Though he doesn't appear in Benny Safdie's new A24 film, few people are as important to the story of The Smashing Machine as Kurt Angle .

One of the most prolific mat athletes of all time, Angle is one of the few men alive who can say they actually shared the stage with both Mark Kerr, the film's inspiration, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who played him in the film's titular role.

Taking to social media to give his review of the time, Angle couldn't hide his joy, calling the film “ Oscar caliber .” Article Continues Below

“Just watched The Smashing Machine. What a fantastic film that I believe will be considered a classic. Mark Kerr was “The Guy” I had to beat to qualify for the Olympic Games, which pushed me to transform into a version of myself I never thought I could be. Yo

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