10 Greatest Fake Pro Wrestlers In Movies
2. Thunderlips (Rocky III)
Hulk Hogan’s silver screen debut, the curiously named Thunderlips is a gigantic wrestling champion competing in a charity fight against Rocky Balboa.
In a scene so over the top it makes Mr T’s Clubber Lang look down to earth, the 2 duke it out in a crowd bashing brawl. According to Sly Stallone, Hogan was incredibly reckless on set. On top of severely injuring Stallone on more than 1 occasion, Hogan also sent 3 stuntmen straight to the hospital. Portraying audience members with whom Thunderlips engages in combat mid-match, the stuntmen got way more than they bargained for from the future face of the Cartoon Era.
Thunderlips, a.k.a The Ultimate Male or The Ultimate Object of Desire (no, seriously) is accompanied to the ring by 3 female companions he refers to as his love slaves. He ragdolls the considerably smaller Rocky for much of the contest. It’s all fun and games by the end, however, with everyone posing for a photo before Rocky returns to more conventional boxing fare.
A key moment in Hogan’s then fledgling career, it also signalled a change in tone for the Rocky series which became increasingly over the top after gritty beginnings.