After the success of Rocky 1, 2, and 3, Sylvester Stallone produced Rocky IV in 1985, which depicted a showdown between American and Soviet boxers.
Rocky IV is more famous for the behind-the-scenes story of how Stallone almost died than the movie itself. To keep things realistic, Stallone told his co-star to actually hit him with full force.
His opponent, the 'Soviet' boxer, was Dolph Lundgren—one of the iconic action stars of the 90s. He was a trained martial artist, and he delivered a massive punch just as Stallone directed.
Dolph landed a heavy blow to Stallone's chest. After filming, Stallone felt intense pain and his condition became so critical he had to be medevaced to a hospital in California.
Upon arrival, Stallone was rushed into the ICU. The impact of the punch had caused his heart to slam against his ribs and swell up.
He suffered from breathing difficulties and his blood pressure spiked to 260, putting him in a life-threatening situation. Stallone later described the impact as being hit by a battering ram. He spent nine days in the ICU before recovering and returning to the set.
When the media asked Dolph Lundgren about it, he said he didn't even know Stallone had been hospitalized until he got back to LA from the set.
In some interviews, he joked that he's just an actor who did exactly what the director told him to do.
On the other hand, he mentioned that both he and Stallone were trading countless punches during filming and were both physically exhausted.
He laughed it off sheepishly, saying he wasn't 100% sure if that specific punch was what put Stallone in the hospital.
There’s also a famous story about the insurance. When doctors said this kind of injury usually only happens in head-on car collisions, Stallone joked, 'Pretty much, I got hit by a bus,' comparing Dolph's fist to a vehicle.
In a past interview, Stallone mentioned that the insurance company initially refused to pay out, finding it hard to believe the injury was caused by a single punch.
Stallone said he ended up sending them the unedited raw footage of Dolph's body shot to prove it. Only then did the insurance company pay up. Reflecting on Dolph's physique, Stallone joked that getting hit by him was 'no different from being hit by a truck.'
"Users are blown away by the fact that Dolph Lundgren's punch was legally classified as a vehicular collision. The thread naturally evolves into a discussion about how Jackie Chan is still alive after his career."
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