All 11 Rocky & Creed Training Montages, Ranked

One of the most iconic aspects of the Rocky and Creed movies was their extraordinary training montages, which acted as a powerful moments in every entry in the long-running franchise. An important representation of both Rocky Balboa and Adonis Creed’s need to overcome adversity and give everything they’ve got to prepare for their upcoming boxing matches, over the decades, these training montages became imbued in popular culture and were some of the most memorable aspects of the Rocky and Creed movies. With a signature aesthetic, music, and style, the training montages were often the most anticipated moments in the films.

With at least one training montage in every Rocky and Creed movie, and occasionally two, admittable some were better than others at representing the emotional core of the film and highlighting the athlete’s internal struggle to be the best. While at their worst the training montages felt tacked on and unnecessary, the best were essential aspects that propped the narrative of the film and drove home the importance of perseverance. From the original Rocky in 1976 right up to Creed III in 2023 the training montages were a crucial aspect of the success of the long-running sports franchise.

11
Tommy Gunn Trains With Rocky Balboa

Rocky V (1990)

By the time Rocky V was released, this franchise was down for the count and its lackluster training montage was as poor as the film itself. Focusing on Rocky training his new protégé and later rival Tommy Gunn, this boring montage featured an unmemorable rap track and felt like it was only included because Rocky movies always have montages. The montage, and by extension Rocky V itself, failed to connect with audiences as Tommy Gunn’s working-class roots came across as an insincere emotional ploy, and the mentor-mentee relationship between Rocky and a young boxer was done far better in Creed.

10
Adonis Creed Trains Underwater

Creed II (2018)

The first of two training montages in Creed II hit all the right notes but added nothing new to the long lineage of training scenes seen in the Rocky franchise. While Adonis Creed’s underwater training was a nice touch, and Viktor Drago was portrayed as a formidable foe while pulverizing a punching bag, this montage just came and went and didn’t pack the same emotional punch as in other entries in the series. Luckily, this was only the beginning of Creed’s training and before the end of the movie, audiences would be treated to a far more compelling montage.

9
Rocky Training To Beat Apollo Creed

Rocky II (1979)

While the original training montage in Rocky was an iconic moment, it was in the second film that this became cemented as an integral aspect of the franchise to be repeated in every subsequent film. The first training montage in Rocky II began with Adrian telling Rocky she wanted him to win his fight against Apollo Creed and, with the support of his loved one behind him, Rocky started his intense training session. From early morning push-ups to junkyard labor, Rocky pushed himself to the limit, as audiences knew he was going to give this fight all he’d got.

8
Bearded Rocky Training In The Snow

Rocky IV (1985)

To prepare for his fight against the Soviet boxer Ivan Drago, Rocky knew he had to pull out all the stops, commit entirely to his training, and relocate to the snow-covered mountains for an intense training montage in Rocky IV. With a singular focus, a bearded Rocky pushed his body to the limit using farm equipment as Drago simultaneously prepared for their highly anticipated showdown. As an epic battle representing Cold War rivalries set to “Heart’s on Fire”, this extended montage was about more than just its two characters and highlighted the commitment and determination of two opposing nations.

7
Adonis Creed With Rocky Balboa And Viktor With Ivan Drago

Creed II (2018)

Part of the appeal of Creed II was how effectively it brought together both the Creed and Rocky franchises, as the symbolism of Adonis Creed facing off against the son of the man who killed his father in the ring was exploited for maximum effect. The themes of revenge, retribution, and reckoning were encapsulated in the training montage which featured Rocky training Creed and Ivan training Viktor, and the layers of meaning and emotional resonance of the upcoming fight were highlighted. The second training montage in Creed II was a powerful example of the Rocky series’ rich history.

6
An Older Rocky Gets Back In Shape

Rocky Balboa (2006)

After a 16-year absence, it was a major cinematic event when the Italian Stallion returned to the theater screen in Rocky Balboa, with decades of history behind the character, to see him getting back in shape in a long-awaited training montage was truly spectacular. With the classic Rocky theme tune “Gotta Fly Now” playing, Rocky clad in his classic gray tracksuit, and even a repeat of his iconic run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this montage was packed with nostalgia. A true return to form, the montage in Rocky Balboa righted the wrongs of Rocky V.

5
Passing The Torch To Adonis Creed

Creed (2015)

The training montage in Creed was an important moment that represented the passing of the torch from Rocky Balboa to Adonis Creed, as Rocky now took up a secondary role within the long-running series. Featuring a healthy mix of callbacks to earlier montages and new aspects to give it its own identity, Creed pushed himself to limit training for his fight against Pretty Ricky Conlon while running the streets of Philadelphia in a tracksuit reminiscent of the one Rocky used to wear. Much like the Creed movies themselves, this montage paid homage to the past while carving out a new future.

4
Adonis Creed Comes Out Of Retirement

Creed III (2023)

The best training montage in the Creed movies occurred in its third entry as, for the first time, Adonis Creed led the film without the involvement of Rocky in any capacity. Here Creed was seen coming out of retirement to face his old friend Diamond Dame in a powerful montage that proved Creed’s character arcs and history could be just as compelling as Rocky’s. With epic music by Joseph Shirley, flashbacks to Creed’s childhood, and intense boxing, this montage was steeped in so much of Creed’s personal history that it was impossible not to be drawn in as a viewer.

3
Rocky Running Through The Streets Of Philadelphia

Rocky II (1979)

The second montage in Rocky II was its most effective, as Rocky Balboa ran through the streets of Philadelphia set to his classic theme tune while the public cheered as he prepared to take down Apollo Creed. It was impossible not to get emotional as a group of school kids joined Rocky on his run and he realized he had his entire community behind him, and they were rooting for him to win. Rocky’s run and montage here best encapsulated the Rocky series’ message that a good support system was essential to being a great athlete.

2
Rocky Trains With His Old Rival Apollo Creed

Rocky III (1982)

After being rivals for so long, to see Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed training together in Rocky III felt like a full circle moment as the respect the duo had for one another transformed into true friendship. With Apollo as his trainer, Rocky prepared to take back his title from Clubber Lang, and the pair trained together on the beach, in the ring, and even in a swimming pool, as he pulled out all the stops to become world champion once again. Perhaps the most iconic moment in all of Rocky III, it stood as one of the greatest montages.

1
The Original Rocky Training Montage

Rocky (1976)

The original Rocky training montage laid the foundation for everything that came after it and stood as the greatest in the entire series. Endlessly parodied and referenced across movies and television, the Rocky montage included its iconic score, signature outfit, the run up the steps, and a grand sense of importance that was mimicked movie after movie. While the montage in Rocky served as excellent shorthand to showcase Rocky’s extensive training, in the process it created an important cinematic trope, a tentpole moment of the franchise, and a signature aesthetic that would influence the entire sports movie genre.