Hulk Hogan’s cameo in the boxing classic ‘Rocky III’ happened because Sylvester Stallone was in awe of his talents as a wrestler.

It has been almost 43 years since Rocky III was released and became a blockbuster hit. Sylvester Stallone as Rocky became a phenomenon. It was a presentation of sheer hard work and unbreakable will. The movie had some of the most iconic single lines, like ‘There is no tomorrow,’ that can motivate someone without any TED talk.

Rocky III’s immense success was also possible because of the inclusion of a WWE legend, Hulk Hogan, who portrayed a fictional wrestler named Thunderlips. Stallone has appreciated Hogan multiple times for his efforts, dedication, and even his sheer power.

Hogan was also the perfect fit for the film because of his wrestling moves. He knew how to execute a fake punch properly, with minimal damage, producing real results that impressed Stallone.

Sylvester Stallone recalls how even the fake punches from Hulk Hogan had sheer power

Hulk Hogan and Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III (Credit: MGM/UA Entertainment)

After an impeccable career in the WWE, Hulk Hogan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005. Surprisingly, Sylvester Stallone inducted him into the Hall of Fame. He was appreciative of him for his efforts both inside the wrestling ring and in the movie Rocky. During his induction speech, Stallone said,

He hit me so hard in the neck that I laid on the floor and I was trying not to whimper. 

The crowd burst into laughter, but this was a real incident, and Hulk Hogan had also mentioned this particular botch that was uploaded by Sylvester Stallone on his Instagram. Recalling Rocky III, Hogan said,

I remember, I hit him with a high knee, in the shoulder, in the corner. I almost broke his collarbone, and then I pff.

Though it was a scary botch, Stallone’s fitness helped him endure it. Hogan even revealed that his fitness was his major armor against injuries.

He was like a buck-sixty (160) pounds, and I was like 320 pounds. He did everything, he did all his own stunts. He was a trooper. All these years later, he’s the same paisan he used to be. He hasn’t changed a bit.

Stallone also appreciated the efforts of Hogan in the caption of this Instagram post, writing,

WOW, HULK was the best. Fantastic athlete and threw the most amazing punches of all. Because he was bare fisted, I could actually feel his punch touching my skin yet he knew just when to pull back. Amazing!

Because of his polished wrestling skills, Hulk Hogan pulled back a punch while keeping it real.

It came so naturally, but all the moves weren’t fake. The injuries were examples of how brutal it got during a Rocky III movie shoot, but the intensity was possible because of the addition of Hulk Hogan.

Rocky III was released in 1982, and after its success, WrestleMania was announced. The first-ever WrestleMania 1 happened in 1985, and it skyrocketed Hogan’s career.

From Thunderlips to Hulkamania: a making of the legend

Hulk Hogan | Credits: WWE

Hulk Hogan was the main event at WrestleMania I, and this was a blockbuster because Muhammad Ali was the special guest referee in his match. Hogan combined his acting skills with his polished wrestling moves and became the top face of the franchise.

His electrifying entrance and extremely bulky physique gave him almost a superhuman look, and when he ripped his shirt, the audience would go crazy. It would have been obvious that he knew how to drive the crowd after his performance in the movie Rocky, as he would have learned a thing or two from Stallone.

Hulk Hogan was not just a babyface. He also ventured into a heel, and that was a masterstroke for him. He shocked the world when he joined the New World Order in 1996 and evolved into one of the most evil wrestling teams at that time. To produce that kind of reaction from the audience was an extremely successful move.

Some fans also saw it as a betrayal because the New World Order was formed in the ECW, a rival franchise to the WWE. Hogan was already a very popular superstar, and ECW’s ratings started booming during his tenure.