Rocky IV (Episode 11) - "What He Died For" – Rocky’s Emotional Eulogy & Drago Trash Talk

In this special live episode of Going the Distance – The Rocky Series Podcast, Ryan and Ruban break down Apollo Creed's funeral and the explosive press conference that follows in Rocky IV.

They discuss Rocky's emotional (and short) eulogy, leaving the championship belt on the casket, the media frenzy, protests, Drago's team trash-talking, Ludmilla's fears, and Rocky's decision to fight in Russia on Christmas Day with zero purse. Plus live chat banter, keto updates, split-diopter theories, and more "warts and all" fun as they watch the scenes together.

A heartfelt, funny, and fan-filled discussion on one of the most pivotal moments in the franchise that sets up the epic Rocky vs. Drago showdown.

• 0:00 - Live Intro & Viewer Chat
• 2:20 - Apollo's Funeral Scene & Blurred Extras Conspiracy
• 9:55 - Rocky's Eulogy: "What He Died For"
• 16:56 - The Championship Belt on the Casket
• 20:01 - Magazine Montage & Protests
• 23:58 - Press Conference Begins: Drago's Coach & "Science"
• 30:57 - Ludmilla Speaks & Media Backlash
• 33:11 - Paulie vs. Drago's Team Trash Talk
• 34:38 - Wrapping the Press Conference & Final Thoughts

Creators and Guests

Host

Ruban Rebalkin

Host

Ryan Rebalkin

What is Going The Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast?

Step into the ring with *Going The Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast*, the ultimate celebration of Sylvester Stallone's iconic underdog saga. Hosted by passionate Rocky superfan Ryan Rebalkin, this dedicated feed dives deep into every punch, montage, and heartfelt moment of the *Rocky* franchise—one film at a time, in glorious chronological order.

Whether you're reliving the gritty streets of Philadelphia in the original *Rocky* or breaking down the epic family legacy in *Rocky Balboa*, Ryan brings the energy of a champion. Joined by his brother Ruban, fellow superfans, amateur boxers and even musicians behind the films' anthems (shoutout to Robert Tepper's "No Easy Way Out"), each episode unpacks scenes with infectious enthusiasm, behind-the-scenes trivia, and personal stories that capture why *Rocky* still inspires millions to "go the distance."

From dissecting the legendary training montages and rematches, this podcast isn't just analysis—it's a knockout conversation that honors the heart, humor, and hustle of the Italian Stallion. It's perfect for die-hard fans, casual viewers, and anyone chasing their own eye-of-the-tiger moment.

Tune in for laughs, insights, and motivation that hits harder than Apollo Creed's left hook. Lace up your boots—it's time to go the distance!

Going The Distance - Rocky IV - Episode 11.mp3
*Music*
Are we live?
We're live, Ruben.
Is this what our voices really sound like?
Not only is this what our voices sound like, but this is what our faces look like.
Uh huh.
For all of our diehard listeners of this Rocky podcast, this is the Rocky series podcast,
Going the Distance. I am Ryan.
I'm Ruben.
And we haven't done a live recording in some time, Ruben.
There might be a reason for that. One, we're completely incapable of pulling off a live show
without doing ums and ahs. And these are the things that I edit out. But I figured, let's do it. Let's go live.
Warts and all. Warts and all.
We have to record anyways. Like we have to do a recording. This is our time tonight to record a new episode. I figured if people want to watch what we look like when we record an episode, this is what it is. This is what it looks like. Yeah. And according to people watching, we have...
We have one, two, three, four, five, six, uh, in 12, 24, zero. We have zero views. So thank you. Thank you for everyone who watching the Rocky series podcast. Us viewing us as more than who's viewing us. Oh, we got one viewer. Hey. Oh, they left. Okay. They left. All right. Well, hey, that's okay. Ruben, to be fair. It's 830 the night Pacific coast time. That means it's 1130 in New York. It's Friday night.
That means it's like 1130 in the UK.
But anyways, we want to welcome everyone to the Rocky Series podcast, Going the Distance.
Today's episode is episode 90.
So even though episode 89 hasn't been released yet on our podcast, this is like a free Patreon episode.
There's other podcasts where people pay money to see their hosts record live.
Here you get to do it for free.
Wow.
You get to watch Ryan and Ruben for free.
Hey, guys.
That's from Matt Biller.
What up, brother?
See, this is what happens.
You come on the show.
You can interact with Ryan and Ruben.
This is a really great episode.
We are going to be covering the funeral for Apollo.
May he rest in peace.
And Rocky's press conference thereafter.
To our left, my left, your right viewers, we have on our Blu-ray the movie that we'll play and then we'll watch it.
You might be able to hear it.
And then we'll talk about what we're seeing.
And that's how we record our shows live.
I mean, that's how we record our shows.
But when you hear the edited version on our iTunes or whatever, you know, I'm deleting all the pauses while we're watching the movie.
So anyways, there you go.
Ruben, how are you doing?
Good.
Better than I'm here.
Ruben looks fantastic.
Ruben is on this keto diet.
I'm on the keto diet.
And we're both losing our, you know, I'm looking thinner.
You're looking thinner.
You look fantastic.
I'm 20 pounds lighter.
I'm 20 pounds lighter as well.
Yeah.
Yes, Matt.
We can definitely be friends.
Absolutely.
Matt, why don't you tell us where you're from?
Last episode, Ruben, we had...
Sorry.
I just got this joke down.
Oh.
Oh, I hope after we can be friends.
Yes.
Sorry.
LaMilla said that to Mrs. Creed.
I too hope, Matt, that after this podcast, we can be friends.
The episode before this one is the episode where we did that recording with the Slycast, Craig Cohen, and Rocky Minute, Doug Greenberg.
We reviewed Assassins.
The episode that we recorded before this one, before on the Rocky IV movie, was, of course, the Rocky IV fight, the death of Apollo in the ring by the hands of Yvonne Drago.
Speaking of which, Ruben, they release a new featurette.
I know.
Did you watch it?
No.
Okay.
So, Ruben doesn't watch trailers.
He doesn't watch the trailers.
I'm going to see the movie.
Right.
Hello, Peter.
Hello, Trisha.
I already know I'm going to see the movie.
So, why do I need to watch the trailers?
So, Ruben hasn't watched the trailer.
But those who have saw the new featurette, there were some extra scenes where Drago spoke.
So, I hope I'm not spoiling anything for you.
Yeah.
I hope I'll see Creed II or not.
I got some mixed reactions from this featurette because one Kyle Peterson, our guest host, he mentioned to me online, he said that he didn't like Drago's accent.
He wasn't crazy about Dolph Lundgren's accent.
Whatever.
It was one line.
He talked to Rocky, and he said to Rocky, basically, you know, I've been...
He's probably well-traveled since then.
People lose their accent.
That's true.
They get influenced.
That's true.
He would lose his accent over 30 years.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
It was 30 years ago.
Sure.
Live in the now, Kyle.
Kyle, come on, man.
Kyle doesn't listen to the show.
He only listens to the episodes that he guest hosts on.
So, I could talk trash about him because he doesn't even listen to the show.
Anyways, so there was a little bit of criticism on Drago's accent.
And there was one scene that I think caused me the first indication that I wasn't that crazy about what we can expect in the movie.
I'll plug yours if you want.
Victor Drago says to Adonis, I will break you tomorrow or something like that.
So, he says the same thing that Drago said.
Okay, Ruben, we're good.
Kind of hokey, but we'll see.
Last little plug here.
Mike Kunda, a good friend of Mike Kunda of the old Rocky Film Tour.
He has a friend who saw the film.
And his friend, who is also a huge Rocky fan, said that Rocky fans have nothing to worry about.
The movie is fantastic.
Everyone does a great job.
It's emotional.
It's powerful.
Early review.
The earliest review we've received so far.
And it's from a reliable source.
Again, Mike Kunda, the old Rocky Film Tour.
A good friend of our show.
And Mike Kunda is in the movie.
Yeah.
He's an extra.
He's an extra.
Yeah.
Well, Mike Kunda.
Yeah, Kree 2 starring Mike Kunda.
His friend gave it a low and a review.
So there you go.
Right now, it's 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
As long as Bridget Nielsen's in it.
I think she is.
I think she has.
No.
Bridget Nielsen has a guest.
Bridget?
Bridget.
Bridget.
Do I say it wrong?
I could say it wrong.
I don't know.
Bridget Nielsen.
Bucks me Bridget.
She's.
Sorry.
She's a fantastic woman.
She's credited on IMDB.
Same with Milo Vitro.
Vitro.
Whatever his name.
He's in it too.
So according to the cast list.
Fantastic.
Give them the fans that they want.
All right.
So let's just dive into Rocky IV.
The funeral scene.
If you actually go to our YouTube channel.
I talk about this scene on our YouTube channel.
I talk about the fact that on the.
Behind the statue.
There's two actors who are blurred out in this scene.
So go ahead on our YouTube channel.
Find my talk about.
My discussion about this scene.
And I won't go over it again right now.
But there's two people who are blurred out.
And people are saying.
Oh it's just a camera angle.
Or something like that.
But.
No.
No.
That's blurring.
It's blurring.
I know.
It looks like these guys are blurred out.
So I don't know if these guys.
And then you have an old guy.
Looking.
At the camera.
Like he's looking at the camera.
Yeah.
There's no reason why he should be looking over here.
Like you could argue.
Well maybe he's just looking at people walking around the.
The grave.
Sight.
Sure yeah.
But he's looking directly at the.
An extra is looking right at the camera.
Or maybe.
Maybe he's not.
Maybe it just looks that way.
I had a customer who.
Say I saw you at the pool.
And I was like I was wondering who was staring at me.
I'm like.
And then I realized it was you.
And I was like.
I wasn't wearing my glasses.
And she's like yeah.
Like I wasn't staring at you.
Okay.
You know what I mean.
Yeah.
I could not see the person.
So I'm not staring.
So perhaps.
A man of that age.
Should be wearing spectacles.
That's true.
I actually wear glasses as well.
Not.
Like I could see.
Like up close.
Just fine.
But just for like fine definition.
So if somebody's 20 feet away.
I can't make out their facial features.
Of.
If I know them or not.
This happens a lot to me.
I'm in the Navy.
And I walk by a lot of people.
And I have to get really close.
Before I can make.
Because it's a 20 feet away.
I'm not like this.
Why do you just wear glasses all the time?
Actually.
Yours look really sharp on you.
And I'm cheap.
And I have these like.
These aren't cheap.
This is a Zeni.
I spent like.
Under 100 bucks on these.
Oh.
That's a lot of money.
Oh.
Please.
All right.
So anyways.
Back to the funeral scene.
People are being blurred out.
It could be JFK.
It could be Elvis.
Who wanted to be in the movie.
Start your conspiracy theories now.
One is a white fellow.
One's a black fellow.
So I don't think.
It could be black Elvis.
I think there's a black Elvis.
What I find interesting about this funeral scene.
But they're tall.
Look how tall they are.
I think they're on an elevated.
Go to the Rocky funeral scene on YouTube.
And go on our channel.
You'll see what I'm talking about.
On the YouTube channel.
The Rocky series podcast.
Going the distance.
But also what I find interesting about the funeral party.
It's a really weird setup.
Because a lot of movies do funerals.
But they really cheaped out on this funeral scene.
It's a back shot.
There's only 8, 9, 10 people in the scene.
You don't even see Apollo's wife in this scene.
The actress that plays Apollo's wife.
She's not even there.
Now there is a black woman.
In the old black wear.
A black hat.
But even you can tell.
That's not the actress that plays Mrs. Creed.
You have an older couple.
Probably his father.
Maybe his mother.
Perhaps she knew that he was stepping out on her.
Yeah.
Maybe she found out about the cheating.
Because during this time.
Right now.
During Apollo's funeral.
Baby Adonis is a bun in the oven right now.
What a beautiful story.
I love how Creed exists.
The fact that the series Creed exists.
Because Apollo fooled around.
Let's give it up for Apollo.
May he rest in peace.
Terrible.
There's no other way to say it.
This is Apollo's kid.
Now you could argue that he had kids that survived.
I love how the kids that are actually in his family.
Aren't even in the Creed movie.
That makes sense.
Yeah.
They're living different lives.
Sure.
Maybe.
How often do you see our uncles.
Our half sibling uncles and aunts.
I don't know.
Hey somebody just laughed.
Someone just did a laugh symbol on our page.
On our video.
Hey whoever laughed.
What did you think was funny?
Us in general.
Or what I said about Apollo.
Let's now get into the dialogue here.
Rocky says here.
There's a lot I could say about this man.
There's a lot I could say about this man.
Actually Rocky's not a man of few words.
This guy talks all the time.
But during Apollo's funeral.
He chooses to be a man of few words.
Let's keep the story going.
You know what I mean?
Like.
I don't know if it matters now.
I guess what matters is.
What he stood for.
What he lived for.
What he died for.
Rocky's saying here.
He's a man of few words.
He says that all that matters now is what he lived for.
And what he died for.
Okay.
I'm going to be the hypercritical here.
Because.
We discussed this during his fight when he did die.
Against Yvonne Drago.
Why did he not stop the fight?
Not Rocky.
But why didn't Apollo.
Why didn't the ref.
Why didn't a lot of people stop this fight?
Why did Apollo continue to allow himself to be beaten to Apollo?
And so what did he die for, Rue?
If Apollo came out of the grave right now to talk to Rocky.
And said this is why I died.
So Rocky's insinuating that he died for some reason.
What did he die for?
First country?
Well, I think it's back to the last episode that I was in.
As you all can remember.
Oh, wait.
People are talking.
I think below here.
Oh, look at that.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Belgium.
Hey, so let's just say hi to our people.
Let's say I apologize, guys.
Peter.
Peter Wutz from Belgium.
I've been to Belgium.
Really?
Yeah.
I had some waffles there.
I had some baguettes.
Okay.
Sorry about that, guys.
I didn't realize that as people comment, it scrolls down.
It's been so long since we've done this.
Hey, Bob O'Rourke.
One of our many fans.
Bob, regarding Paul's funeral.
Anyone have an idea why there's that?
Yeah.
Okay.
So Bob brought up.
See, Bob.
Bob's on our side, Ruben.
Yeah.
There's, again, go to the Rocky podcast.
YouTube channel.
I can't say this enough.
People are joining in and out.
That there's two or three people that are blurred out.
And it's so weird why they're blurred out.
Maybe I can ask Derek Wayne Johnson again to talk to Sly.
It's a valid question.
It is a valid question.
Doug, how you doing?
Doug from the Rocky Minute.
We love you, brother.
As always, I love Doug.
Like, love.
Yeah.
Keep it real.
What did Paul die for?
Do we know?
Does anyone have an idea?
Well, what I was saying before, that's just who he is.
Bullheaded?
He wanted to do it.
Remember the whole speech he gave to Rock?
Yeah.
He said that if the warrior doesn't have a fight or something, he may as well be dead.
Well, Apollo, you don't have a fight anymore.
Yeah.
Basically, Apollo died because he's an incapable boxer.
That is why he died.
He died because he's not able to box in his prime anymore.
Time beat Apollo, just like Rocky said in Creed Part 1.
Yeah.
But not time alone.
Pride.
Bullheadedness.
Hey, Gale.
Gale saying hi.
That's Kyle's mom.
Hey, Gale, we love your son, Kyle.
He's awesome.
He's one of the greatest guest hosts I've ever had next to Doug Greenberg.
They're tied.
Doug is pretty handsome, though.
So I'm sorry, Kyle.
Let's go to the next part of this funeral eulogy that Rocky's giving.
You always did everything the way you wanted it.
True.
You always did everything the way you wanted it.
I did it my way.
Well, the piano music during his funeral is terrible.
Isn't he a friend of the show?
The piano music?
Yeah.
Oh, it's Vince DeCole.
I know.
But Vince is talented.
I'm saying this musical piano part, it's kind of, I don't know.
If Vince wrote that, I apologize, Vince.
You're awesome.
But if you actually listen to the piano part during this funeral, I think an orchestral swell might have been more fitting.
That's just me.
It sounds too light on its foot.
I don't know.
I don't know what that means.
I don't know what that means.
Of course you do.
I don't know what light on your foot means.
I have no idea.
Do you know what a split diopter shot means?
I'm sure I'm pronouncing it wrong.
According to Reddit.
Okay.
So Reddit brings up this question.
Yeah.
Somebody talked about this.
I don't understand it.
But Ruben, go ahead and explain what somebody on Reddit said happened during this blurred out scene.
Apparently it's a split D-I-O-P-T-E-R shot.
Diopter shot?
Okay.
We're losing people.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You want to be educated or stay in the dark.
It's up to you.
I guess Google what that is.
Okay.
So it's a feathered edge.
It's a defocus.
It doesn't make sense.
So even if it's this thing, even if it was intentional and Sylvester Stallone, who was the director of Rocky IV, even if it was intentional.
Imagine a few of those guys.
Yeah.
They were extras in the film.
That was me.
That was me.
I'd be so cheap.
So I don't get what the feathering is.
So if somebody could explain what be feathered in a film means and why they would do that here.
If you were an adult when Rocky IV came out, say that was you.
Nobody's going to know.
That was me blurred out there.
That was me.
I was in Rocky IV.
So if the guy.
Sly was such a nice guy.
He was so good to everybody.
If the guys that were blurred out are watching this podcast, can you tell us?
And we'd love to interview you.
What your experiences were like when you saw this in the theater.
You're like, hey.
I think it was Mike Kunda.
Come to think of it.
Yeah.
It could have been Kunda.
I think it was.
Ray Blanchett said that because of Paul thought it was East against West, us against them.
He did mention that.
We talked about that in our previous episode.
But worth dying for.
There's no country I hate so much that I'm willing to die in the ring.
But I think inside.
I know.
You had to go the distance.
Just like Rock did.
Well, because of Apollo's death, we again have Creed and Creed II.
And also it helps Storyline move forward.
I'll tell you this much.
You know.
Oh, Ruben.
This occurred to me.
Go on.
I know why Apollo wanted to die in the ring.
Not pay child support?
Yes.
Yes.
His love.
His love mistress called him that day to say that she was pregnant with his child.
It's either his wife's going to kill him or Drago.
That's it.
That's it.
When Apollo turned to look at his wife in the ring and he was like, just before he died.
Yeah.
That's when I say, it ain't going to be you.
I'm literally going to my grave with this secret.
It's fantastic.
It's fantastic.
Apollo, you were, you know what?
Again, Apollo, you're a genius.
And so now Rocky knows.
Because now Rocky says, I know why you died.
Rocky knows about Adonis here.
He goes, now I know why you did it.
I would have done it too.
So Rocky says here, I'll never forget you, Apollo.
I'll never forget you, Apollo.
We find out in Creed 1 that Rocky and Mrs. Creed never spoke since this eulogy, I think.
Yeah, since this funeral, Rocky and Mrs. Creed have never spoken.
Weird, eh?
Yeah, it is weird.
But maybe Apollo and Rocky were close, but maybe the spouses weren't close.
Ray Blanchett goes on to say, Apollo thought if someone else steps in and beats him, then where does that leave us?
Yeah, so he was very passionate about beating Drago first or in general.
That didn't work out for Apollo.
Died in the process.
We're at the funeral now.
Rocky now leaves the, he says, I'll never forget you, Apollo.
And he leaves his championship belt on the casket.
Now, are we to believe, Ruben, like this is ceremonial, that he's leaving the belt that he won from Apollo, right?
And Rocky 2, that he is now the champion of the world.
Right here, he's still the champion of the world.
But Rocky's leaving the belt.
So Rocky leaves the belt on the casket.
Does he leave it there for good?
He might have.
But the funeral director might be like.
You don't leave a championship belt.
Either it was taken after the viewing.
Because they were all walking away and the belt's still there.
It's pretty, speaking of light on your feet, it's pretty a frilly belt.
I don't know what you mean by light on your feet.
Why do you keep saying that now?
Oh, you brought it up.
I don't know if I brought it up, but you've used it again.
It's a very frilly, frilly setup.
If it's a frilly, it would be light, wouldn't it?
Well, as a boxer, you've got to be light on your feet.
You've got to be light on your feet.
That's the analogy.
It's a boxing metaphor.
Yeah.
Being light on your feet just means you're a boxer.
It means nothing else.
It means, yeah, it means nothing else.
Not that there's anything wrong?
Not that there's anything wrong with being a boxer.
Yeah, Doug, we're getting to that.
Jeez, man.
So Doug just said, okay, I'm not going to say what Doug said.
Because for the iTunes listeners, it's not important.
Doug, I'm not going to talk about that right now.
Don't bury the lead.
You know better.
I'm going to block him from my page.
Okay, I'm spying it, Doug.
But yes, we're going to find out what happens to the belt in just a second.
I'm just literally about to hit play.
Okay, so they're walking away from the funeral.
The zooms in on the belt.
Magazine.
Magazine award.
World heavyweight championship.
So now we've got some magazines coming at us fast and furious.
We're only still a magazine.
Of course.
People protest against a Paul's killer.
Have you ever been in a protest?
I've never been in a protest.
You didn't do the walkout during the Kuwait war?
If I did, it was just to get out of school.
I did it.
And then I was like, eh.
I've never done a protest.
And bless anyone's heart for the freedom that you have in the countries that allow it.
Our North Korea listeners.
Yeah.
We've got some Saudi Arabia.
Yeah, we have some Saudi.
We've had a China download.
Yeah.
Bless you, China.
Anyway, so this says here, people protest against a Paul's killer.
What's the protest?
Ah, we don't like him.
Okay.
Well, you're not supposed to.
Yeah, that's a great point, Ray.
Ray says he's leaving the belt because nothing matters at that point.
Apollo's gone.
It didn't matter at that point.
But we as a viewer, you have to admit, Ray, we're multiple viewers.
A lot of us here who watch this or listen to this podcast.
I've seen this movie a hundred times.
We know what's coming next.
But as a first time viewer, I think we're just led to believe it's a gesture of this is our connection.
This is how we met.
But we don't really believe that Rocky at this second is giving all this up.
But we're about to find out now because he's at a press conference.
The reporter just asked, Rocky, is the decision final?
What decision that is?
We're about to find out.
And his answer is yes.
Speaking of people that have never watched this before.
Right.
My wife.
You want to talk about that?
Just a little plug.
She's seen one in six, but nothing else.
It was 10 years ago.
So she didn't remember it.
So she's watching all the Rockies.
She doesn't watch this podcast or listen to it.
Yeah.
That was my wife.
Yeah.
Long story short, she's saying, hey, this is where I remember it to be.
This is where I think that happens.
Then watches it.
And then her impression of what she watched and the next one.
So she's about to watch Rocky IV.
She's probably watching it right now.
That's awesome.
So we're going to release this as an episode for a future episode.
Ribbon said he's already recorded Faith, his wife, her guess of what's about to happen in that movie.
And then her thoughts after the movie.
So one of her guesses was that he was going to become a coach for another underdog.
Ooh.
Rocky V though.
But for Rocky II or III.
But good for her.
She's actually.
Yeah.
But I think something like that.
Oh, good for her.
Wow.
So people don't know what's going to happen.
No, they don't.
So the boxing commission says your boxing commission knocks out Rocky and they will not sanction the fight.
They told Rocky to wait two years so that they don't want to sanction his fight with Drago.
For whatever reason, according to this headline, they're saying, wait two years.
So this was an 85.
Yeah.
This paper came out in 1985.
This is the New York Post, America's fastest growing newspaper.
Its average sales exceed 900,000.
Wow.
Yeah.
Good for them.
I'm sure it's not that anymore.
No, probably not.
Okay.
The boxing sanction does not sanction this fight.
Is this the first time the champion has given up his crown?
I don't know about that.
Doesn't the title mean anything to you anymore?
Not until this is dope.
The question was asked Rocky.
Does the title not mean anything to you anymore?
And then Rocky says, not until this is over.
So he does indicate that the title means something to him.
But right now, all he wants to do is kick the crap out of Drago.
Sure, yeah.
This is where some Rocky purists have a hard time with Rocky IV.
Because Rocky's not revengeful that we know of so much.
Him as a character, if you think about who he is in Rocky.
No, no, no, no.
Of course he's revengeful.
That's established in Rocky I.
Going the distance.
Revenge?
Yes.
Revenge?
Of being the underdog.
Showing that he's got something.
Show himself.
No, it's not that he doesn't have a backbone.
No, no.
I'm just saying.
Don't you think that's revenge?
Ruby, you're about to throw it out.
Do you hear what I'm saying, though?
I hear you.
I hear you.
I guess.
So we got Matt chiming in.
Matt Biller.
He goes, who the hell picks it up and gives it to Union Kane?
So yeah, he's talking about the belt.
So somebody took the belt from Paul's casket.
And Union Kane, as we know, gets the belt in Rocky V.
The funeral director.
The funeral director.
Sold out on eBay?
Sure, sure.
Yeah.
No, I think Rocky I is revenge.
You want to drop this?
No, I don't think Rocky I is revenge.
That's fine.
I don't think it is.
Okay.
So when somebody says.
Not revenge, though.
No, when somebody says to themselves, I want to see what I can do.
I want to show people what I've got.
Right.
That's determination, spirit.
Revenge has a selfish, I mean in a negative way, kind of connotation.
I mean, I've been wronged.
And I want to exact revenge on that person who's wronged me.
Rocky was never wronged in part one.
Do you think he would have fought if nobody was watching?
Apollo?
Yes.
Yes.
I think he would have.
I think his performance in the ring.
I know he said that he wants to not be another bum from the neighborhood.
I know, but I know there's revenge.
You know, living your best life is the best revenge.
I would almost argue then he avenged his own upbringing, his own life.
Sure.
Or you could say if you really want to be psychological.
Okay.
Okay.
Maybe I'm using the word wrong.
His revenge was on his own upbringing.
Yeah.
His own self.
I've never heard it used that way before.
I'm able to let our listeners chime in.
If I was a more educated man, I'd have different words.
I'm just a ham and anger, brother.
Yeah.
So Matt agrees with Ryan.
That's okay.
He says, not a whiff of revenge on Rocky.
Maybe it's just not the right word, because he says redemption resonates on reason.
It's good.
Well, there's some reason there.
Yeah.
Half the word's right.
We've lost all our viewers, except for Matt probably at this point.
So thanks, Matt, for staying with us.
But it says here in the next magazine, bomb threats, protest Russian presence, Russian
wife fears for her husband's life.
A lot of us is the Russian wife.
Like, they don't even say Drago's wife.
It's like the Russian.
Death from above.
It's this big looming picture of Drago.
Boy, they really.
Man 3 says here, Coach Rimsky, considering Rocky's known punching power.
Coach Rimsky, considering Rocky's known punching power, do you still think this is going to be
an easy fight?
Yes, of course.
What is a matter of science and evolution?
Isn't it, gentlemen?
The question was asked here, do you think Rocky's going to be an easy...
Apollo fell down fairly easy.
Is Rocky going to be an easy opponent?
And the coach says here, well, it's just a matter of science.
Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever.
Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever.
So they're thinking it's a matter of science.
So my question to them would have been, like, if your guy can just beat up everyone willy-nilly,
then where's the competition in this?
I hear you.
I know you're reading the chat here.
That's fine.
So it says here, Doug says, the action of inflicting hurt or harm with someone for an injury or wrong
suffered at their hands.
From dictionary.com.
Okay.
So the action of inflicting hurt or harm with someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.
Sometimes we'll take revenge on, I don't know.
I guess in that, according to Doug, that kind of leans towards you.
Definitely Rocky afflicted hurt and harm on Apollo.
Broke his ribs.
Yeah.
Smashed his face in.
He was definitely injured.
And you could say he was wronged a little bit because he was humiliated a little bit by Apollo.
By Apollo thinking really less of him, not taking him seriously.
When I was in my 20s, I ran for a bit.
I can't run anymore.
Cancer.
For all of our listeners, we should have, like, a cancer count.
Like a drinking game.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I remember when I took up running, I felt slighted and I took, like, revenge on the asphalt.
So you punched the asphalt?
No.
Like, just running.
Oh, I see.
You metaphorically.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Just to show people I was in another bump from the neighborhood.
You know what I mean?
You're not, Ruben.
You're just not another bump from the neighborhood.
No.
So Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever.
He's not bad.
But is he the best in the world?
When I was in my 20s, I had a...
I had a physique similar.
Ivan Drago is 28 here, or Dolph Lundgren is.
If you saw a picture of me at 28, you would...
It's the same.
Like, I trained at Mighty Mix, so I'm not going to lie to you.
Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever.
This other man has not decided to the endurance or the genetics to win.
So he says he doesn't have the power or the endurance or the genetics to win.
So right now, they're throwing at Rocky's face.
They're kind of being harsh to Rocky.
Rocky's just sitting there.
This coach is basically...
He's almost being harsher on Rocky than they were to Apollo in some way, which is weird,
because I thought they came here to fight Rocky because he was a worthy opponent.
They're kind of contradicting their whole purpose of this visit, I think.
They're just talking smack.
They are, but I would think that because Rocky, day before this press conference, was the champion of the world in a professional boxing heavyweight.
Give him a little bit of respect.
Maybe just a little bit of Russian respect.
It's physically impossible for this little man to win.
It's physically impossible for this little man to win.
Because who wrote that?
I know.
Stallone wrote that dialogue.
I love it.
I love it.
And you got this picture of Sly or Rocky looking at the coach like...
And it's great, though, because, yeah, Sly wrote this.
He knows he's 5'3".
Or whatever.
What is he, 5'8"?
Or 5'6"?
I don't know.
I think him and Tom Cruise, that would be an interesting height comparison.
Drago is a look at the future.
There's been no mention of it yet, but how much are you making for this fight?
So the question is asked by a reporter.
There's been no mention of it yet, but how much are you making for this fight?
Of course, we know the answer to this comment.
We know how he's going to react.
Drago is a look at the future.
There's been no mention of it yet, but how much are you making for this fight?
No money.
That should be it, Jeff.
That should be a GIF.
It's Jeff.
Is it Jeff?
No, the creator called it.
We had this conversation on our podcast.
The creator of it called it a GIF.
I think he calls it a GIF.
Apparently it's Sly's 5'9".
Okay, thanks, Doug.
Sly's 5'9".
Hey, Owen.
What up, brother?
Hey, Lewis.
Lewis is one of our biggest fans.
Lewis, love you, brother.
Thanks for your support.
Rocky says he's making nothing for the fight, and there's a scene.
Of course, you can watch this on YouTube.
There's a scene where Rocky says, I'm not making any money for this fight.
It's not about the money.
Paulie's like, you know, that double take.
He's not about the money.
I want to see some Rocky IV GIFs.
Put them in the chat, guys.
Give us some GIF love.
Oh, Lewis just made it.
You just made it.
Hey, Lewis.
Lewis.
You're half an hour in, brother.
Send us the link.
Give us.
Oh, gee.
I think you just made it to the podcast or just made the GIF.
Either way.
Either way.
Lewis, we're glad you're here.
Okay.
The fight date is December 25th.
Now, what I love about Rocky IV, it's just insane.
None of it quite makes sense.
None of it is.
Why would you do Christmas Day?
It's like, why Christmas Day?
Why no money?
Why is this belt being gone?
It's almost like I'm denying all joy.
Oh, perhaps that's the reason.
I refuse to feel any joy.
He's going to get back to basics.
You know, throw the beard.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
We don't know about any beard yet.
It's such a weird thing.
Like, I'm going to ruin my kid's Christmas.
I'm not making any money.
I've lost my championship.
Whatever reasoning I gave Apollo, I'm not going to give myself.
It's just, it is a bit hypocritical for Rocky to do this.
Right now, he has blinders on.
His mission is to destroy, in his eyes, Drago.
Maybe that's the gift that he'll give everybody.
It's the gif that keeps on giving.
Why Christmas?
So the reporter goes, why Christmas?
Valid question.
Valid question.
That's what I was told.
Then he says, that's what I was told.
The Russians hate Christmas.
They hate it.
Because nobody can afford gifts there.
Or gifs.
Where?
It's in Russia.
Why are you Russian?
Stop.
It should be pronounced gif.
It is gif.
Like the brand of peanut butter.
Okay, I stand corrected.
Hey, you know, just because we're ham and eggers, doesn't mean we need to talk with them.
That's right.
Well, you looked that up in a gif.
If we had lots of money like Rocky did, then we'd start sounding smart.
He now finds out the fight is in Russia.
And Pauly goes, are you nuts?
So Pauly's just heard the news that this fight's making no money.
At the same time, it's in Russia.
No Christmas, no money, and it's in Russia.
Now, Pauly thinks it's nuts.
Pauly's acting like Rocky's training in a minefield, like in Iraq or something.
It's in Russia, sure, but it's not like, it makes it sound like, you know, if this was
Star Trek, he's training on a Klingon planet from the original series or something.
It's not that dangerous, but whatever.
Rocky, what's going on?
So one of the reporters yelling, Rocky, what's going on?
That's actually a fair quote.
What are you doing?
And another man goes, why did you agree to this?
Why did you agree to this?
We fight in Soviet Union, but we fight nowhere.
So we fight in Soviet Union, but we fight nowhere.
How do you like that, Doug?
Why don't you ask Drago's wife why she is afraid?
Tell them, please.
I'm not going to say it here.
Why don't you ask Drago's wife why she is afraid?
I love that they won't even call her Ludmilla or Mrs. Drago, Drago's wife.
Can you imagine, like, people are talking about your wife?
Why don't you ask Ruben's wife why she's...
And she's sitting right there, like, Drago's wife.
I know, maybe it's my 2018 goggles.
They could have called her Mrs. Drago or at least Ludmilla.
That probably just fits the time.
Yeah, the culture.
Doug likes my impressions.
I won't give very many, don't worry.
Polly's the unsilent majority says, man, I love it.
Okay, so let's hear Ludmilla and what she has to say.
I'm afraid for my husband's life.
We have threats of violence everywhere.
I love the animosity of the media.
We have threats of violence everywhere.
That threat of violence is probably real.
Let's look at the threat of violence in our current political climate right now in the U.S.
Like, we're Canadian, Ruben and I.
In the States, unfortunately, and throughout the world, but we've, you know, I don't want to get too political,
but right now there has been, like, bombs were mailed out or packages and stuff.
So people do respond how they do.
And so the concept of people feeling threatened if they are saying things that's politically not what people want to hear in their country,
it's not crazy to think people are threatening their life.
One of the magazine articles actually said that they got bomb threats.
But I love the media, just, like, hogwashing them.
Ah!
Ah, it's garbage!
Your life isn't on the, you know, they're so blasé and angry that they feel threatened.
Their lack of emotional...
It's the 80s, man.
Yeah.
So someone asked your valve, do you pronounce graphics, draftx?
Yes, I do.
Yes, I do now.
There's hard Gs out there.
There's soft Gs.
Hey, Brent, what's going on, Brent?
The guy I sailed with on the Vancouver.
How you doing, brother?
Belt boy, you're a paper champion.
Okay, Brent, we're talking about Rocky IV, okay?
He was a paper champion in Rocky III.
He's a real...
Well, now he's a nobody champion.
He lost the belt from the commissioner.
You have this belief that you are better than us.
You have this belief that this country is so very good,
and we are so very bad.
You have this belief that you are so fair,
and we are so very true.
Your lies in false propaganda to support this antagonistic and violent government.
Oh, violent?
Hey, we don't keep our people behind a wall with machine guns.
Who are you?
Who am I?
I'm the uncylum majority, big mouth.
Good.
Yes, good.
Insult us.
This more typical rude behavior toward visiting foreign.
But perhaps this simple defeat of this little so-called champion will be a perfect example
of how pathetically weak your society has become.
We go.
She just wants her husband to be safe.
He's a professional fighter.
He's not a killer.
He's not a killer.
He only killed somebody, you know, 24 hours ago.
But he's not a killer.
Fake news.
Fake news!
Russia really is great at just literally...
The man just killed somebody.
He's not a killer.
He's not a killer.
He's a professional fighter.
Like, this happens all the time in the boxing ring.
People are just getting pulverized.
I will concede that the fight should have been stopped.
I will concede that the referee...
The blood is on referee Lou's hands.
Let's be clear.
Lou Filippo, it's your fault that Apollo died.
Because you should have stopped that fight.
When you have a fighter with his arms down...
Is he in Creed 2?
He's long dead.
Well, say something.
Well, yeah, yeah.
Well, I know.
I wanted to keep on topic.
I thought, let's see what people are saying.
We got a thumbs up.
There's really not much to say to that.
Hey, Brent.
Thanks, man.
I got thrown off.
I got thrown off.
What can I say?
I just got to get back on the horse.
So Lou died, eh?
Who's Lou?
The referee.
Yeah, Lou's dead.
I'm trying to get back to the...
Let me rewind here.
Well, how deep are we in?
Well, we're almost done.
It's just a press conference.
It's ending now.
Yeah, you know what?
We're done.
We're done.
We're done.
We're pretty much done.
That's the press conference.
The next scene that we'll be covering is Mrs. Balboa comes home and she doesn't know about
the fight, which is crazy.
Can you...
Well, since Ruben, you're here...
Yeah, I am.
If you agree to fight the man that just killed your best friend in the ring on Christmas
Day in Russia and didn't tell your wife about it, how much trouble would you be in?
Well, you know how Creed didn't want to be killed by his wife?
Right.
That would have solved the problem with me just going there.
Yeah.
So my wife wouldn't be that crazy about it either.
She barely lets me record a podcast, let alone fight a Russian on Christmas Day.
So let's read the last of these comments.
Doug said, Apollo couldn't defend himself.
Clear sign to stop the fight.
Absolutely agreed.
Absolutely agreed.
Brent Kenny says, lucky the Russians didn't hack Pauly's robot.
They would have taken out Rocky Jr.
That's great, Brent.
Love it.
That's great.
Imagine that.
He come home.
The robot strangled the kid.
So Louis agrees with us.
He wouldn't go home to his wife either.
Rocky made a really kind of poor decision on the family here to make this fight.
And he's going to hear about it, but we're not going to talk about it this episode.
We're going to have a special guest for those who know.
The hosts from the Super Ugly Show, they've requested to speak on this scene.
So Ruben, we're going to chime in on the next recording.
You may not be here for it.
What?
Sorry.
I think the record, I think it's happening at night.
So you may be.
You may be.
So stand by for that.
We'll find out.
We'll find out.
So his name is Rocky.
And Richie from the Super Ugly Show.
Check them out on YouTube.
They're crass, but hilarious.
They specifically wanted to talk about the Robert Tepper montage.
And if you were a first time listening to our show, we interviewed, Ruben and I interviewed Robert Tepper.
We interviewed the singer of No Easy Way Out.
So you had a chance.
Fantastic interview.
Great interview.
Great guy.
Kind of feel bad.
All the stuff I said about him.
That was part of the show.
It was all in good fun.
But go listen to the episode.
It's fun.
Stay in tune next week.
I think we'll do this again live, Ruben.
I think it helped.
I think it was fun.
Thank you.
Keep that edited in.
He was trying not to do it.
No.
Anyways, I didn't know you wanted to go live, though.
That's all.
I'm game.
So if you guys like us going live, we'll keep doing it, I guess.
We look this good.
All right.
All right, guys.
Thanks for listening in.
Thanks for chiming in.
Thanks for liking us.
Feel free to tell all your friends and family about the Rocket Series podcast.
Ruben, do you want to take us out?
Ding, ding.
Ding, ding.
Ding, ding.
Hey, is this the one?
All right, boy.
I hate our listeners.
They're all such idiots.
I don't know why they even listen to our show.
Oh!
Bad acting.