all in this together, all right?
There’s tons of people that love you.
But it’s got to start with you, okay?
And you got this.
All right?
All right. I know.
I know. (SNIFFLES) I know.
Thank you.
(DON’T BE CRUEL BY BILLY SWAN PLAYING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
That’s it?
PHOTOGRAPHER: Thanks so much.
Thank you for having me today.
COLEMAN: No problem.
I have a little bit strange question for you.
Okay.
Um, are you okay to fight without your friend?
Mark Kerr?
Yes, Mark Kerr.
Yeah, I’ve been worried about him for quite a while now.
You know, just as a friend.
Yeah, I know your feeling.
I think that loss to Igor, or whatever you wanna call it, the no contest.
I think that was the best thing that could’ve happened to him.
I feel like he’s going to come back a better version of himself, you know.
And I know he wants to be here.
He loves you guys.
And he’s distraught that he can’t make it.
So, what make you keeping motivated?
I mean, a lot of people tell me I should retire.
You know, and give it up.
But I got a family, you know.
And there’s a lot worse ways to make a living, you know, so… Um, I’m looking forward to Sunday. I think it’s gonna be a good one.
STEPHEN QUADROS: So not only is Mark Coleman here without the support of his friend Mark Kerr, who had to drop out of his own fight here due to health reasons…
(MEN YELLING INDISTINCTLY)
…but he is also on an uphill battle against time. After his recent losses, you have to ask yourself, “Is this the end of the road for Mark Coleman? “Or will he extend his career just one more time?”
MAN 1: Turn him around.
But don’t strike with him.
That’s it!
MAN 2: Going good.
MAN 1: Don’t strike.
MAN 2: Now!
Shoot, shoot, shoot!
MAN 1: Shoot! Take him down!
Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!
MAN 2: You got him.
MAN 3: Smash him, Thor!
MAN 4: Tear him down!
MAN 1: Pound him!
Pound him! Come on.
Pass the guard!
Come on, pass that guard.
MAN 2: Add the pressure.
MAN 5: Hit him! Yes!
MAN 6: There we go! Come on!
MAN 1: Come on! Hit him again.
Pass that guard!
MAN 2: That’s it, that’s it, that’s it.
MAN 1: Come on! Don’t stop!
Don’t stop!
MAN 3: That’s it! Yes!
(BELL RINGING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: Coleman has done it! He has won here at Pride 8 championship over Ricardo Morais, breathing new life into his career. He clearly has worked long and hard to get back in this place and mindset.
(AUTOMATED GATE WHIRRING)
MARK: Never looked more beautiful.
DAWN: You look so beautiful, baby.
I missed you so much, baby.
(UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
MARK: (LAUGHS) Come on!
DAWN: Mmm.
The Gravitron! Look!
I love the Gravitron. So good.
No?
Well…
Let’s do it. Let’s do it.
This is the best.
There’s no way I can ride that.
DAWN: Why? Why?
Why? Because of my tummy.
You know what that would do to my tummy.
I would get sick everywhere.
I can’t do that.
No, no.
No, it’s about perspective, okay?
On the inside, you don’t feel it.
It’s like you’re not moving.
You’re, like, pinned against the wall and…
You’re gonna love it.
You’re gonna love it.
Does it move on the inside?
It moves, but it’s moving so fast that you can’t even feel it.
Hey, I really wanna go on the ride with her, but I have a sensitive stomach.
Is there… Is there…
The center part in there, that’s the thing that stays still, right?
Can I stand in there?
In the middle part?
In the center part?
MARK: Yes.
No, man, that would be a serious liability issue.
Uh, well, where would you recommend I stand then?
‘Cause I don’t wanna get sick on the ride, but I do wanna ride with her.
You don’t wanna get sick on the ride?
I would suggest you don’t go on the ride if you can’t handle it.
Well, it’s not that I can’t handle it, it’s just I’m choosing not to go on it.
Okay, I’m gonna go on the ride.
You’re gonna hold my cake.
You can hold my bag.
MARK: Okay.
Okay? Wish me luck.
MARK: Okay.
Okay. Thank you.
MARK: Have fun.
(JUST ANOTHER DAY BY JON SECADA PLAYING)
(BELL RINGING)
(GRAVITRON WHIRRING)
(THUDDING)
(JUST ANOTHER DAY BY JON SECADA PLAYING LOUDLY)
(IMPERCEPTIBLE)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
(IMPERCEPTIBLE)
(CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
MARK: Here I come!
You look so cool!
You look so cool!
MARK: I feel so cool.
This is my speed, baby.
DAWN: Okay.
This is my speed.
(CHEERFUL MUSIC CONTINUES)
COMMENTATOR: Let’s go, Rambo! The drivers are circling together.
Come on, 45!
COMMENTATOR: Andy Garcia is still in this.
Oh!
COMMENTATOR: Andy Garcia! Here comes…
ALL: Oh!
(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING)
Oh!
COMMENTATOR: Great hit! Not giving up just yet. Oh, I think that back wheel has had it.
DAWN: Yes!
COMMENTATOR: He’s good. He’s gotta find a way out of this, because they just keep hitting him in the same spot.
Whoohoo!
COMMENTATOR: Oh, here we go! Oh, getting flattened now! Full speed ahead! Full speed ahead!
(SENTIMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
COMMENTATOR: Oh! Madden does another hard hit. Checking on 50. The Kenney boys are still in the mix here and still moving around.
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
He’s okay!
(CLAPPING)
Whoo!
He’s okay!
COMMENTATOR: Rick’s car is hit the hardest…
MARK: Dawn, what happened with this over here?
What do you mean?
I asked you to prune the bottom so the tops will get bigger.
I wanted this to look like the Road Runner cartoon.
It’s just a little nub of a thing. Just cut it off.
Well, that’s not the way it works.
Right now, it steals water, and then it ruins the integrity from the larger arms.
Well, I’m sorry.
I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.
It’s just…
It’s just a plant. (LAUGHS) It’s not just a plant.
That’s a saguaro cactus.
They’re hard to grow like that.
Can I have that knife?
You’d make a really great father, you know that?
That’s very nice of you to say and I mean it, but…
It’s true.
Well, thank you, but I’m just not ready, and I don’t know why you keep bringing that up, by the way.
It’s like you keep forcing it.
I’m not forcing it.
I was just saying, you have great qualities and you’d make a great dad, that’s all.
Why’d you bring it up?
To be nice.
Well, it’s not nice, because you keep making me say no.
You already know how I feel about that.
Look, I love kids…
(SIGHS)
…but I’m always gone, my mind is preoccupied with everything else that’s going on, and you keep bringing this up about having kids.
I mean, I don’t know what you want me to do.
I look around.
I’m already doing everything already.
That’s not true, Mark.
It is true.
I’m already doing everything around here.
You don’t understand.
I just don’t have the mental space to have a kid.
And… And I’m sorry.
I don’t like telling you no.
I was just trying to be nice.
I know, I know.
Okay.
And it’s very nice.
And… And I appreciate it.
It’s just not the right time.
Okay.
Really, Dawn? Look at all the leaves in the pool.
Are you kidding me, Mark?
It’s… That was this morning.
I know, but…
I’ll do it.
(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
So, how has it been?
It’s been really fucking annoying, to be honest with you.
It’s just…
He’s on this whole high-horse schtick and I thought I could handle it, and I don’t know if I can, because it’s like being with a completely different fucking person now.
You know how it is when people get sober, it’s all they can talk about, so…
(SCOFFS) When he was using, he was like tender and sweet and he relied upon me, and now it’s like he’s distant.
It’s hard, it’s hard to know, and he’s like shitty, and picking on me, and…
(SIGHS) Well…
I think I miss taking care of him, you know.
JACQUELINE: Yeah.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
What? Oh, brain freeze?
(EXCLAIMING) Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Mmmmmm.
It does. Yeah. It works.
You gotta warm it up.
It never works. Never.
I don’t know what to do.
Okay. Here, chug this.
Oh, my God.
JACQUELINE: Okay.
SERVER AND DAWN: ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Happy birthday, dear Jacqueline♪
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
(CHUCKLING)
Thank you. I fuckin’ hate you.
(DAWN CACKLING) I’m gonna kill you.
SERVER: Enjoy.
DAWN AND JAQUELINE: Thank you!
DAWN: Just remind me never to go back to that place.
That place was the worst.
I feel like I need that pizza.
Sorry.
Four. Wow.
Yep.
It’s a guarantee I won’t get a headache, and I can kind of feel it.
Yep. That makes a lot of sense.
DAWN: Yeah, I thought so.
That’s why I said it.
You know, I’m just out of rehab, Dawn.
Oh, please. Really?
I mean, come on.
It’s like, I didn’t do it in front of you.
I know, but you’re just not being nice to me right now.
You’re not being very nice to me.
What does that even mean?
I didn’t do anything.
No, you’re just…
I haven’t done anything.
…kind of judgy, and, like, you just got your shit together for 21 days, like…
It doesn’t make you any better than me.
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it in that way.
Mark. It’s…
It’s just ’cause you’ve got a problem with something, it doesn’t mean that everyone in the world has the same problem that you do. Okay?
So just give me a break.
You wouldn’t understand.
Who are you calling?
(MARK EXHALES DEEPLY)
JEFF: (ON PHONE) Hello. Hey, Jeff, it’s me.
Oh, it’s your sponsor. Okay.
You know what?
You’re no fun anymore.
You’re no fun anymore.
And you’re just a fucking tattletale bitch.
Hold on. Hold on one second.
Are you telling on me?
I’m not telling on you.
What are you doing?
This is the most difficult time of my life, Dawn.
Please, please.
I need you to understand.
I do understand.
Please.
No, I do. I understand.
But then you go and call Jeff, and then you just shut me out.
And it really hurts my feelings, and I’m here to talk to you, okay?
But you just gotta let me in.
You don’t need Jeff.
Hang up. Hang up.
This is what I’m talking about.
I mean, this up and down.
I don’t know who I’m talking to.
How the fuck can you say that?
Your behavior is just so unhealthy for me right now.
Please, Dawn.
You know what? Fuck you, Mark.
Just go fuck yourself.
(DOOR SLAMS)
Jeff, can you hear what I’m dealing with now?
It’s so uncomfortable in my own home.
I don’t know if you had a chance to hear what she was saying when she was screaming.
JEFF: I heard…
MARK: Yeah.
You know what it is?
Is that you’re fucking jealous that I can still go out and get drinks with my friends, and it’s completely fine.
And you wish you could do that.
Well, stop trying to pretend that I’m the one with the fucking problem.
MARK: Did you hear that?
JEFF: Yeah.
MARK: Yeah, that’s her.
(OBJECTS CLANKING)
I hope you and Jeff… are real fucking happy together.
MARK: And she just… I…
I’m gonna call you back.
All right, thanks, Jeff.
JEFF: Yeah, okay.
Hey, Dawn?
Dawn?
PRIDE DIRECTOR: Today, we are happy to have our greatest fighters in one room together for this press conference.
Please give a round of applause for them.
(ALL APPLAUDING)
We will be holding a tournament over two events, leading to a championship fight that will result in the number one fighter in all of the world.
(CROWD APPLAUDING)
And also, we regret that we disappointed the fans last time with the cancelation of the main card of Enson Inoue versus Mark Kerr.
We have received Mark’s word that this will not happen again.
And he has asked for some time to address his Japanese fans regarding his inclusion in this special tournament.
Hello.
And thank you to everyone for allowing me to be here today.
I’d like to apologize, first and foremost, to the Pride organization and staff.
You have been extremely understanding to me during my time of dealing with my personal struggles, and finally to the Japanese people, the Japanese fans.
I know that you’ve been questioning whether I am the fighter that you thought that I was.
And one of my biggest regrets in life is the answer to that question.
I wasn’t.
And I’m ashamed about that.
But I promise you, that I’m gonna work even harder to make this up to you.
Thank you. Arigato.
(CROWD APPLAUDING)
(INAUDIBLE)
Look what the cat dragged in.
(MARK CHUCKLING) Marquito!
Basito.
(LAUGHS) What’s up, brother?
Brother.
Man, good to see you.
Mwah.
Ooh! I guess we got some work to do.
A little bit.
I’m just kidding, man.
Yeah, take a look at this.
BAS: What do you got?
MARK: It’s the rules.
BAS: Oof!
Man, they’ve taken all your weapons away.
Yeah. Took everything away.
I mean, Coleman’s been working on his striking and his kicking.
Promoters told him that they don’t want to see any more grappling and wrestling.
BAS: Yeah, they wanna see knockouts.
They want to see people get knocked out.
Well, look how he beat Ricardo.
Knocked him out, right?
I mean…
And Enson next year is gonna do exactly the same thing to you.
Yeah.
He’s gonna come for you, and he wants to knock you out.
You’re just gonna move backwards, wait for the right moment, shoot in, take his ass down, and then you just hit him in the face, I guess.
So, no striking?
No, no striking.
Well, you need to know striking in order to get him to tire to take him to the ground.
But, come on, man, you know his game plan, right?
Five wins by knockout, five wins by submission.
And then, last year, on my freaking birthday, who won the Abu Dhabi Combat Club world championship?
You did.
He’s not gonna take you down.
He saw you beat four amazing grapplers.
Nobody came even close to submitting you.
So trust me, this guy is not gonna take you to the ground.
Thank you.
You ready?
I think so.
You think so?
Come on, Mark, it’s a yes or no answer.
(MOCKINGLY) “I think so.”
(IN NORMAL VOICE) That’s right. Come on. Are you ready?
Yes.
Oh! Looky.
Look at the sight of the show.
Marquito… is back.
(BELL RINGING)
(ALARM RINGING)
Uh, actually, we’re gonna have to wait ten seconds…
(CHUCKLING)
…till the buzzer goes.
So, deep breaths.
(EXHALES)
(ALARM BEEPING)
Okay, here we go. Two.
Good. Again.
Four.
(MARK GRUNTING) Good. Uppercut straight.
Nice.
Very good.
Good. Now switch. Boom!
There we go. You see.
Stop playing with that.
BAS: How do you feel?
(CHUCKLES) Good.
That’s how you should feel.
(MARK GRUNTING)
Okay. Okay.
Mark, Mark, Mark, watch.
You’re looking where you’re gonna hit, right?
I went to hit you in the head, well, you’re gonna defend it.
Now, so what I do, I hit the body and I hit it hard because he needs to defend it.
He needs to respect it.
Boom to the body, boom to the body.
Same motto. Boom to the head.
But you see, you don’t look at the head.
All right?
So you hit here, boom!
And you go…
(BAS GROANS, BREATHING THROUGH TEETH)
MARK: Bas?
(BAS SOBS) MARK: Bas, you okay?
He’s having a heart attack.
BAS: No, no, no.
MARK: Someone call 911 right now.
BAS: No, no, no.
It’s my freakin’ tendon, dude.
Did you tear it?
BAS: My ten… No!
It’s messed up my career.
(GROANS) You okay?
BAS: No, it’s freaking…
It’s going to go off for an hour and a half.
I know this.
I’ve been here many times.
Shit!
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(BAS BREATHING SHARPLY)
BAS: Okay. We need to get something, guys.
I think… One is coming.
I need to go to a hospital or something.
MAN: Breathe, breathe.
Breathe, breathe.
(BAS BREATHING SHAKILY)
Oh, and it’s gonna be an hour and a half.
I know this is gonna be an hour and a half.
MAN: Breathe.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
What’s wrong with this one?
Oh, dude.
Ow!
Okay. Okay. Which one?
Which one? Which one?
BAS: It’s this arm.
This one?
Yeah.
MARK: Okay.
I’m not using.
I swear to God, I’m clean.
This is old.
I don’t give a shit.
Do anything.
I don’t give a shit.
MARK: Okay.
(BAS GRUNTS)
(EXHALING)
Five seconds, all your pain is gonna go away.
Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh.
Oh. (EXHALING) Just breathe.
BAS: Yeah, that’s good.
Oh, dude…
Oh, dude, I feel like a plant.
(CHUCKLES) That’s it.
How do you fight on that shit?
You just get used to it.
Wow.
Wow, man, that’s hot.
(EXHALES) Just breathe.
Now I know why you were always sweaty.
You were always sweaty.
Ooh. This is weird.
Just breathe. Just breathe.
BAS: Oh.
Oh, man.
Different world.
(MY WAY BY FRANK SINATRA PLAYING)
BAS: Yes!
Yes!
Okay. Go around.
(CHUCKLING)
BAS: Yes!
Yes!
(BOTH GRUNTING)
Come on.
Double cross.
(BOTH GRUNTING)
BAS: Good! Take a breather.
(MARK EXHALES)
(GRUNTING)
(GRUNTING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: Hi, everybody, and welcome to the Pride Grand Prix 2000 opening round. Tonight we have 16 men competing in eight different fights.
One clash I’m really excited about is the clash between Mark Kerr and Enson Inoue.
Wrestling versus jiujitsu.
That’s gonna be a great one, Bas.
It’s gonna be a super exciting fight and I’ll tell you why.
Because last time, Mark Kerr wasn’t in the best shape.
This time, though, he came back to me.
And you know as well as I do, once you acquire the skill set of mixed martial arts, I think that endurance is the most important aspect of mixed martial arts.
So he can go the distance.
Let’s hope so.
Uh, one thing everybody’s been talking about is the potential collision between the two Americans in this tournament.
Bas, have you spoken to either Kerr or Coleman about the thought of fighting such a good friend for a lifechanging amount of money?
That’s a super intense question, Stephen, and, no, I have not.
But I can only imagine they’re deep in each other’s heads right now.
(POP MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY ON SPEAKERS)
(CHUCKLES)
Coleman, you see this?
COLEMAN: Yeah?
What page?
MARK: Seven.
(CHUCKLES)
Caught you midbreath.
Yeah, I look exhausted.
MARK: You look good though, man.
COLEMAN: Yeah.
All right, go to five.
Look at that.
That’s a great one midkick.
(CHUCKLES)
Coleman, you wanna have some fun?
What do you mean?
Come on.
COLEMAN: Yeah?
MARK: Yeah.
(CARS HONKING HORNS)
(CROWD CHEERING)
Wow.
It’s fuckin’ cool, man.
Oh, yeah.
Lot of people.
They love you, man.
They’re not…
Come on, go say hi to ’em.
Come on, bro, come on.
(CROWD CONTINUES CHEERING)
(FANS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
(CROWD CONTINUES CHEERING)
(ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYING KIMIGAYO)
(ALL MOUTHING)
(PLAYING HIGHPITCHED RIFF)
STEPHEN QUADROS: That was Tomoyasu Hotei with an incredible rendition of the Japanese national anthem to welcome us all to the first round of the Pride 2000 Grand Prix tournament. This is the first round of the tworound Grand Prix to crown the greatest fighter in the world. I gotta say, it’s so great to see Mark Kerr back out there smiling amongst this highly-elite group of fighters.
Please rise for The Star-Spangled Banner.
(SINGING THE STARSPANGLED BANNER)
ANNOUNCER: Mark Coleman!
STEPHEN QUADROS: Mark Coleman is really excited to be back here, saying he has trained as hard as he possibly could with the hopes that he can continue his ride here at the top of this sport. If he wins this fight, he’ll secure a spot in the final round of this Grand Prix, and keep his hope alive for the $200,000 grand prize.
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
(CROWD CHEERING)
CORNERMAN: You got him! You got him!
That’s it! That’s it!
Keep it up. Keep it up.
STEPHEN QUADROS: And that is the neck crack. And there’s the tap from Satake. A huge victory for Mark Coleman as he secures his spot in the finals of the Pride 2000 Grand Prix. Look at that rare show of emotion as he climbs the ropes. Next up is Mr. “Ice Cold” Igor Vovchanchyn, as he looks to move on to the finals of the Pride 2000 Grand Prix.
(BELL RINGING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: And there it is, another decisive victory from Igor Vovchanchyn as he moves on to the final round.
(ANNOUNCER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
STEPHEN QUADROS: Another promising Japanese fighter has made it past the first round of this tournament and into the finals.
ANNOUNCER: Enson Inoue!
STEPHEN QUADROS: Enson Inoue has carved into the back of his head the Japanese character for “Death.” (CHUCKLES) Something tells me he’s not too happy with Kerr for having to drop out of their fight in Pride 8 back in November of last year.
ANNOUNCER: Mark Kerr!
(CROWD CHEERING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: I got to say, to see Mark back out there after everything he’s been through is truly remarkable, and we should all commend him for such a turnaround. But this is his first real test against the dangerous and promising new fighter, Enson Inoue. And I can’t help but ask myself, does Mark Kerr still have it in him? Can he still fight with everything he’s been through? I guess we’ll find out the answer to that question very soon.
Mark, I’m gonna bring you into the center of the ring for the final instruction.
That’s it. You ready?
Mark, you ready?
Let’s fight.
(BELL RINGS) Okay, take your time.
You got time enough.
Yes! Yes!
All right, Mark, start kicking his legs.
Let’s go. Let’s go.
Yes! Nice job.
Slow it down. Relax.
Just keep kicking those legs, buddy.
Oh, there we go! Let’s go.
Let’s go. Let’s go.
Just kick him.
REFEREE: Down, down, down.
Stand up.
You’re out, you’re out.
Fight!
BAS: Nice!
Good job, brother.
Yes, here we go.
Okay, take his ass out. Yes!
The last one of these. Do it!
Yes, Mark!
Yeah, Mark, keep going!
(EXCLAIMS) Yes!
Hey, man, call it, call it.
(BELL RINGS)
STEPHEN QUADROS: Kerr has done it. He has come back from the brink to win a place in the finals of the 2000 Pride Grand Prix.
Yeah!
Not only has he kept himself in the running for the $200,000 cash grand prize, but he’s also proven that he still has it in him, and he’s someone who could really win this whole tournament. That was a vengeance performance from Kerr, and he and Bas should be extremely proud of that one. There he is, Mark Kerr.
(CROWD CHEERING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: All those fighters you see in the ring will go into the finals on May 1, 2000. The winner of the tournament walks away with a whopping $200,000. Lifechanging money. Now that’s no chump change.
You know it’s gonna be you and me, right?
It’s gonna happen, man, me and you. (CHUCKLES) We always said we couldn’t turn it down.
For 200 grand, I’m gonna whoop your ass.
I don’t wanna have to mess you up.
Bring it. I’m ready.
Let’s have fun.
All right.
COLEMAN: I fucking love you.
I love you, man.
COLEMAN: Make the most out of it, all right?
It is what it is until it isn’t.
COLEMAN: Yeah.
How wild is this?
Crazy.
(MEN GRUNTING)
MARK: Dude.
Nice.
MARK: Go for it.
Okay, I wanted to bring you something, okay.
What is it?
It’s a present.
(CHUCKLES) Open it, dummy.
(MARK CHUCKLES)
DAWN: Do you remember this guy?
So I’ve been reading about Japan, and there’s this, um, Japanese theory, and it’s called like a kint… kintsugi…
Yeah, I heard of that.
(LAUGHS) Kintsugi, or some…
Whatever. They say when you repair something, it makes it more, um, beautiful and more meaningful due to the history and…
It has some history, so I just wanted to fix it.
And, I don’t know, it’s like you’re supposed to use gold to…
(LAUGHS) But I had Krazy Glue so I used Krazy Glue instead.
MARK: You KrazyGlued this?
DAWN: I KrazyGlued it. Yeah.
Piece by piece.
Oh, my God!
I think it’s the point that it’s supposed to look kind of bad.
MARK: No, no, no.
It doesn’t look bad.
DAWN: It’s kind of bad.
It doesn’t look bad.
DAWN: Mmmhmm.
It’s beautiful.
Yeah?
It’s the most meaningful thing anyone’s ever done.
And I love you.
You happy, baby?
You’re so sweaty. Oh, God.
BAS: Come on, buddy.
No, no, no.
BAS: Let’s go. Next round.
Chop, chop. Ding, ding, ding.
MARK: Yeah.
BAS: Come on, Mark.
MARK: Yeah.
So tomorrow, what was it?
Tomorrow I figured I’d work out for about an hour or so back at the hotel, and then we’ll hit the road, drive back to Phoenix.
So, what are you gonna do next week?
With who?
Who’s gonna do it for you?
I’ll figure it out.
Listen, you really believe this is a good idea?
Yeah, I know what I’m doing, all right?
Okay.
You ready, baby?
Yeah. Time to go?
Yeah.
Yeah. I’m gonna pull the car up, okay?
All right.
DAWN: You ready, baby?
MARK: I’m ready, baby.
MARK: Hey, Dawn?
Yeah.
(WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY)
What do you think?
Where’d my baby go?
(CHUCKLES) He’s right here.
(DAWN CHUCKLES)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(BOTH PANTING) Good job, buddy. Good job.
(EXHALES)
(UPBEAT SONG PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)
Honey, why is Coleman calling you?
Did you call him?
Mmmmmm.
He’s probably just calling to check up on me.
Bas also called you, which I thought was kind of weird.
(CHUCKLES) It’s not weird.
They’re my friends.
I just thought it was funny that they’re both calling you.
Well, it’s not…
They’re my friends.
It’s perfectly normal for them to call me, just to check up on me.
They just called you out of the blue?
Dawn, I have a big fight in a couple of weeks.
They’re probably just calling to see how I feel about it.
(CHUCKLES, CLEARS THROAT)
Makes sense.
So they weren’t calling to make sure you wouldn’t cave and bring me to Japan with you?
You listened to my answering machine?
Yeah, I did.
I did because I’m not hearing shit from you.
So, do you agree with them?
What are you talking about, Dawn?
Say it. That you don’t want me to go with you to Japan.
I’m not gonna say that, Dawn.
Why? Just say it.
I’m just… I just need, like, a couple of days. That’s it.
I just need two days.
That’s it.
Just to focus.
You’re saying I can’t help you focus?
No, I’m not saying that at all.
I’m just saying, Dawn, I need you to understand, this is a big deal for me.
It’s the biggest fight ever.
I just need a couple of days.
That’s it.
Just a couple of days to focus.
Bas is saying I just need it without any distractions.
I got it, I got it, I got it.
You know what?
I don’t fucking get it.
What don’t you get, Dawn?
I don’t fucking get it because I do everything for you around here, okay?
I book your appointments, I cook for you, I clean your fucking underwear.
I know you do.
And I’m the big fucking distraction?
No, you’re not.
I’ve thanked you in the past, and I appreciate everything you do.
This is a crazy tournament.
This is the biggest fight of my life.
Just say you don’t want me to go.
I’m not gonna say that to you.
It confuses the situation.
Yeah, I want you to say it to me. There’s nothing confusing about it.
I’m not gonna say that.
You just look me in the eye and you tell me you hate me, and you don’t want me to go.
What the fuck are you…
I’m not gonna say that.
I’m not gonna say that.
And how many times do I have to rewrite my boundaries with you?
I don’t want you to rewrite…
This is so fucking exhausting. Please, Dawn.
I’m sorry, I just…
Mark, I just need you to let me in.
I feel so excluded from everything.
And I’d love to know about your fighting.
And I’d love to know about your training, how you’re feeling in your body, but you don’t want to tell me.
Holy shit!
Dawn, don’t do that.
Do not do that.
Don’t act like all of a sudden you give two shits about my body and my training, when the only thing you care about is yourself.
Really?
Inserting yourself into everything.
Yes, that’s it.
Always about you.
Only about fucking you.
Because everything is about…
You!
You!
And all you give me are your shitty fucking leftovers, and you keep telling me it’s dinnertime.
That’s good.
You read that in one of your little fucking books?
Fuck you, asshole.
Yeah, I did, and it’s how I feel.
It’s how you feel.
You wanna know how I feel?
You know what sucks and what’s not nice is that I’m working my ass off trying to stay sober around here.
(SCOFFS) Sure, okay.
Yeah, maybe I’ll call your sponsor.
Don’t fucking do that.
You stop!
Don’t fucking work my program like that.
Don’t you fucking work…
Don’t you fucking get… my program like that.
…in my face.
You want to hit me?
Let’s go. Come on.
Let’s fucking go.
Mr… Mr. Fucking in Control.
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know what to do.
I’m working my ass off to make a lifechanging amount of money.
And what are you doing?
I just get out of rehab and you’re out till four o’clock in the morning with your friends.
You’re drinking.
You’re eating Advil at fucking 2:30 in the afternoon.
You think that’s nice to me?
You think that’s encouraging?
No, it’s rude and it’s selfish and it’s fucked up, and that’s why you’re not going to Japan.
DAWN: I knew it was you.
I knew it was your fucking idea.
You knew it?
Yeah, of course you did.
Of course.
Because it’s all about you.
All about you.
But you don’t care about me.
You don’t care about my feelings.
You just care about yourself and your dumb fucking friends and your stupid fucking fighting.
My stupid fucking fighting that’s paid for this fucking house.
My stupid fucking fighting that’s paid for the car.
Paid for that fucking outfit.
But that’s how you like it, Mark.
Yes, and by the way…
You just want to… that’s on you.
…control everything.
That’s on you.
All these insecurities, Dawn, are on you.
So whatever’s going on in that fucked up head of yours, that’s an inside job.
I don’t think you know a damn thing about me.
You don’t know a damn thing about me.
You know that, Mark?
I think it’s best if you leave.
We’re having a party.
Cancel the party.
No.
Because everybody’s coming over and everyone’s excited.
And I was really excited about it.
And I feel like we could just talk about this tomorrow.
And I don’t have to come to Japan or anything.
It’s okay.
Dawn, go in the room, pack a bag, and get out.
(JUNGLELAND BY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLAYING)
(KEYPAD ON SAFE BEEPING)
(DAWN SOBS)
Dawn.
Dawn. Dawn.
Dawn, no. Dawn, no! No!
(GRUNTS) Get off me!
(CRYING)
Dawn. Dawn, open the door.
Baby, we’re gonna talk this through.
I need you to look me in the eyes just so you can see what I’m feeling.
Dawn.
(LID POPS)
(PILLS CLATTERING)
Stop! Get your fucking hands off me!
Get your fucking hands off me, Mark!
I wasn’t gonna do anything!
I was just pretending, Mark, I promise.
You’re fucking hurting me, Mark, please.
I’m not gonna let you go.
I fucking…
(IMPERCEPTIBLE) I fucking hate you!
I fucking hate you, Mark!
I’ve wasted my whole fucking life on you.
(VOICE BREAKS)
Look what you do to me!
(SOBS)
(IMPERCEPTIBLE)
Mark…
Get your fucking hands off me, Mark!
I’m not letting go. I’m not…
I’m not letting go.
(EXHALES)
POLICE OFFICER: We’re not going to arrest, but we will take you to see a doctor. Okay? The doctor’s gonna assess her in the ER.
And will I be able to see her?
You’ll be able to see her, but after a medical doctor actually comes in and assesses her first.
(JUNGLELAND CONTINUES PLAYING)
(CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING)
Which fighter would you like to win the next round?
Fujita or Mark Kerr?
Yeah, that’s a very difficult question.
I don’t think I can answer that one.
JOURNALIST: I totally understand.
Let’s say what if Mark Kerr does win?
Would it be hard for you to fight such a good friend of yours?
Yeah, of course. But look, if it happens, it happens, right?
I’m gonna give it my all.
He’s gonna do the same.
And we’ll see what happens.
JOURNALIST: Okay.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
Good luck.
Appreciate it.
ANNOUNCER: Mark Coleman!
STEPHEN QUADROS: Mark Coleman enters the finals off the heels of a decisive victory against Satake in the first round. Given his recent losses before that match, this could be Coleman’s last chance at this elusive championship. He has a tough round…
All right, Mark, Coleman’s about to get up.
Come on, watch.
STEPHEN QUADROS: A promising fighter looking to make a name for himself. But a victory here tonight would pit him against the winner of Kerr versus Fujita later this evening. Coleman’s trainer has told us that he has been working on his boxing game recently and that we should, quote, “Watch out for some KOs.”
CORNERMAN 1: Come on, Coleman. Hands up.
CORNERMAN 2: Watch it, watch it. Yeah.
Take him down! Take him down!
CORNERMAN 1: Body lock.
Body lock, yes!
CORNERMAN 2: Come on! Come on!
Mark! No, no, no!
Get back up! Get up! Get up!
That’s it. That’s it. Jab.
CORNERMAN 1: Yes!
Yes! Yes!
(CROWD CHEERING ON TV)
(SPEAKING UKRAINIAN)
CORNERMAN 2: (IN ENGLISH) Mark, come on.
CORNERMAN 1: Watch his foot.
Take him down. Hit it.
Finish him.
CORNERMAN 2: Take him down! Take him down!
Yes! Yes!
Man, Coleman can fucking hit.
CORNERMAN 2: That’s it. Again! Again!
Again!
CORNERMAN 1: Yes!
CORNERMAN 2: Yes! Yes!
CORNERMAN 1: Yes!
CORNERMAN 2: You got him!
CORNERMAN 1: Yes!
CORNERMAN 2: He’s going, he’s going.
(BELL RINGING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: That is it! Mark Coleman virtually put a beating on Akira Shoji and the judges have to have seen that.
CORNERMAN 1: Yes!
STEPHEN QUADROS: And there you have it, folks. It’s a unanimous decision win for Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. It was a dominant onesided victory that brings him one step closer to the grand prize. Coleman will await the winner of the fight between Kazuyuki Fujita and his good friend, Mark Kerr.
(MARK EXHALES)
All right. Let’s go.
STEPHEN QUADROS: Kazuyuki Fujita presents a tough, tough challenge for Kerr as he is one of the best heavyweights in the division. A win here would cement Fujita’s place in history. From the looks on his face and his attitude, Fujita appears to be a man on a mission, and something tells me it might take a wrecking ball to stop him. Kerr is fresh off his miraculous win over Enson Inoue in the first round, and he looks to keep his good fortune going with a win against one of the toughest fighters in the division. Will Kerr silence his critics here with a win? Or will all his hopes and dreams come crashing down? If Kerr is in any way similar to the man I know he is, he will want to win this fight and tournament more than life itself.
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
All right. Ready? Fight.
Close the bars. Nice job.
Nice jabs on him.
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
Nice! Good job!
Yes! Nice!
Don’t stop. Go push in.
Oh, jeez!
Yes! Get him back.
Yes! You got him back.
Let’s go, let’s go.
(FUJITA’S CORNERMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
That’s illegal.
Mark, get out of this situation.
Just get up, man.
Yes, take your time.
Take your time.
Move around. Take a breath.
(THRILLING MUSIC CONTINUES)
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
Come on, Mark.
BAS: (EXCLAIMS) Nice one.
Yeah! Uhoh.
Nice job!
Nice! Oy!
Good job, good job.
Take your time. Relax.
Breathe in.
Take that takedown.
Come on, Mark.
Get up.
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
Mark!
You got to improve your position, Mark.
Come on!
Lower your back so you can see him coming at least. Get up, Mark. Watch out for his knees. Improve your position. Improve your position.
Come on, Mark! Come on.
(MARK GRUNTS)
(BELL RINGING)
STEPHEN QUADROS: Oh, my goodness! Kerr has lost. He is out of the tournament. This has to be the first major upset of the evening. I have no idea what happened to Mark out there. He just couldn’t move. This is truly shocking. A
ll right. Get up, Mark.
STEPHEN QUADROS: One thing I have to call attention to is Mark’s heart, because we have seen a lot of tap outs in this tournament. But Mark fell on his sword in front of these thousands of fans. And for them, he would rather be beaten than quit. I can tell you from experience that takes a true champion.
BAS: Don’t worry about it. I still love you, brother.
STEPHEN QUADROS: Fujita moves on to fight Mark Coleman for a place in the final fight of the evening as we await the winner of the Vovchanchyn versus Sakuraba fight and we get closer to that $200,000 grand prize.
(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING)
Can we turn the lights out, Bas?
Yeah, I’ll take care of it.
I’m going to get you some ice, too. Okay?
Yeah.
Hey, Mark.
Come here, big guy.
BAS: Raja, where can I find some ice?
Over there.
How you doing, Mark?
BAS: All right, keep your eyes closed and put this on it.
Try to relax, all right?
(EXHALES)
Mark, can you hear me?
Yeah.
DR. CORTEZ: Do you know what happened to you?
Yeah, I lost.
Yeah, you did.
Do you know where you are right now?
Japan.
DR. CORTEZ: Good.
Do I need stitches?
Yeah, you need a few stitches.
MARK: Is it bad?
No, it’s not horrible.
I’m just gonna go over here and get everything ready.
All right? It’ll be a few minutes.
You just sit tight here.
MARK: Yeah, okay.
All right.
I could not move my body.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
It’s like I…
It was like I was dead.
Yep, I’ve been there, buddy.
I couldn’t move.
Listen, Mark, I hate to do this, brother, but I gotta go back to the commentary table, okay?
I gotta work.
Okay.
BAS: All right, man.
Bas, thank you.
Thank you for everything.
BAS: You’re welcome, brother.
Yes.
I’m sorry.
BAS: No, no, no.
Don’t say that.
Don’t say that.
You got him?
I got him.
BAS: All right. Sounds good.
Hey, Doc.
Doc, sorry.
Hey, Mark.
How’s Kerr?
He’s okay. He’s all right.
He got a gash here.
We gotta stitch that up.
How’s his head?
It’s clearing up.
Does he care if I go in?
No, no, go in. Go in.
Coleman.
COLEMAN: Thank you.
What’s going on, bud?
MARK: Hey, man.
How you feeling?
(SIGHS) You know.
You all right?
Yeah, I’m a little banged up.
Nothing to worry about, though.
Whatever. Let it go.
It happens.
It’s one night.
We’ve all been there.
You heard about Fujita, right?
He’s out.
He’s not coming back.
He’s injured.
Yeah, I know, I know.
It’s all yours to win now, Cole.
For real?
For real.
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
Yeah, buddy, it’s all yours.
Go get it.
I’ll fucking get it.
MARK: It’s all yours.
Appreciate that.
I love you, buddy.
I love you.
Go bring it home.
I’ll get it done.
STEPHEN QUADROS: So Mark Coleman is coming into this final looking fresh as ever after his good friend, Mark Kerr, inadvertently did him a favor after Fujita injured his knee in their fight together. The question is, will Coleman be able to avenge Kerr against his nemesis, Igor Vovchanchyn? Or will Igor continue his reign as the top heavyweight in the division?
All right, Mark, I’m gonna tell you what I’m gonna do every step of the way.
All right?
You just let me know if anything is bothering you.
STEPHEN QUADROS: I should also note this is the first time a Pride event has ever been broadcast in North America. And I think they are in for a real treat.
REFEREE: All right.
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
(BELL RINGS)
(CORNERMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(MEN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
You’re gonna feel a little pinch, and then a lot of burning.
Pinch.
A lot of burning.
CORNERMAN: Take your time!
There you go! Yes!
Come on! Come on! Handle him!
Yes, yes, yes!
Spin him around! Spin him!
DR. CORTEZ: And two more.
CORNERMAN: Keep going!
Keep going!
Yes! Yes!
(IGOR GRUNTS)
STEPHEN QUADROS: There’s the tap. Wow! Igor has tapped out. Mark Coleman has won the Pride 2000 Grand Prix. Oh! Look at the excitement in that man. He’s crazy excited, and he’s running to the fans. He’s running to the fans.
COLEMAN: Yes!
STEPHEN QUADROS: He just won $200,000.
DR. CORTEZ: All right. You’re all done.
(CORRIDOR OF DREAMS PLAYING)
(CROWD CHEERING)
(MARK GRUNTS)
(CORRIDOR OF DREAMS CONTINUES PLAYING)
(CHUCKLING)
Hi, how are you?
CASHIER: Hi.
(JAZZY MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)
CASHIER: How are you?
I’m good.
Thank you.
CASHIER: Good.
How was your day so far?
CASHIER: So far, so good.
Yours?
It’s good.
CASHIER: Good.
Gonna get real busy.
CASHIER: Yeah.
(LAUGHS)
(MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY BY TIMI YURO PLAYING)
Uh… (CHUCKLES) Unbelievable.
(CHUCKLING)
Uh… Oh, boy.
(CHUCKLING)
Amazing.
See you, guys.
(MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY CONTINUES PLAYING)
(ENGINE TURNS OVER, WHIRRING)
(SONG ENDS)
(LIMELIGHT BY THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT PLAYING)
(HARP MUSIC PLAYING)
(MUSIC FADES OUT)
