Every Rocky Opponent Ranked From Worst To Best

The Rocky franchise features some of the best sports movies in cinematic history. Beginning in 1976 as Sylvester Stallone's passion project, the original film spawned sequel after sequel, tie-ins, and a spin-off series with the equally-acclaimed Creed trilogy.

Though the film series has always put its stars front and center, whether it's Rocky Balboa himself or Adonis Creed, one of the things that make each entry unique is with its main opponent. The franchise has been blessed with some talented actors and athletes who have all had the honor of fighting our heroes, and though some are better than others, they've all cemented their place in cinema.

To celebrate the recent release of Creed III, it's time to take a look at every major rival in the Rocky and Creed films. These will consist of only the final opponents for each installment so don't expect to see Spider Rico or Thunderlips on this list.

At the same time, as these will tackle major story threads, a spoiler warning is inbound for those who have not seen every entry in this beloved movie series.

2006's Rocky Balboa was the swansong for the beloved title character and attempted to end the series on a higher note after the poor reception of Rocky V. Though the film was a major improvement over its predecessor, one way it fell flat was with its opponent.

Mason 'The Line' Dixon serves as a parallel to Apollo Creed in the movie, giving Rocky the chance to go the distance one last time. Played by Antonio Tarver, Dixon is disrespected by the sports community as they feel that he never fought formidable contenders as champion. Of course, the boxer manages to prove himself by the end of the film by going toe-to-toe against Rocky Balboa, disproving that he is a paper champion.

The character, however, has the unenviable task of following iconic Rocky villains, and for the final opponent in the original series, Tarver just falls flat. Though Stallone tries to give him a backstory and personal motivation, Mason is forgettable and doesn't have iconic lines like the ones that have come before him.

At the same time, a character going up against an aging Rocky ends up looking weak compared to those who fought Balboa during his prime.