Sylvester Stallone has revealed that while filming Rocky III with Hulk Hogan, he was left “battered and bruised” and was so traumatised by what happened, that they didn’t keep most of the scenes they filmed together in the movie.
Sylvester Stallone has become an idol to many for his manly man image over the years. He was not only in the Rambo series but also in Rocky as a boxer. In Rocky III, Hulk Hogan was bought in to play Thunderlips, a character who was the world wrestling champion.
This is where the trouble starts for Stallone—when filming scenes in the ring together, Hogan didn’t hold back and ended up injuring multiple people including Stallone himself.
According to reports by Ultimate Classic Rock (via Express), three men were sent to the hospital and Stallone was left “battered and bruised” after shooting the scene with Hogan.
Stallone was so traumatised from this that the scenes that he filmed with Hogan weren’t even used in the movie.
What is more interesting is that this took place after Hogan was fired from WWE (then WWF). At the time, Vince McMahon Sr. made it a rule that no wrestlers working in his company can take acting as a side job. This did not sit well with Hogan. He challenged this notion and ended up getting fired from the wrestling promotion.
“I told Vince Sr: ‘Hey, I got this call from Stallone,’” Hogan said. “Back then, ‘78, ‘79, if you were a wrestler, you didn’t do TV. You didn’t go do a movie.” He noted: “If you’re a wrestler, you’re a wrestler.”
As we know, the Hulkster agreed to be in Rocky III as Thunderlips and ended up getting fired. And traumatising Stallone. And sending people to the hospital.
