Alongside Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Michael B. Jordan, Romanian boxer, actor, and fitness model Florian Munteanujoined the cast of the sports drama “Creed II” (2018).
Picking up the story from “Creed” (2015) and fast forwarding one generation from “Rocky IV” (1985), in this eighth installment of the Rocky film series Florian Munteanu plays Ivan Drago’s son, Viktor, who is pitted against Adonis Creed.
The link between these movies is brilliant: the sons of two former rivals fight each other for glory and legacy. Viktor Drago (whose father, Ivan Drago, killed Apollo Creed), will now fight Adonis Creed (who is being trained by his late father’s friend Rocky Balboa).
In this article, you’ll find out the top 10 facts about Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, the Romanian star of “Creed II”.
1. HOLLYWOOD, HERE I COME!
“Creed II” was Florian Munteanu’s Hollywood debut, but not his debut as an actor. In 2016 he played in “Bogat,” a bilingual German-Romanian film shot in Munich.
2. ROMANIAN WITH GERMAN ROOTS
Florian Munteanu was born in 1990 in Germany and holds dual citizenship, Romanian-German. He studied Sports, Media and Event Management at the University of Munich from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2014.
3. A FAMILY OF ATHLETES
Florian Munteanu’s passion for boxing and fitness comes from his father who was a former professional boxer. It was his father who inspired Florian from a very young age to get involved in sports.
4. SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Florian Munteanu is represented by The Gersh Agency and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. His wealth is estimated at $500,000 and is the brand ambassador for SuperKombat, a fight organization based in Bucharest, Romania.
5. REACHNG FAME
At 6’4” and 235 lbs, Florian Munteanu is an imposing figure. He was featured on the front cover of both Muscle & Fitness (in October 2018) and, alongside Dolph Lundgren, on Men’s Health cover (in December 2018.)
6. “BIG NASTY”
Florian Munteanu hits the gym every day, and when he is training for a specific event, he is known to follow a strict workout and meal regimen. Unsurprisingly, his imposing size has earned him the friendly moniker “Big Nasty” which is also his handle on Instagram (where he has almost 500.000 followers).
7. MR. PERFECTIONIST
Apart from his native language, Romanian, and the language he studied in, German, Florian Munteanu is fluent in English too, as expected from anyone who is aiming high in Hollywood. But did you know that for “Creed II,” Florian has also learned Russian?
This is what he confessed in an interview promoting “Creed II”: “When I do something, I want to do it perfectly.” Although, the pronunciation of the Russian language was a real challenge, Florian worked hard on his Russian lines. “But, I think, in the end I nailed it.”
8. LOVE OF PIZZA
Florian Munteanu’s favourite cheat meal is pizza and, as of October 2018, he doesn’t have to ever worry about buying one. Domino’s Pizza Romania has made him a brand ambassador and promised him free pizza for life!
9. THROWING A REAL PUNCH
In the same interview promoting “Creed II”, Florian Munteanu admits getting carried away while shooting the first boxing scene with Michael B. Jordan and actually landing a real left hook!
“I was so in the zone, that I kind of forgot that it’s not a real boxing match. So the first punch was a left hook… So I was coming towards him and I was so much in the zone that I punched him for real.”
In a Fox 5 interview, Michael B. Jordan had this to say about Florian’s punches: “The guy has some muscle, he’s got some heat behind his punches”
10. THE BOXING “CONTROVERSY”
The moment Sylvester Stallone announced that Viktor Drago will be played by Florian Munteanu, online sites have been referring to him as a “professional heavyweight boxer”. This has sparked a bit of a controversy on boxing forums where users seem to find it hard to locate any record of his previous fights. While some have quickly jumped to rash conclusions saying he is a “fraud”, let’s not forget that he can box and he has the training. Whether or not the media have done their homework when reporting the news, that’s a different story.
Anyway, “Trust me, you don’t want to get a left hook from me,” said Florian.
#11 – He wasn’t always sure he would play the part
Florian wasn’t always 100% onboard with the role. It interestingly took an hour-long Skype call with Sylvestor Stalone before he agreed to play the part. Florian has come out and said that when Stalone is on the other end of the phone call, how can you say no? There is no faulting that logic, who could turn down the man that knocked out Drago?
#12 – Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day
Breakfast, for most people, is the most important meal of the day. Your energy for the morning and most of the afternoon comes from what you eat for breakfast. So yes, for most people, breakfast is the most important meal. But, this isn’t quite the case for Florian though. He eats 5 full meals a day, multiple smaller ones and on top of that, he is always snacking. He does so much exercise that he needs to eat a full meal every 3 or so hours. During those 3-hour blocks, he may even eat one or two smaller meals. This doesn’t even take into account his snacks or his protein shakes.
#13 – Milk makes your bones strong
When you were growing up you may have heard constantly that milk will make you grow big and strong, milk will make your bones strong, milk is great for your teeth, etc. This is all true. Florian knows this and has taken it to another level. He drinks insane quantities of milk every day. For breakfast, with his cereal, he has 500ml of milk. For those of you in the USA, that’s the equivalent to 17 ounces of milk on his breakfast. Then you have to consider just how much milk he drinks with his protein shakes. He also drinks milk with dinner, just in case you didn’t think he had enough during the rest of the day.
#14 – 1200 meter sprint
Part of Florian’s workout regime is the 1200 meter sprint. This is almost 4000 feet. The reason this is so interesting is because of just how far that is. Even sprinters who specialize in the 1200 meters don’t practice running 1200 meters that often. It is so draining for your body and mind. Most of the time, gym rats who are dedicated to building muscle mass neglect cardio somewhat, considering it a waste of time. Florian has taken that completely the other direction and started doing huge amounts of cardio.
#15 – Shake Shack
Shake Shack is pretty delicious, anyone who’s been there will tell you that. Florian must also agree that it is delicious considering at one point he was spending $400 a week there. This was his treat for himself. Once the movie had mostly finished shooting, all the training montages were out of the way, he finally had some freedom to eat junk and pounced at the chance.
Conclusion
As you can see, Florian Munteanu is a pretty unique guy. He is equally gifted academically as he is physically. Not many people are as diversely talented as him, nor can many people afford to spend $400 a week on Shake Shack. I think everyone can agree that after the work he put into looking like he did in Creed 2, Florian deserves to eat however he likes from now on.
“Creed II” was released on the big screen on November 21, 2018 and it was a big hit with all Rocky fans, especially those in Romania. “Creed” earned Sylvester Stallone an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance and earned over $173 million at the box office. “Creed II”, with its amazing cast will deliver raked in over$214 million at the box office and holds an approval rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Ceau. This is Mihnea, signing off from Beijing.
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FAQs
How big is Drago in creed? ›
Munteanu kept it simple to get in shape for Creed II, too. Before prepping for the movie, he weighed in at a hefty 113 kg. As Viktor Drago, he's a slimmed-down 102. Here are his three secrets to getting ready for the silver-screen ring.
Why do they call Florian Munteanu Big Nasty? ›"When were about 12 or 13, there was a game my friends and I used to play on the XBox called Ultimate Fighter and we had to create characters," Florian revealed. "These characters came with names, and they chose Big Nasty for me and that's kind of stuck with me. It's no stripper name or anything like that."
How tall is Drago in creed 2? ›He is billed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and 261 pounds (118 kg). Drago is carefully fitted and trained to be the consummate fighter. His heart rate and punching power are constantly measured via computers during his workouts.
How big is Drago's son in Creed 2? ›Nicknamed "Big Nasty", Munteanu stands at 6'4" (compared to Jordan's 6') and is intimidating as hell if his Instagram is anything to go by. The link to this photo or video may be broken, or the post may have been removed. Stallone revealed the casting on Instagram, calling him "245 pounds of talent".
Why is Drago so strong? ›As such, Drago trains himself for the event, even getting himself injected with steroids by his trainers Manuel Vega and Sergei Rimsky to intensify his strength. During the match, Drago seemed to have the upper hand, but Rocky manages to fight back, earning the respect of the Soviet audience.
How many forms does Drago have? ›Drago only evolved through battle experience three times: into Delta Dragonoid, Ultimate Dragonoid, and Fusion Dragonoid.
How tall is Viktor Drago? ›Munteanu — and therefore Viktor — has similar stats, which is a little intimidating considering we're talking about a real person and not a fictional boxer that the Soviets basically grew in a lab. He stands 6'4” and actually lost weight for the role. So he “only” weighs 245 pounds.
Does Creed lose to Drago in Creed 2? ›Creed survives, but his pride doesn't. Patched up the hospital he learns that Drago's final, illegal punch disqualified him. The shame never goes away, though, and when the Russian demands a rematch (this time on his home turf), Michael B. Jordan's prideful boxer can't say no.
Who wins in Creed 2? ›Three years after his loss to "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, Adonis Creed scores a string of victories, culminating in a victory over Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler (Andre Ward) to win the WBC World Heavyweight Championship.
What gender is Drago? ›Drago is a boy's name meaning "dragon" that derives from the Middle English name Drake.
Who is Drago's kid in Creed? ›
Career. Munteanu had his first film role in Bogat, a 2016 German-Romanian film shot in Munich. His breakthrough in acting came in 2018, when Sylvester Stallone was looking for a European heavyweight boxer to play Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago, in the sports drama sequel Creed II.
Who wins Drago or Creed? ›The fight was more equal this time around and resulted in Creed winning the fight after Ivan threw in the towel for his son's well being. The fight was seen as Adonis finally defend the Creed name against the Dragos. This was also the last time that Rocky Balboa would be Adonis's trainer and manager.
Is Drago stronger than Rocky? ›Though he would later become a more technical fighter as his career progressed, Rocky's primary calling card was his indomitable resilience. He could take punches like no other fighter, shown in his remarkable victory over Ivan Drago. The same Ivan Drago that had punches more powerful than anybody else on Earth.
Did Creed have a kid? ›...
Adonis Creed.
| Adonis Creed Hollywood Donnie | |
|---|---|
| Children | Amara Creed (daughter) |
| Relatives | Rocky Balboa (surrogate uncle) |
Ivan Drago Doesn't Return In Creed 3 - But His Son Does
Audiences saw the Rocky IV villain again for the first time since 1985 in Creed II, which was released 33 years later.
Drago's bullhook is Drago Bludvist's main weapon, as it helps him to control his Bewilderbeast.
How did Drago lose? ›In the climax of Rocky IV, an uppercut by Rocky Balboa left Ivan Drago on the canvas after 15 rounds of fighting. Unable to respond to the referee's count, Drago was handed a loss by knockout in front a crowd that heavily favored him.
How did Drago lose his arm? ›Early Life. When confronting Hiccup during their initial battle, Drago claimed that as a child, his village was attacked by dragons and his family was killed. He lost his left arm in the attack and constantly lived in fear of another assault by the creatures.
How powerful is Drago? ›A young Dragonoid, nicknamed Drago, is the leader of the Bakugan, with strong convictions and morals, and is one of the most powerful Bakugan living in Vestroia. He has the ability to radiate intense heat from his body in battle dissolving everything around him, and is equipped with high intelligence.
What is Drago's real name Bakugan? ›Drago (real name Salamander) is a Pyrus Dragonoid, the guardian Bakugan of Dan Kuso, and the main protagonist of Bakugan Battle Brawlers.
What is Drago Bakugan full name? ›
Drago (real name Maximus) is the creature main protagonist from the reboot series of Bakugan Bakugan Battle Planet, its second season Bakugan Armored Alliance and its third season Bakugan Geogan Rising, and in the season 4 Bakugan Evolutions, as well in the season 5 Bakugan Legends.
Who trained Viktor Drago? ›To prepare to play Viktor Drago, Munteanu was placed on a comprehensive program by his trainer and friend, Sandro Wolfinger.
Is Drago the bad guy? ›Ivan Drago is the Soviet Union's villainous boxer in Rocky IV. He's cold, emotionless and shows no mercy. His icy demeanor along with his brutal killing of a beloved character makes him undoubtedly the evilest boxing movie villain.
When was Drago born? ›Early Life. Ivan Drago was born on January 6, 1961 in Moscow, Russia USSR. There isn't much information surrounding his childhood, but one would assume that he was raised with discipline, due to growing up in such a rough environment.
Did Drago regret killing Apollo? ›It turns out Stallone regrets killing off Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed. Instead, Stallone know wishes that instead of killing Apollo, he had been crippled instead. With Apollo now in a wheelchair, he would have assumed the role of Mickey. In the cutting room and in the mind.
Why did Drago throw in the towel? ›Creed shows up to the next fight in better shape and wins a grueling duel, where both opponents were knocked down multiple times. The fight ends with Ivan Drago throwing in the towel for his son after Viktor could not endure much more.
Who is the bad guy in Creed 2? ›Viktor Drago is a recurring character in the Creed film series. He is the central antagonist of the 2018 film Creed II, and a reformed major ally in its 2023 sequel Creed III. He is a young Russian-born Ukrainian boxer who is the son of Ivan Drago and Ludmilla Drago.
Who lost in Creed 2? ›Though badly injured, Viktor refuses to give in. However, seeing Viktor in danger, Ivan realizes Viktor's life means more than hollow appreciation from people and Russian elites. As a result, he throws in the towel – ending the match and forfeiting Viktor's World title.
Is Rocky's son in Creed? ›The movie marked the first time that Sylvester Stallone's Rocky did not appear, as he remained out of the main story. This made sense based on Creed 2's ending, which reunited Rocky with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia).
Who will fight in Creed 3? ›“Creed III” sees series star Michael B. Jordan make his directorial debut with a threequel in which Adonis comes face-to-face with his childhood friend Damian (Jonathan Majors), a Golden Gloves-winning amateur boxer who went to jail for reasons not immediately revealed.
Who beats Drago? ›
Rocky IV Plot Synopsis
Ivan Drago, a ruthless boxer with backing from the Soviet Union, wants to prove no American boxer can stand him in the ring. As a true patriot, Apollo Creed steps up, and a match is set. The contest dominated by Drago ends with Creed dead in the ring.
Drago (Cyrillic: Драго) is a Bulgarian, Serbian, Slovene, Croatian male given name, usually short for the other names with the root drag- (lit. a "dear one"), such as Dragan, Dragutin, etc. The feminine version is Draga.
Is Drago a real last name? ›Drago is a surname. It may be of Italian origin, derived from a nickname "Drago" literally meaning "Dragon". Notable people with the surname include: Billy Drago (1945–2019), stage name of American actor William Eugene Burrows.
Does Drago have a son? ›Viktor Ivanovich (Ivanovych) Drago (Russian: Виктор Иванович Драго; Ukrainian: Віктор Іванович Драго) is the secondary antagonist of the 2018 film Creed II. He is a Russian-Ukrainian Heavyweight boxer and the son of retired Heavyweight boxer Ivan Drago and Ludmilla Vobet Drago.
Who is Drago's wife Creed? ›Brigitte Nielsen as Ludmilla Vobet Drago: Ivan's ex-wife and Viktor's mother who left the pair during the latter's infancy. Nielsen also reprises her role from Rocky IV.
Does Creed have a kid in Creed 2? ›Bianca Taylor Creed is an aspiring musician and the wife of Adonis "Donnie" Creed who lived in South Philadelphia in Creed. Adonis and Bianca would later become engaged in Creed II, where Amara Creed was born.
Is Creed's baby deaf? ›In Creed III, Bianca and Michael B. Jordan's character Adonis 'Donnie' Creed are now parents to a deaf daughter named Amara, played by young deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent, meaning they both had to learn more ASL.
Who attacked Drago in Creed 3? ›One letter contains a picture showing Dame with a fellow inmate that Donnie recognizes as Drago's assailant. Realizing Dame orchestrated the attack, Donnie confronts him, and Dame admits that he manipulated him into getting the title shot.
Can Rocky beat Creed? ›After going toe-to-toe for much of the final round, Creed is knocked down by a left from Balboa, with Balboa falling down in exhaustion as well. Rocky gets up by the count of 9, but Creed is unable to pull himself up and is counted out, losing the match and the championship by knockout, his first professional loss.
Who broke Drago's hand in Creed 3? ›Viktor Drago
It was fun to see Viktor make a return in Creed III, but, man, he really can't catch a break—at least it seems like his hand fully healed after a slimy attack from Damian Anderson's henchman.
What happened to Drago after he lost? ›
Upon his defeat at the hands of Rocky Balboa, Drago left boxing behind in order to explore his melodic passions.
How tall was Drago in Rocky? ›Ivan Drago was portrayed by Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren. Lundgren is 194 cm/6 foot 4 inches tall. 19 cm / 7 inches taller than Sylvester Stallone. He is indeed a fairly big guy.
Does Creed go to jail? ›In the series finale, his character is revealed to be a part of Grass Roots, and was arrested after being a wanted fugitive living at the Dunder Mifflin office. This episode also features Bratton performing his song "All the Faces".
Can creeds kid hear? ›At the end of the film, after Adonis has returned to the States after being in Russia, where he defeated Viktor Drago, he is seen with his wife and holding his daughter by the grave of Apollo Creed. The baby is wearing a specialised hearing aid.
Why is Creed in jail? ›The New York Police Department said Mr Majors, who stars alongside Michael B Jordan in the recently released film, was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old woman on Saturday. "The victim informed police she was assaulted," a police spokesperson said. Mr Majors was briefly taken into custody.
Is Ivan Drago's son in Creed 3? ›Florian Munteanu returned as Viktor Drago in Creed 3 a few years after his debut as Ivan Drago's son in Creed 2.
Will Rocky be alive in Creed 3? ›Is Rocky dead in Creed III? No.
Who is the bad guy in Creed 3? ›Damian "Dame" Anderson, also known by his stage name "Diamond Dame", is the main antagonist of the 2023 sports drama film Creed III, the overall ninth installment in the Rocky film series.
How big is the guy in Creed 2? ›Munteanu, nicknamed "Big Nasty", teeters at six-foot-four and weighed around 250-pounds before shooting "Creed II."
How tall is Creed in Creed? ›| Adonis Creed | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | 214 lb (97 kg) |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
Who is stronger Rocky or Drago? ›
Though he would later become a more technical fighter as his career progressed, Rocky's primary calling card was his indomitable resilience. He could take punches like no other fighter, shown in his remarkable victory over Ivan Drago. The same Ivan Drago that had punches more powerful than anybody else on Earth.
How much did Rocky weigh vs Drago? ›According to the reality of the movie, both Rocky and Drago are heavyweights, with Ivan Drago weighing 261 pounds. I do not know how much did Rocky supposedly weigh during that fight, but being 50 pounds lighter would still put him in the heavyweight category. Two things are important here.
How heavy is Viktor Drago in Creed 2? ›Munteanu kept it simple to get in shape for Creed II, too. Before prepping for the movie, he weighed in at a hefty 250 pounds. As Viktor Drago, he's a slimmed-down 225. Here are his three secrets to getting ready for the silver-screen ring.
What is Victor Drago's diet? ›I try to keep it as simple as possible: chicken, rice, and vegetables, all day, all night. I mix it up with some tomatoes and avocados. Maybe some hummus, if I had a good day and I thought I was losing a lot of body fat. Breakfast was cornflakes.
Who is Drago's son? ›Viktor Ivanovich (Ivanovych) Drago (Russian: Виктор Иванович Драго; Ukrainian: Віктор Іванович Драго) is the secondary antagonist of the 2018 film Creed II. He is a Russian-Ukrainian Heavyweight boxer and the son of retired Heavyweight boxer Ivan Drago and Ludmilla Vobet Drago.
Is Creed ok for 12 year olds? ›Creed is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violence, language and some sensuality. Violence: The movie includes frequent portrayals of boxing violence and resulting bloody injuries (some shown in great detail), cuts and swollen eyes. Some of the punches are thrown outside of sporting events.
Does Creed ever lose? ›A 2013 poll of former heavyweight champions and boxing writers, including former WBA heavyweight star James "Bonecrusher" Smith, ranked Creed as the second-best boxer in the Rocky series, second only to Rocky himself, having only 2 losses: one to Rocky and the other, Ivan Drago, who killed him in their fight.
Does Creed have a kid? ›Challenged by Light Heavyweight Champion
Conlan's manager, Tommy Holiday, learns about Adonis Creed, son of Apollo Creed and urges Conlan to take the fight, telling him that it would make millions because of the Creed name.
Ivan Drago is the Soviet Union's villainous boxer in Rocky IV. He's cold, emotionless and shows no mercy. His icy demeanor along with his brutal killing of a beloved character makes him undoubtedly the evilest boxing movie villain.
What does Drago's trainer yell? ›When Dragos' Manager is yelling in Russian at Dragos' corner man, the caption reads " You trained this fool, he's a disgrace." If you listen carefully he is actually speaking english, and he says " This stupid jerk is unbelievable, he is nuts."