I Ranked 13 Actors Who Should Step Into The Boxing Ring For "Creed 4"

What's the next big money fight for Adonis Creed?

Creed 3 has been cheered by both audiences and critics alike. It will be a hard act to follow, assuming a fourth installment is on the way.

I'll avoid discussing Creed III spoilers, but if Michael B. Jordan decides to put on his boxing gloves once again, what actor can raise the stakes even higher for his character Adonis?

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Here are 13 people I could see going toe-to-toe with the hottest fictional boxer in sports film:

13. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

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Is there a new Rocky in town?

There is no question that Dwayne Johnson would be a major draw for viewership, but that's where it ends for me. I question his dramatic acting ability in a series that has been slam dunk after slam dunk.

Still, imagine the promo packages and hype from a guy with 369 million followers on Instagram.

Possible character name: Rocky "The Stone" Stones Jr.

12. Conor McGregor

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"Who the f*** is that guy?"

If you don't know, McGregor is one of the biggest draws the UFC has ever seen. A common theme in this post will be stepping into the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world in the next installment of the Creed saga. 

He has a questionable background, doesn't act (other than in commercials), and is on the smaller side, but size and acting ability have yet to stop casting directors in the Rocky franchise, so Jordan shouldn't hesitate.

Possible character name: "The Irish Wolf" Greg Murphy.

11. Brock Lesnar

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The former UFC heavyweight champion and WWE star is everything you're looking for when you think of "beast." You can't teach size, and this man looks like he could beat up everyone's dad. He's 6'3 and 265 pounds but doesn't act.

The other red flag, like McGregor, is that he might be too familiar among fight fans, which could destroy the illusion of the Creed universe.

Possible character name: Bjork "Laser" Sigurdsson.

10. Milo Ventimiglia

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Character name: Robert "Little Rocky" Balboa.

You'll recognize Ventimiglia as Rocky's son if you've seen Rocky Balboa and Creed II. This might be the worst actor option. Despite Ventimiglia's talent, the character is already established, so it would obliterate every bit of character-building for Robert, who wanted to escape his father's shadow. Also, Robert has no boxing experience.

That being said: Apollo's son versus Rocky's son. Even in-universe, people would eat this up. The temptation might be too strong to ignore the opportunity, which reminds me...

9. Sylvester Stallone

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Character Name: "The Italian Stallion" Rocky Balboa (duh)

Rocky versus Adonis. Our two leads of this rich universe.

Stallone's acting as Balboa was literally award-worthy, so making him face the man he trained would be an emotional rollercoaster. But it would totally go against his character, and Stallone is 76.

It worked in Rocky Balboa, but this would be an unnecessary repeat. At least give me the two guys sparring at the grand ending of the film series as a nod to Rocky III.

8. Zach Gilford

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The Friday Night Lights fan in me would love this. Plus, Gilford was a star in Midnight Mass.

He needs to bulk up, but he has a unique look. How would Adonis react to a contender who is a fan-favorite and an even more polite fighter (shades of Rocky versus Apollo)? I don't know. I'm spitballing for a new antagonist for the film that isn't just a big bad monster.

Possible character name: Ryan "Humble" Williams.

7. Phil "CM Punks" Brooks

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Pro wrestler and ex-MMA fighter Phil Brooks is a diamond in the rough for this role. Although I'm not a fan of his fight/wrestling career, I loved his performance in Girl on the Third Floor. His performance felt very raw and would fit well in the Creed universe.

With tattoos all over, he definitely has that "it" look stars wish they'd have. It's hard to be purposefully unlikeable, and he manages to play an authentic villain as a pro wrestler.

Possible character name: "Chicago Made" Jack Duncan.

6. Miles Teller

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Teller has been flying high since Top Gun: Maverick, and he can continue his hot streak by being Creed's next opponent. He has already played in a boxing movie called Bleed for This, and his performance in Whiplash has me confident that he'd be a knockout.

The big "BUT": Like many guys before him on this list, I'm worried that he is too recognizable now and will take people out of the movie-watching experience.

Possible character name: Mike "Whiplash" Thorton.

5. Lewis Tan

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Tan showed off his fighting skills in Mortal Kombat, and I feel like he is still unrecognizable enough to step into this universe and not be a distraction.

A Chinese Singaporean martial artist would be unlike anything we've seen in this universe, so it is something to consider to keep new characters fresh.

Possible character name: "Stinger" Lou Tan.

4. John David Washington

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As I'm looking through lists of actors, Washington might check off the most boxes for this role. Most famous for his starring role in Tenet, Washington has the acting chops to bring passion to any role.

Not every antagonist for Adonis has to be a "bad guy," and Washington could portray a believable underdog that mirrors what Creed once was without the nepotism factor.

Possible character name: Kelvin "KO" Oliver.

3. Dave Bautista

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No role will ever top his performance as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but he seems like a man up for a challenge. He has stepped in an MMA ring before and is a WWE legend. The physical tools are there, but can he carry the role of an antagonist?

He's also 54, so I'd make his character this 60–0, undefeatable, almost folklore-like fighter.

Possible character name: Hercules "The Anniliator" Flores.

2. Daniel Kaluuya

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Kaluuya starred in a play called Sucker Punch and has already dabbled in a boxer role. He has also shared the screen with Jordan before in Black Panther, so I'm all in on this idea. Storywise, whatever it is, I'd trust no one more on this list to crush a character role than Kaluuya.

He would REALLY need to put on some muscle mass because he is on the smaller side. But, hey, movie magic exists, so I sacrifice the size for his phenomenal acting presence.

Possible character name: Zeke "Throwin'" Atim.

1. Austin Butler

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I looked at well over 100 movie stars from this past year. The stars aligned, and all signs pointed to Butler. 

In Elvis, Butler proved his capability as a character actor, so imagine what he could bring into a boxing ring. Plus, I feel like he isn't as recognizable as some of the people on this list, so some facial hair and non-Elvis hair will help him dive into a new character.

He is on the leaner side, so he is the perfect fit for my "MMA fighter" character. Plus, it'd be unique to see less of a "brawler" and a character that can actually out-box anyone. I don't want to see another "big menacing" opponent for Creed to beat. I hope Creed IV tries to move the needle on what a boxing film can be.

Possible character name: "Hollywood" Johnny King.

Who would you like to see take on Adonis Creed? Comment below!