Rocky Balboa is one the most enduring characters in movie history and that legacy has continued for nearly five decades. Everyone loves a good underdog story.
Sylvester Stallone, who for years shined as "The Italian Stallion," will not be taking on his iconic role in Creed III, which is due for release on March 3, 2023.
Although Stallone won't be in action, fans can see Michael B. Jordan play Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo. The film, while still in the Rocky universe, seeks to separate itself from the rest of the pack. A Creed IV film is already in development.
But even with a new generation gearing up for Creed III, nothing beats the academy award-winning original, and at least three or four of the six sequels. Here's a look back at some of the most memorable quotes from the Rocky franchise:
Ranking the 40 best quotes from the "Rocky" movie series
MORE: Ranking the top opponents of Rocky Balboa's career
40. "To all my love slaves out there: Thunderlips is here, in the flesh, baby. The ultimate male versus... the ultimate meatball. Ha, ha, ha."
– Thunderlips, aka Hulk Hogan, becoming a Hulkamaniac in Rocky III
39. "Listen, he's only a man. You can beat him because you're a tank. You're a greasy, fast, 200-pound Italian tank."
— Mickey Goldmill, reminding Rocky Balboa that he's the Italian Stallion in Rocky II
38. "Like your Popeye, he ate his spinach every day."
— Ludmilla Drago on why her husband Ivan is so strong in Rocky IV
37. "If he dies, he dies."
— Ivan Drago being matter of fact in Rocky IV
36. "We always have to be in the middle of the action 'cause we're the warriors. And without some challenge, without some damn war to fight then the warriors might as well be dead, Stallion. Now I'm asking you — as a friend — stand by my side this one last time."
— Apollo Creed getting emotional and motivational one last time in Rocky IV
35. "Get up you son of a bitch! 'Cause Mickey loves you!"
— Mickey Goldmill, in an emotional, motivational flashback in Rocky V
34. "Yo, Adrian, we did it. We did it!"
— Rocky Balboa's famous callback line in Rocky Balboa
33. "You are one crazy old man." ... "You'll get there."
— Mason "The Line" Dixon and Rocky Balboa, sharing facts in Rocky Balboa
32. "Now remember, I want 500 hard ones. Go!"
— Mickey Goldmill demanding Rocky Balboa to abuse a punching bag
31. "I was wonderin' if, uh, you wouldn't mind marryin' me very much."
— Rocky Balboa's proposing to Adrian Pennino in Rocky II
30. "Apollo Creed meets the Italian Stallion... sounds like a damn monster movie."
— Apollo Creed, challenging his Samuel L. (or Action) Jackson in Rocky
29. "I want you outta here instamatically."
— Paulie Pennino, channeling Yogi Berra in Rocky
MORE: 'Rocky III': 10 reasons we still love 80s movie, from 'Eye of the Tiger' to Mr. T
28. "Your nose is broken." ... "How does it look?" ... "Ah, it's an improvement."
— Mickey Goldmill complimenting Rocky Balboa about his injured schnozz in Rocky
27. "When we fought, you had that eye of the tiger, man; the edge! And now you gotta get it back, and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning. You know what I mean?
— Apollo Creed motivating Rocky Balboa with Survivor lyrics in Rocky III
26. "You're wearing your anatomy out for charity. Nobody else does this much for charity."
—Mickey Goldmill on Rocky Balboa's philanthropy in Rocky III
25. "Maybe I can't win. Maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he's got. But to beat me he's gonna have to kill me, and to kill me he's gotta have the guts to stand in front of me, and to do that he's gotta be willin' to die himself. I don't know if he's ready to do that. I don't know. I don't know."
— Rocky Balboa talking himself into fighting Ivan Drago in Rocky IV
24. "Do you like having a good time? Then you need a good watch!"
— Rocky Balboa getting punny with Adrian in Rocky II
23. "I feel like a Kentucky Fried Idiot!"
— Rocky Balboa, objecting to Mickey making him chase chickens in Rocky II
22. You gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!"
— Rocky Balboa motivating his son in Rocky Balboa
21. “You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!”
— Mickey Goldmill motivating Rocky Balboa in Rocky II
20. "Yeah, to you it’s Thanksgiving; to me it’s Thursday."
— Rocky Balboa, motivating himself in Rocky
19. "Every once in a while a person comes along who defies the odds, who defies logic, and fulfills an incredible dream."
— The Mayor of Philadelphia celebrating Rocky Balboa in Rocky III
18. "I just want to say hi to my girlfriend, okay? Yo, Adrian! It’s me, Rocky.”
— Rocky Balboa reminding everyone he has a girlfriend in Rocky
17. "Why do you wanna fight? ... Because I can't sing or dance."
—Adrian questioning Rocky Balboa in Rocky
16. You're gonna have to go through hell, worse than any nightmare you've ever dreamed. But when it's over, I know you'll be the one standing. You know what you have to do. Do it.
—Duke Evers motivating Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV
MORE: When does 'Creed 3' come out? Release date, plot for next movie in 'Rocky' series
15. "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life."
— Rocky Balboa motivating his son (again) in Rocky Balboa
14. “You and me, we don’t even have a choice."
— Apollo Creed on why he had to fight Ivan Drago in Rocky IV
13. "I think we make a real sharp couple of coconuts – I’m dumb, you’re shy, Whaddaya think, huh?"
— Rocky Balboa waxing all poetic with Adrian in Rocky
12. "Except for my kid being born, this is the greatest night in the history of my life."
— Rocky Balboa on what winning the heavyweight championship means to him in Rocky II
11. "If you stop this fight I’ll kill ya!"
— Rocky Balboa not wanting to stop fighting in Rocky
10. "He’s not getting killed, he’s getting mad!”
— Paulie recognizing Rocky Balboa's game face in Rocky III
9. "Nobody owes nobody nothin'. You owe yourself"
— Rocky Balboa recognizing Paulie Pennino's attitude in Rocky III
8. "Going in one more round when you don't think you can - that's what makes all the difference in your life."
— Rocky Balboa giving Rocky Jr. advice in Rocky IV
7. "Cause all I wanna do is go the distance."
— Rocky Balboa channeling Field of Dreams in Rocky
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6. "If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change."
— Rocky Balboa's inspirational speech in Rocky IV
5. "You ain’t so bad, you ain’t so bad, you ain’t nothin’. C’mon, champ hit me in the face! My mother hits harder than that!"
— Rocky Balboa talking trash to Clubber Lang in Rocky III
4. "I don't hate Balboa. I pity the fool!"
— Clubber Lang talking trash to Rocky Balboa in Rocky III
3. "I must break you!"
— Ivan Drago talking more serious trash in Rocky IV
2. "Yo, Adrian, I did it!"
— Rocky Balboa, saying he couldn't do it without Adrian (again) in Rocky II
1. "It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
— Rocky Balboa sharing his life's wisdom in Rocky Balboa
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