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From raw eggs to the iconic museum steps, the "Rocky" franchise has given us some of the most unforgettable moments in cinema history. Join us as we count down the best, most satisfying, and most iconic scenes from the "Rocky" franchise! Which moment hits hardest for you? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the 20 best,
00:05most satisfying, and most iconic moments from the Rocky franchise.
00:09This is what I'm looking for. The Italian Stallion.
00:16Number 20. Rocky Downs the Eggs. Rocky.
00:25The first Rocky has an incredible sense of atmosphere,
00:28and that's on full display in this iconic sequence. Rocky wakes up to a blaring alarm at
00:334 a.m., the room pitch black and freezing cold. He then sleepily saunters over to the fridge,
00:39cracks five raw eggs into a glass while listening to the radio, and downs them in one sickening gulp.
00:45It's a simple, quiet scene, but it perfectly establishes his working-class dedication
00:51and the total lack of glamour of Rocky's world.
01:02There are no high-tech facilities here, just a poor fighter getting some cheap fuel before
01:07hitting the freezing Philadelphia streets for a run. Who amongst us didn't try drinking
01:11at least one raw egg after watching this?
01:26Number 19. The Mickey Flashback. Rocky 5.
01:30The fact that you're here and doing as well as you're doing gives me,
01:35what do you call it, a motivation, huh? To stay alive? Because I think that people
01:41die sometimes when they don't want to live no more.
01:44While the fifth installment is often considered the black sheep of the franchise,
01:48it contains one of the most emotionally resonant scenes in the entire series.
01:52In a touching flashback, we see a quiet moment between Rocky and his late trainer Mickey.
01:58Mickey. Mick gives Rocky a golden cufflink shaped like a boxing glove,
02:02which was originally given to him by Rocky Marciano.
02:05See that? This is the favorite thing that I have on this earth.
02:10And Rocky Marciano, give me that. You know what it was? His cufflink. Huh?
02:17And now I'm giving it to you.
02:19Burgess Meredith is fantastic here, delivering a tear-jerking monologue about how Rocky gave
02:25him a reason to keep living. It's a profound sequence that reminds us of their deep paternal bond,
02:30providing a much-needed emotional anchor in an otherwise divisive sequel.
02:36Thanks, Mick.
02:37Alright.
02:37I love you too.
02:40Go after him, kid.
02:42Number 18.
02:44Ivan throws in the towel.
02:45Creed 2.
02:46You knew this was going to be a war, right?
02:48You knew that going in there.
02:49And now on, who wants it more?
02:52And who's got more heart?
02:53The Rocky franchise is known for its dramatic knockouts, but sometimes the most powerful
02:58moments come from a fight ending early. In the emotional climax of Creed 2, Victor Drago
03:04is taking an absolute beating from Adonis. Seeing his son battered and bruised and realizing
03:10that Victor's mother has once again callously abandoned them, Ivan Drago makes a shocking decision.
03:15And down goes Drago!
03:23What a wild turn of events!
03:26Good!
03:27The man famously known for showing zero mercy and literally killing Apollo Creed physically
03:31throws in the towel to save his son's life. It's a poignant subversion of our expectations,
03:37proving that even a cold-hearted machine like Ivan Drago is capable of deep love and even redemption.
03:44And that's it! It's all for now!
03:47Not the corner! Close in the towel!
03:50And Adonis Creed defends his title! Defends his name! Creates his own legacy!
03:58Number 17. Apollo's Grand Entrance. Rocky IV.
04:02Woo!
04:03I'm in America!
04:06I'm in America!
04:09It's in the system!
04:10If there's one thing Apollo Creed understood better than anyone else, it was the art of
04:15showmanship. Before his ill-fated match against Ivan Drago, Apollo treats the Vegas crowd to
04:21the most over-the-top entrance in the history of boxing.
04:24Hey, hey!
04:26I'm awesome, Nathan!
04:28Descending from the ceiling on a mock bullhead, dancing with showgirls, and accompanied by
04:33a James Brown belter, Apollo puts on a masterclass in theatricality and patriotism.
04:39It's undeniably entertaining and perfectly encapsulates the excess of the 1980s.
04:44When people say they love the grandiosity of Rocky IV, this is exactly what they're talking about.
04:49I live in America!
04:54Number 16. The One-Take Fight. Creed.
04:58Alright, fellas, y'all had y'all instructors in the dressing room. Obey my commands at all times,
05:02protect yourself at all times.
05:04Director Ryan Coogler injected some modern filmmaking flair into the long-running series,
05:09most notably during Adonis Creed's bout against Leo the Lion. The entire two-round fight is
05:15masterfully shot in a single, unbroken take. The camera seamlessly bobs, weaves, and glides
05:21around the ring, putting the audience directly inside the ropes to feel every brutal body shot
05:26and breathless moment in the corner.
05:27Here's what I want you to do. I want you to do your left under the radar.
05:31Come up with a shovel hook. You're gonna see an opening, put it right on his chin,
05:35then I'll drop him. I'll be...
05:36I'll piece in, second's out!
05:38It is a jaw-dropping technical achievement that reinvigorated the franchise's approach to
05:43boxing choreography. Beyond the sheer cinematic spectacle, it perfectly captures the
05:48claustrophobic and exhausting reality of stepping into the ring with someone who wants
05:52to beat you to a pulp.
05:53We got one, Rock!
05:54Five, nine, ten, seven, eight, nine, ten!
06:00That's it! We got one, Rock! Woo! We got one! We got one! We got one! We got one!
06:07That's cause of you!
06:08You did it.
06:08Number 15. Two Different Methods. Rocky IV.
06:14Silent darkness creeps through your soul.
06:20If you look up 80s cinema in the dictionary, you might just find this sequence. Set in the
06:25freezing wilderness of Russia, the second major training montage in Rocky IV masterfully contrasts
06:32Ivan Drago's sterile, high-tech facility with Rocky's back-to-basics regime.
06:44While Drago is hooked up to fancy biomechanical machines and punching pressure measuring pads,
06:50Rocky is chopping wood in a cabin, lifting boulders, and literally running up mountains.
06:55Set to John Cafferty's pulsing Hearts on Fire, this legendary sequence visually pits warm human
07:00heart against cold technology, delivering the ultimate setup for their clash in the ring.
07:15Number 14. The Void Fight. Creed III.
07:18You gotta wonder if Creed's regretting his decision to get back in the ring retirement
07:24sure seems like it would be a lot more fun.
07:25For the third Creed installment, director and star Michael B. Jordan injected his profound love of
07:31anime into the franchise, resulting in a wholly unique climax.
07:35As Adonis and his childhood friend-turned-rival Damian Anderson enter the championship rounds,
07:40the roaring crowd suddenly disappears.
07:43That was better. Stay focused.
07:52The two men are left battling in a dead, silent, metaphorical void, emphasizing that this brutal
07:57fight isn't about belts, money, or glory. It's a deeply personal reckoning with their shared trauma.
08:03It's a bold and surreal visual swing, but it was an absolute home run, to mix our sporting metaphors.
08:09The fight firmly sets the movie apart from every other entry in the long-running series,
08:15culminating in an incredibly cathartic finish.
08:28Number 13. Rocky Comes Home. Rocky.
08:32Hey, your old man did pretty good tonight. Why weren't you there, huh? You should've seen me. You guys hungry?
08:39You know how they say that movies need to show and not tell? This is the perfect example of why
08:44that's
08:44so important. Instead of just telling us through clunky exposition that Rocky is poor and lonely,
08:50the movie devotes a gorgeous sequence to showing us when Rocky returns home after a fight.
08:54How you doing, Moby Dick? You miss me today or what? Huh? Huh?
09:01Here you go. Say hi. You know, if you guys could sing or dance, I wouldn't be doing this, you
09:06know?
09:06His place is small and filthy. He has little entertainment, and the only people he has to talk to
09:12are his turtles and goldfish. He also practices his speech to Adrian before looking at a photo of
09:18himself as a younger boy, a pained and nostalgic look appearing on his face. And then he just spends
09:24the rest of the night laying on his bed, icing his wounds. The sequence is brilliant at establishing
09:28character and setting, and we love wallowing in its sad atmosphere.
09:33Number 12, Donnie's training montage, Creed.
09:44No film in this universe is complete without a stellar training montage, and Creed delivers one of the
09:50best. As Donnie prepares for his monumental fight, the scene honors the past while also carving out its
09:56own identity.
10:07Instead of snowy Russian mountains, Adonis runs through the gritty streets of modern Philadelphia,
10:13surrounded by a roaring pack of dirt bikes. The pulsing score seamlessly transitions into the iconic
10:18Rocky fanfare right as Donnie arrives at his sick mentor's window, shadowboxing to show he is finally
10:25ready. It's an exhilarating update that provides the exact same goosebumps as the 1976 original.
10:44Number 11, Punching the Meat, Rocky.
10:54Rocky Balboa is very poor, so he gets his workouts in wherever he can, including a freezing meat locker.
11:01Visiting Polly at the meatpacking factory, Rocky takes out his personal frustrations on a giant slab
11:06of hanging beef, pounding it until his knuckles are bruised and bloodied. Beyond being an iconic visual that
11:13has transcended time, it also demonstrates Rocky's unconventional methods and blue-collar work ethic.
11:21When Polly notices that the ribs are broken, it turns an eyebrow-raising workout into one of the
11:27most famous and parodied moments in movie history. We wonder how many factory workers have done this
11:32as a joke throughout the years.
11:34If we do that to Apollo Creed, they'll put us in jail for murder.
11:40Number 10, Rocky vs. Kleber Lang, Rocky III.
11:44Hey fool, you ready for another beating?
11:46The first two Rocky movies were primarily about overcoming adversity. The fights remained relatively
11:51grounded, despite a little Hollywoodization in Rocky II, and they were more about Rocky's pride and
11:57sense of accomplishment than the fight itself. And then Rocky III came along and gave us pure
12:02spectacle. Not that it was a bad thing.
12:10The Rocky-Lang rematch is arguably the most popular fight of the entire franchise,
12:15mostly due to Mr. T's charisma, the excitement, and the shameless off-the-wall style,
12:20complete with ridiculous whoosh noises and punches that sound like explosions.
12:24The fight is pure cheese, and we love every minute of it.
12:30Number 9, Rocky and Donnie Climb the Steps, Creed
12:34This is it?
12:36Yeah.
12:37If the series ended here, we would have been more than happy. Throughout Creed, Rocky must grapple
12:43with the passage of time and his own mortality. Almost everyone he loved, Adrian, Polly, Apollo,
12:49and Mickey is now dead, and he's been diagnosed with cancer. It's fitting that the final scene of
12:55the movie sees Rocky and Donnie climbing the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
13:00It's a beautiful and symbolic way to pass the torch to a new generation of fighters and films,
13:05and it had us all secretly crying in the dark of the theater. While we love the spectacle, these are
13:10moments that make the Rocky series such a classic.
13:13You alright there, old man?
13:14Yeah. Nice view.
13:17Number 8, Skating with Adrian
13:19Rocky
13:20Aren't you skating?
13:21Nah, I ain't skating since I was 15. That's when I started fighting.
13:25Despite its lack of pizzazz, this is arguably one of the cutest and most realistic depictions of a
13:30first date ever put to screen. The entire scene is simply adorable. Rocky is head over heels for
13:35this girl and can't stop talking due to his excitement and nerves, and Adrian simply skates
13:40and listens due to her shyness and unease. Meanwhile, a guy awkwardly interjects to let
13:48them know how much time is remaining, while Rocky becomes increasingly irritated. It's a small,
13:53intimate scene that allows us to grow more attached to these characters and their relationship,
13:57and it makes us smile every time.
13:59Am I talking too loud?
14:02Three minutes!
14:03Number 7, Mixed Death, Rocky 3
14:05I love you, kid. I love you.
14:09Despite Rocky 3 being a little more Hollywood and grandiose than its predecessors,
14:13it still found time for deeply upsetting and personal scenes like this. Once Mickey is shoved
14:18by Clever Lang, he suffers a heart attack and is taken to the dressing room. When Rock returns from
14:23the fight, Mickey falsely believes that Rocky won and contently dies next to his apprentice.
14:32It's a heartbreaking scene that at once disposes of a fan-favorite character,
14:36and showcases Sylvester Stallone's surprisingly solid acting chops. It's always hard to see a tough
14:41and reserved man show such incredible emotion, and it's not any easier here.
14:46We got more to do, we got.
14:51Number 6, Win, Rocky 2
14:54I knew you'd come back.
14:56Rocky is fraught with personal difficulties throughout Rocky 2. First, Adrian doesn't
15:01approve of his return to boxing, fearing for his health. This leads his mind to wander, and his game
15:07is thrown off. Then she falls into a coma, and Rocky completely abandons his plans to watch over her
15:12instead. When she finally emerges, they celebrate their new baby, and Adrian finally gives him her
15:17approval by looking him dead in the eyes and telling him to win.
15:21There's one thing I want you to do for me.
15:22What?
15:23Come here.
15:25What?
15:27Win.
15:30Win.
15:32What are we waiting for? Take this!
15:35The music swells, Mick gets super pumped, and the famous training montage begins. Rocky is back,
15:41baby. If this scene doesn't give you goosebumps, then nothing will.
15:48Number 5, Rocky's speech to his son, Rocky Balboa
15:52Can I talk with you?
15:53Sure.
15:54Can you do it outside?
15:55After the, uh, disappointment of Rocky 5, it was nice to see such a return to quality with Rocky Balboa.
16:02One of the most notable scenes of the movie sees Robert approaching Rocky, and telling him to quit
16:07because he fears that Rocky will make a fool of himself and tarnish his own reputation.
16:11Now, I'm asking you as a favor not to go through with this, okay?
16:15This is only gonna end up bad for you, and it's gonna end up bad for me.
16:18This leads Rocky into a beautiful speech about determination,
16:21believing in yourself, and paving your own way in life.
16:24You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life.
16:27But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
16:34How much you can take and keep moving forward.
16:36It perfectly encapsulates everything that the series represents in a few short minutes,
16:40and it proves to be an enormous inspiration, not just for Robert,
16:44but also for everyone watching in the theater or at home.
16:47You're the best thing in my life.
16:50But until you start believing in yourself, you ain't gonna have a life.
16:55Number four, Rocky defeats Apollo, Rocky II.
16:58You're going down.
16:59No, no way.
17:01Rocky was never really about actually winning the fight,
17:03but damn if it isn't incredibly satisfying.
17:06A particularly brutal bout leaves both Apollo and Rocky completely exhausted,
17:11resulting in their collapse to the mat.
17:13What follows is pure suspense and drama,
17:15as the ref counts up while they both try to regain their footing.
17:18At nine, Apollo collapses, Rocky stands, the music swells, and the tears start flowing.
17:32The entire scene is a perfect blend of editing, acting, and music,
17:36and it warms our hearts each and every time.
17:38With this, Rocky went the distance and then some, and we couldn't be prouder.
17:42Rocky Balboa has shocked the world! He is the new heavyweight champion of the world!
17:49Number three, Apollo's death, Rocky IV.
17:52Alright, it's time to go to school, huh?
17:54What better way to introduce your new villain,
17:56than to have them literally kill one of the series' most beloved characters.
18:00In what was only supposed to be a simple exhibition bout,
18:03Drago completely pummeled Apollo to his death and showed no remorse,
18:07while Rocky cradled his lifeless body.
18:09It's a devastating scene that not only portrays Drago as a heartless,
18:13unstoppable, killing machine,
18:14but also is a brilliant curveball that showcases the series' unpredictability.
18:19No one truly expected Apollo to die,
18:21especially after that ridiculous and lighthearted living in America scene.
18:25We can't help but feel a sense of smug satisfaction when
18:28Rocky eventually takes down Drago in front of his home crowd.
18:31Rocky Balboa has done the impossible, and these people love it!
18:37It is absolute handleable!
18:40Number two, Adrian, Rocky.
18:46Is there a more enthralling ending in movie history?
18:49Even if there is, this one is pretty darn good.
18:52Not only is the fight itself beautifully filmed and exciting,
18:55but also the moment of Rocky yelling for Adrian is now a classic piece of cinema history.
19:02We watch as Rocky ignores reporters and the results of the match,
19:06wishing only for Adrian to join him on the mat.
19:08It's a tender and heartwarming scene that highlights the importance of determination
19:12and self-satisfaction over concrete results.
19:15And it ends the romantic story of Rocky and Adrian on a lovely note.
19:19Who amongst us hasn't yelled, Adrian, at least once in our lives?
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19:36Always on, always live.
19:38Are you not entertained?
19:40Number one, The Training Montage, Rocky.
19:52While punching a slab of meat may look cool,
19:55nothing beats the sheer excitement of a genuine training montage.
19:59The training montage is easily one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history.
20:03It's a perfect blend of character work and filmmaking,
20:05as Rocky grows as an athlete and as a character,
20:09while the movie shows it to us through brilliant editing and inspirational music.
20:13It's capped with the most iconic moment of the entire franchise,
20:16Rocky standing atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art overlooking his city,
20:21a brilliant metaphor for his rise in stature.
20:24The Rocky steps have since become a major tourist destination,
20:27as well as proof of the millions of lives that this scene inspired and touched.
20:40Did we forget your favorite scene?
20:42Let us know in the comments!