Latest news with #MarkKerr
Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
If Greg Taylor leaves Celtic for PAOK he can expect broken windows, riot police and tear gas
Mark Kerr is one of only a handful of Scots to play in Greece and while it's not for the faint hearted, he couldn't get enough Seething supporters trying to storm the inner sanctum of the stadium.. crazy ultras panning in the windows.. riot police filling the night sky with tear gas. Mark Kerr saw all sorts of chaos during his two seasons playing in the Greek Super League. And he LOVED it. The former Aberdeen, Falkirk and Dundee United midfielder is one of just a handful of Scots to have plied their trade in the country originally known as Hellas. But now it looks like Greg Taylor is set to add his name to the list with a move to PAOK edging closer after six seasons at Celtic. And while Kerr admits surprise that anyone could leave Paradise when there's a new contract on the table, he reckons a stint in the league that can made the Old Firm derby look tame is no bad substitute. Kerr spent 18 months with Asteris Tripolis after leaving Aberdeen in 2010. He fell in love with the place, the peaceful Mediterranean culture.. and the madness of it's football. Kerr said: 'I really enjoyed my time in Greece, absolutely loved it. 'The football is a really high standard. Olympiacos have obviously won a European trophy recently, AEK Athens and Panathinaikos have done well and PAOK are always up there challenging. 'The quality, it's really quite a tactical game, a bit slower. I think Greg would be brilliant over there, to be honest. 'Just the way he plays, he's good in the ball. There's some really good players in that league. 'It is a bit of a culture shock at first, the stadiums and atmospheres. PAOK is one of the older style stadiums with an open roof. One of those tunnels you go down then up stairs onto the pitch. 'It was really impressive. The fans are amazing. Passionate beyond belief. 'I remember we drew 2-2 with AEK. We were 2-0 up in the Olympic Stadium - they were sharing with Olympiacos at the time - with about five minutes ago. 'Their fans were going absolutely mental. They were trying to get on the pitch because their team was losing. 'Then we beat Panathinaikos 1-0 at home. That was probably the craziest one. 'The away fans were putting in the windows afterwards. There's armed police at all the games and there was tear gas going off everywhere. 'We were inside the stadium and they were trying to get in through the doors, putting in the windows. 'Obviously you don't expect that coming from Scottish football. I loved that though, honestly. It's a good experience. 'It's not as if you're face-to-face with them. There's riot cops there. 'Some of the directors storm on to the pitch after games too. Like the Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis did last month. That's just normal to them. 'We used to get the bosses coming down the next day and shouting in our face and the manager's face. 'They'd be offering big bonuses. But if we didn't win… "They don't give a sh*t. It's their club. I had five different managers in those two seasons.' Away from the wild scenes on the sidelines there was quality on the park. And the sunshine lifestyle was something Kerr could never have imagined in a career otherwise spent in Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk and Ayr. Should Taylor finalise his move to Thessaloniki then he can expect sun, blue sea and golden sand. But Kerr admits, if it was his choice, he'd still choose the east end of Glasgow's version of Paradise. Could Greece make Taylor a better player? The former Ayr United boss, who left Kelty Hearts with Charlie Mulgrew earlier this season, said: 'That's a hard one for me to answer. I know Kieran Tierney's coming back and it's maybe about game time, but I'd never be leaving Celtic! 'There's obviously things in the background that you don't know about. I just don't know how you get better than playing for Celtic and in the Champions League. 'He's got a decision to make for his family, obviously. He's been brilliant for Celtic, absolutely brilliant. 'I think he'd be a massive part of next season. If he does go to Greece though, he will love it, I'm sure. 'The country's brilliant. The lifestyle's great. I was treated really well there. 'You travel quite a bit. They fly to the islands so it's a good experience. 'And Thessaloniki is a really nice place. I was there when Aris and PAOK were both in the league so we were there a good few times. 'We stayed over for two days. We'd fly on a Friday, play late on Saturday night then either fly home that night or fly home on Sunday. You got a chance to see places. 'I moved to a wee place called Nafplio in my second season, an amazing wee place just on the sea, I'd just go back after training and chill out with the family. It was brilliant. 'It's a great league too. The boys I played with, like Anastasios Bakasetas and Kostas Fortounis, went on to become captains for Greece. 'The heat isn't even a problem as you don't train or play in it. We used to be in the training ground for half six in the morning. 'Asteris was probably the most high-tech club of my career. You'd be in early and get your bloods done. You'd be getting all your tablets and stuff based on your body. 'On a normal day, you'd be in at half seven, train at half eight. Then you'd be done for ten o'clock, eleven o'clock. 'That would be you. All the games over there are pretty much eight o'clock kick-offs. Then obviously the winter months you'll get your afternoon games. Maybe a four o'clock kick-off, three o'clock kick-off. 'Honestly, I loved it and I'm sure Greg would too.'
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing
Mark Kerr is the latest fighter who will head to the UFC Hall of Fame later this month. Kerr, who won the UFC 14 and UFC 15 heavyweight tournaments, will go into the Hall's Pioneer Wing, the promotion announced Saturday during the UFC 316 pay-per-view broadcast. The induction ceremony takes place in Las Vegas as part of International Fight Week for UFC 317. Advertisement "Mark Kerr was a high-level wrestler who also fought for PRIDE and was one of the early pioneers of the sport," UFC CEO Dana White said in a news release. Kerr will be the 21st member of the Pioneer Wing, which has fighters who became professional largely in the 1990s ahead of the adoption of a unified ruleset. Kerr is one of just five fighters with multiple UFC tournament wins. The other four all are in the UFC Hall of Fame: Royce Gracie, Mark Coleman, Dan Severn and Don Frye. Kerr and his "Smashing Machine" nickname became legendary, and his background is legendary enough that an upcoming biopic starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson already is garnering acclaim. Johnson will be on hand to induct Kerr into the Hall, the UFC announced. Advertisement The UFC's news release includes this about Kerr's non-UFC pursuits: Outside the Octagon, the 56-year old Kerr served as the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary titled The Smashing Machine, which chronicled his career while competing across multiple MMA organizations. A film with the same name, starring Dwayne Johnson as Kerr, is set to be released by A24 on October 3. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Kerr began his wrestling career as a freshman at Bettendorf High School in Iowa, where he was a teammate of future UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich. Kerr returned to Toledo and joined the wrestling team at Waite High School, becoming Ohio Division I state champion in 1986. Following high school, Kerr began his collegiate wrestling career at Syracuse University, competing for the Orangemen in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. During his tenure on the collegiate mats, Kerr won the conference title in 1989, 1991 and 1992, while also earning All-America honors and the NCAA Division I National Championship in his final season. Kerr would spend the next four years as a freestyle wrestler, winning silver and gold medals during the United World Wrestling World Cup in 1992 and 1994, as well as the silver medal at the UWW Pan American Games in 1995. He also won the USA Wrestling World Team Trials in 1993 and 1994. Kerr also competed in ADCC Submission Fighting Championship, a grappling competition, defeating future UFC heavyweight champions Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez en route to winning gold medals during the 1999, 2000 and 2001 tournaments. In 2022, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the ADCC Hall of Fame. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing
Mark Kerr is the latest fighter who will head to the UFC Hall of Fame later this month. Kerr, who won the UFC 14 and UFC 15 heavyweight tournaments, will go into the Hall's Pioneer Wing, the promotion announced Saturday during the UFC 316 pay-per-view broadcast. The induction ceremony takes place in Las Vegas as part of International Fight Week for UFC 317. Advertisement "Mark Kerr was a high-level wrestler who also fought for PRIDE and was one of the early pioneers of the sport," UFC CEO Dana White said in a news release. Kerr will be the 21st member of the Pioneer Wing, which has fighters who became professional largely in the 1990s ahead of the adoption of a unified ruleset. Kerr is one of just five fighters with multiple UFC tournament wins. The other four all are in the UFC Hall of Fame: Royce Gracie, Mark Coleman, Dan Severn and Don Frye. Kerr and his "Smashing Machine" nickname became legendary, and his background is legendary enough that an upcoming biopic starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson already is garnering acclaim. Johnson will be on hand to induct Kerr into the Hall, the UFC announced. Advertisement The UFC's news release includes this about Kerr's non-UFC pursuits: Outside the Octagon, the 56-year old Kerr served as the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary titled The Smashing Machine, which chronicled his career while competing across multiple MMA organizations. A film with the same name, starring Dwayne Johnson as Kerr, is set to be released by A24 on October 3. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Kerr began his wrestling career as a freshman at Bettendorf High School in Iowa, where he was a teammate of future UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich. Kerr returned to Toledo and joined the wrestling team at Waite High School, becoming Ohio Division I state champion in 1986. Following high school, Kerr began his collegiate wrestling career at Syracuse University, competing for the Orangemen in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. During his tenure on the collegiate mats, Kerr won the conference title in 1989, 1991 and 1992, while also earning All-America honors and the NCAA Division I National Championship in his final season. Kerr would spend the next four years as a freestyle wrestler, winning silver and gold medals during the United World Wrestling World Cup in 1992 and 1994, as well as the silver medal at the UWW Pan American Games in 1995. He also won the USA Wrestling World Team Trials in 1993 and 1994. Kerr also competed in ADCC Submission Fighting Championship, a grappling competition, defeating future UFC heavyweight champions Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez en route to winning gold medals during the 1999, 2000 and 2001 tournaments. In 2022, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the ADCC Hall of Fame. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing
Mark Kerr headed to UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing Mark Kerr is the latest fighter who will head to the UFC Hall of Fame later this month. Kerr, who won the UFC 14 and UFC 15 heavyweight tournaments, will go into the Hall's Pioneer Wing, the promotion announced Saturday during the UFC 316 pay-per-view broadcast. The induction ceremony takes place in Las Vegas as part of International Fight Week for UFC 317. "Mark Kerr was a high-level wrestler who also fought for PRIDE and was one of the early pioneers of the sport," UFC CEO Dana White said in a news release. Kerr will be the 21st member of the Pioneer Wing, which has fighters who became professional largely in the 1990s ahead of the adoption of a unified ruleset. Kerr is one of just five fighters with multiple UFC tournament wins. The other four all are in the UFC Hall of Fame: Royce Gracie, Mark Coleman, Dan Severn and Don Frye. Kerr and his "Smashing Machine" nickname became legendary, and his background is legendary enough that an upcoming biopic starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson already is garnering acclaim. Johnson will be on hand to induct Kerr into the Hall, the UFC announced. The UFC's news release includes this about Kerr's non-UFC pursuits:
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Fans all have same reaction to Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's 'unrecognisable' look in new film
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson looks unrecognizable in the new trailer for The Smashing Machine as fans of the Hollywood heavyweight are in awe of his acting skills The trailer for the latest film featuring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has been released - and the wrestler-turned-actor is almost unrecognisable. The Smashing Machine, co-starring Emily Blunt, tells the real-life story of MMA fighter Mark Kerr during the pinnacle of his career in 2000, as he grapples with addiction, love, friendship, and the brutal world of fighting. The story is set against the backdrop of the raw and unfiltered era of mixed martial arts, and Mark's relationship with Dawn, portrayed by Mary Poppins actress Emily Blunt. In the trailer, we hear Dwayne's character proclaim: "Winning is the best feeling there is. "It's 40,000 people in there cheering you on. There's no other high like it in the world." These lines encapsulate the central themes of the movie, which delves into Mark's addiction to painkillers. Sporting a full head of hair, The Rock undergoes a dramatic transformation for the film, directed by Benny Safdie. Mark Kerr, known in the fighting world as 'The Smashing Machine' due to his formidable and aggressive style, soared to fame in the late 90s and early 2000s, reports the Mirror US. A former collegiate wrestler who transitioned into an MMA powerhouse, Mark Kerr is celebrated as a two-time Heavyweight Tournament Champion. His compelling narrative was previously brought to light in a 2002 HBO documentary bearing the same title. Scheduled for an October 3 release, the A24 movie will feature Emily Blunt as Mark Kerr's partner, Dawn Staples. Also appearing will be big names like Ryan Bader, Oleksandr Usyk, and Bas Rutten. The biopic has been in development since 2019 following Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's production company Seven Bucks securing the rights to the tale. Dwayne himself is no stranger to the world of combat sports, originally stepping into the spotlight as a WWF (now WWE) wrestler back in 1996. Given the ferocity showcased in his portrayal of Mark Kerr in the film's trailer, there are whispers of potential accolades for the superstar - already a staple in the 'World's Richest Actors' rankings - when awards season approaches. Enthusiastic fan reactions to the recently unveiled trailer hint at a warm public reception, with anticipation building to see the former wrestling champ tackle a dramatic character. One excited fan wrote: "I'm actually really intrigued by this. Seeing Dwayne doing something more serious actually looked awesome. Excited for this." Another said: "It's a unique compliment for the Rock when no one recognizes him in a film. I'm glad he challenged himself for this role. He is phenomenal in this trailer and I can't wait to see it." Another user wrote: "This is the most vulnerable The Rock has been since Tooth Fairy," and another added: "25 years of starring in films and The Rock finally makes his acting debut! I'm just glad that Dwayne Johnson finally looks like not Dwayne Johnson in a movie ffs. Makeup and prosthetics aside, will the acting actually be good? I guess we'll only know after watching the movie." Another said: "THIS is what Dwayne needed. To branch out from being a bro's bro in movies. Perfect way to cast him too, this is one hell of a story and I really feel he is bringing in his A-Game to acting for once."
