MovieChat Forums > Rocky V (1990) Discussion > Why couldn't Rocky just fight Tommy in t...

Why couldn't Rocky just fight Tommy in the ring?

posted 3 years ago by TMC-4 (20185)
16 replies | jump to latest

I never really thought of this until watching the movie the other night. Rocky isn't supposed to fight anymore because of the brain damage that he suffered from his bout with Ivan Drago. Okay, fine then. But why then did Rocky take on Tommy in an unsanctioned and presumably even more dangerous fight in the street with bare-knuckles? Even worse, Rocky can't even profit off of his street fight with Tommy, which his family desperately needed.

TV Tropes also listed out the reasons why Rocky in this movie, was kind of a dickhead even if that wasn't the filmmakers nor Sylvester Stallone's intent:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/YMMV/RockyV

[–] millsey72 (10383) 3 years ago

Huge plot hole it was

[–] TMC-4 (20185) 3 years ago

Also, Adrian barging into the street and telling George Washington Duke that her husband is done from professional fighting, kind of makes Rocky look pussy-whipped in my humble opinion. Even Rocky had to tell Adrian off about fighting his battles for him despite not being asked.

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 3 years ago

Uhhh, Rocky’s cognitive functions were basically beaten out of him by Drago, were you paying attention?

[–] TMC-4 (20185) 3 years ago

And yet, he still went about it and recklessly fought Tommy in the street despite those cognitive functions were basically beaten out of him. So I don't know exactly we're you're trying to get at. This is the second time that somebody has asked me if I actually "paid attention", which is an extremely condescending remark to. If I know that I was in such a condition after fight fight with Ivan Drago, then I wouldn't be fighting anybody period unless I absolutely, desperately have to as a last resort.

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 3 years ago

And his lack of cognitive functions would explain why he’d do something so reckless. So yes it is logical to question whether you were paying attention.

[–] Lord Rake (4469) 3 years ago

You do not know what a plot hole is.

[–] Sandman81 (1509) 3 years ago

For the same reason he turned down what would have been at least a $25 million dollar purse to fight Drago for free in Moscow.

Rocky was very impulsive and not very smart.

[–] TandyMan (11120) 3 years ago

Because it was EXTREME, yo!

This Rocky, who was dumb to begin with, is literally brain damaged. He's not making wise decisions anymore.

[–] MeYouFools (171) 3 years ago

Were you really not paying attention? Rocky does his best to get Tommy the hell out of there. But then Tommy hauls off and punches Paulie and that just wasn't going to stand.

Rocky fights Tommy because Tommy punched his best friend. And he easily knocks the hell out of Tommy and punches him into a pile of trash. Rocky didn't know just how big of a jerk Tommy was and would suckerpunch him from behind, keeping a fight going that had just ended.

[–] TMC-4 (20185) 3 years ago

Well George Washington Duke mind you, emphatically tried to tell Rocky that if he wants to fight Tommy to fight him in the ring. But Rocky of course, responds by telling him that "his ring is outside". And Paulie in a round about way, kind of asked to be punched (not that he seriously and truly deserved it mind you) when he interjected himself into Tommy's verbal argument with Rocky.

[–] MeYouFools (171) 3 years ago

Standing up for your friend when somebody comes and tries to start shit with them is in no way "asking to be punched."

Why are you defending anything Duke said? Duke was an asshole; fuck Duke. Rocky fighting Tommy in the streets denies Duke what he wanted the most the whole movie-- a huge payday from a Balboa match.

[–] TMC-4 (20185) 3 years ago

I never said that Duke wasn't an asshole. Also, Paulie could've simply kept his mouth shut since the conversation between Rocky and Tommy wasn't about him. So don't twist my words around when I suggest that he was "asking for it". What I was trying to say that he was putting himself at risk by challenging a larger, younger, and stronger man, who is already not in the "right frame of mind".

My point is that what Rocky himself, did was extremely impulsive and reckless given his current health status. And what's not to say that Rocky himself, could've theoretically profited from a "legit" fight than fighting Tommy in the street? This is probably the only Rocky movie in which fighting truly isn't the answer. At the end of the day, Tommy is still the champ and Rocky is still broke. So what the hell was beating him up over some petty bullshit going to solve?

[–] javie (2216) 3 years ago

Ironically it was thr lack of beef and cake that had our 2 beefcake having a beef and no cake.

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 3 years ago

George Washington Duke would have profited from it.

Although it may have been a cool idea if they went across the street to gym and fought in the ring there.

[–] Lord Rake (4469) 3 years ago

Well it seemed like a spur of the moment thing. But technically for his brain a street fight might be less dangerous. In a boxing match he is going to be getting jabbed and punched over and over and over again. With a street fight there are far far less blows to the head, actually the amount of shots they showed is unrealistic since their hands would have broke. It's not even comparable the amount of punches he'd have to take in the ring to the street.

"Even worse, Rocky can't even profit off of his street fight with Tommy, which his family desperately needed."
No one ever called Rocky intelligent. He could have at least made a bet inside the bar.

It's safer in regards to Rocky's problem but obviously more dangerous for other reasons.

[–] MeYouFools (171) 3 years ago

If you look carefully, Rocky is beating the shit out of Tommy while still wearing his wedding ring.