The Creed movies have 19 fights across all eight films, with varying stakes and payoffs to be ranked. Being a series about boxing, the ultra-popular Rocky franchise is packed to the brim with exciting fights that range from funny to incredibly bloody. Most of the fights in the Rocky and Creed films are historically good, with only a few bad bouts among all the movies, which itself serves as a testament to the franchise.
Starting in 1976, Sylvester Stallone's Best Picture-winning film Rocky was a massive hit, spawning all kinds of sequels and spin-offs. The franchise received regular installments up until 1990's poorly-received in development like Creed III and Creed IV, a Drago spin-off, and a Rocky prequel series, the series is far from over. So, here is a list of every fight in the Rocky and Creed movies so far, ranked from worst to best.
19 Rocky Balboa vs. Tommy "The Machine" Gunn
The worst fight in the entire franchise is easily Rocky Balboa and Tommy Gunn's disappointing final fight in Rocky V. Rocky V is considered the worst film in the series, with this fight being an absolute low point for Rocky. The brawl has no build-up, with it being a spur-of-the-moment street fight, and it has absolutely no stakes. Rocky's involvement in the fight is entirely out of character, with him afterward assaulting a boxing promoter, making the entire scene even more confusing.
On top of those reasons, Rocky IV and its excellent Ivan Drago fight, with the juxtaposition between the two making the Rocky V fight so much worse.
18 Rocky Balboa vs. Spider Rico
Seen at the beginning of the original Rocky, the boxing match with Spider Rico is Rocky's first ever on-screen fight in the series. While the presence of the Spider Rico fight does show how far Rocky has come by the time he gets to Apollo Creed, this opening fight just isn't all that interesting. The scene does a lot to establish Rocky's character, and its biggest setup is that Spider returns in Rocky Balboa before being killed off in Creed II. Spider Rico is a fun Rocky side character that has some quick scenes in later films, but his worst scene is his fight with Rocky in the original film.
17 Viktor Drago vs. Unnamed Fighter
Early in Creed II, Viktor Drago has a fight with an unnamed boxer while in Ukraine. The fight goes a long way in showing just how dangerous Viktor is, with his brutal fighting style being reminiscent of his father, Ivan Drago. Viktor Drago's fight with the unnamed fighter isn't all that significant in the bigger picture of Creed II, but the bland fight does serve as a great introduction for the film's main villain. The fight especially pales in comparison to Viktor's later fights in Creed II.
16 Adonis Creed vs. Unnamed Fighter
Adonis Creed's first boxing match occurs early in the original Creed film, with Adonis fighting an unnamed fighter in Tijuana, Mexico. The fight mirrors Rocky's first fight with Spider Rico, although it is slightly more interesting. The Tijuana match introduces audiences to the new filmmaking style of Creed, with the boxing match being shot from up close, directly through the ropes. The fight uses lots of long takes, and although the fight isn't super long, it serves as a satisfying reintroduction to the world of Rocky.
15 Rocky Balboa vs. Thunderlips
Hulk Hogan plays Thunderlips in Rocky III, and the professional wrestler's small role is a fun cameo appearance.
While the short fight does have some funny moments, it overall doesn't add much to the story of Rocky III. For such a dark and emotional film, the fight with Thunderlips does cause some tonal whiplash when the film's heavier moments rear their heads. The fight is barely a boxing match, with it mostly consisting of Rocky getting tossed around by Thunderlips. However, as a way to show how popular Rocky Balboa has gotten, the scene is pretty serviceable.
14 Tommy "The Machine" Gunn vs. Union Cane
The best fight in Rocky V is still on the lower side of the list. The fight between Tommy Gunn and Union Cane is just as well choreographed as the franchise's other fights, and it sets up how brutal of a villain Tommy Gunn is. Although Union Cane doesn't get much screen time, he is billed as Rocky V's version of Apollo Creed or Ivan Drago, meaning that the fight between the two boxers gets a lot of build-up. While it works a lot better than the rest of Rocky V, the fight between Tommy Gunn and Union Cane is still dragged down by the rest of the film.
13 Adonis Creed vs. Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler (Rematch)
Adonis Creed first fights with Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler during a sparring match in the first Creed, but the two have a rematch at the beginning of Creed II. Like the rest of Creed's fight scenes, it has excellent choreography and cinematography, and it works better as an opening fight since Wheeler was introduced in the previous movie. Like many of the other Rocky movie boxers, an actual fighter plays Wheeler, making the match a little more intense. On top of that, Creed winning back his Mustang is a fun payoff to his first fight with Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler.
12 Rocky Balboa vs. Clubber Lang
Rocky's first fight with Clubber Lang in Rocky III is unique as it is the first time that the series shows Rocky Balboa getting absolutely demolished in the ring. During the fight, Rocky is worried about Mickey's heart attack, causing him to not have his head in the game. Because of this, Lang knocks Rocky out in the second round, taking his world heavyweight champion title. The entire fight is underscored by the fact that Mickey is dying off-screen, with the immediate moments after the fight being some of the most tragic in the Rocky franchise. The fight is good, but it wouldn't be much without the death of Mickey.
11 Rocky Balboa vs. Mason "The Line" Dixon
Mason "The Line" Dixon is the main villain of Rocky Balboa, with him fighting the titular Italian Stallion at the end of the film. It is nice to see Rocky back fighting after the many years since Rocky V, and the simulated match gives a lot of build-up to Rocky Balboa's final fight. While Mason Dixon is a step up from Tommy Gunn, he isn't as interesting as previous villains like Creed, Drago, and Lang. While Rocky losing the final fight in the franchise is a nice callback, it's been done before, with the fight with Dixon feeling like a rehash of Rocky's original Apollo Creed fight.
10 Adonis Creed vs. Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler
Adonis Creed's original fight with Danny Wheeler is a sparring match in a gym, and it's a lot of fun. Adonis Creed being defeated by Wheeler is the perfect way to show off Creed's arrogance, something that he has to get over throughout the course of the film. On top of that, Creed puts his Mustang on the line, instantly raising the stakes of the fight. While the two boxers do have a rematch in Creed II, the story purpose and stakes of their first bout make their original fight the superior one.
