Dolph Lundgren has revealed new details about the Sylvester Stallone Rocky IV injury, describing a sense of guilt after accidentally causing his co-star serious harm during the film’s intense fight scenes. The incident unfolded in Vancouver during the shoot and left Stallone hospitalized, highlighting the physical risks taken for the iconic movie.
Lundgren Reflects on Unexpected Injury During Filming
Lundgren, now 68, played the formidable Ivan Drago in Rocky IV and has spoken candidly about the toll the physical scenes took on both himself and Sylvester Stallone, who portrayed Rocky Balboa. During a recent interview with Fox News, Lundgren explained that while both actors sustained hits during demanding fight sequences, he was unaware he had injured Stallone until much later.
According to Lundgren, filming lasted for two weeks in Vancouver before he returned to Los Angeles, only to be told by the producer that Stallone was in the hospital. Lundgren admitted that discovery left him feeling uneasy, as he had simply followed direction during the action scenes: going hard with body shots, including the famously powerful “Russian uppercuts.”
“I didn’t know it happened, we were both getting hit in that fight.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
“We shot for two weeks in Vancouver, and I got back to L.A. The producer called and said, ‘Hey, Dolph, you got two weeks off.’ I said, ‘That’s great, what’s going on?’ ‘Sly’s in the hospital.’ I found out that way.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
“I did feel a little guilty. You know, he hit me too. He was the boss, I did what he told me, which was good. Go really hard with the body, you know those Russian uppercuts.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
Lundgren said he could not pinpoint whether Stallone’s injury came from his own punches, exhaustion, or other factors, but accepted responsibility for what happened.
“I don’t know if it was my body or exhaustion or my punches, I don’t know, but he did get hurt. I’m sorry about that.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
Stallone Describes Hospitalization After Fight Scene
Sylvester Stallone, whose age now stands at 79, previously spoke about the severity of the injury. He recalled being flown from Canada to a Los Angeles hospital after experiencing alarming symptoms following filming. Stallone’s condition became so critical that he was admitted to intensive care, attended by nuns, before returning to complete the film’s climactic scenes.
In the 2021 documentary The Making of Rocky vs. Drago, Stallone noted that he initially felt fine after the fight but later that night, his heart began to swell and his blood pressure rose dangerously high.
“I didn’t feel it in the moment but later that night my heart started to swell.”
— Sylvester Stallone, Actor
“My blood pressure went up to 260 and I was going to be talking to angels, next thing I know I’m on this emergency, low-altitude flight. I’m in intensive care surrounded by nuns and then after that, I had to go back and finish the fight.”
— Sylvester Stallone, Actor
Remarkably, the real injury Stallone endured was captured on film and included in the final cut of Rocky IV, solidifying the scene’s legendary intensity.
“How could you take that out?”
— Sylvester Stallone, Actor
Behind-the-Scenes Tension With Carl Weathers
While the rocky dynamic between Drago and Rocky is central to the Sylvester Stallone Rocky IV injury story, Lundgren also recounted initial on-set tension with Carl Weathers. Lundgren explained that Weathers, who played Apollo Creed and came to set in Las Vegas mere days before filming their fight, was wary upon discovering Lundgren’s martial arts background and imposing presence.
Lundgren’s deep commitment to his character, remaining
“in character a lot around the ring,”
contributed to this strained relationship, and the two did not interact much off set.
“I was in character a lot around the ring, so I was always Drago. I was walking around like him. In the beginning, we didn’t talk much. There was a little bit of tension there, and then of course in the fight, I ended up beating him up pretty badly. I didn’t really get to know him that well.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
Despite this tense start, Lundgren said the two later became friendlier, reconnecting at the film’s premiere and again at various professional events before Weathers’ death in February 2024 at age 76. Lundgren stated that he felt Weathers may have been left with some lingering discomfort about the events during the Rocky films, although he had no involvement in the script or storyline.
“But I think he was always a little bit sore about what happened in ‘Rocky’ I through IV. I didn’t write the script.”
— Dolph Lundgren, Actor
Legacy and Continued Interest in Rocky IV
The story of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky IV injury continues to fascinate fans of the Rocky franchise, serving as a testament to the lengths actors like Stallone and Lundgren went for authenticity. The incident also highlights the camaraderie and tensions that can arise on set, particularly during high-stakes productions involving physical risks. As details emerge through interviews and documentaries, the film’s legacy as a gritty, physically demanding classic is further cemented in Hollywood history.
