The movie ended with a major and intense battle between Adonis Creed and Damian “Dame” Anderson — but it was Adonis who wins in Creed III. The threequel, which marks Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut, is set several years after Creed II, and sees Adonis dealing with an old friend recently out of prison after 18 years. Creed III received mostly positive reviews from critics, and ranks high compared with the rest of the Rocky franchise while also impressing at the global box office.
Creed III truly challenged Adonis as he had retired from boxing. But Damian Anderson, Adonis’ childhood friend, came back into his life after 18 years in prison, turning Creed’s life upside down in the process. Dame may have been new to professional boxing, but he quickly established himself as a major force. And when Damian challenged Adonis for the heavyweight champion title, the longtime boxer didn’t back down, facing his old friend in the ring. Creed III’s final fight is notable for several reasons. It’s also the first fight Adonis is involved in after retiring, making it all the more meaningful. What’s more, it sets up Dame’s future.
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Adonis Wins Creed 3's Final Fight With Dame
Adonis came out of retirement to fight Dame. It was a close match, with Dame bringing everything he’s got to the fight, having learned about all of Adonis’ injuries, skills, and moves before meeting him in the ring. Despite all that, Adonis won Creed III’s final fight with Dame. His win proved that, though he was out of the game for a while, Adonis Creed was still the best boxer out there, as well as the one to beat. For Adonis, it wasn’t simply about being stronger. Boxing was about fighting smart and seeing opportunities in beating his opponent whenever possible.
Adonis knew Dame fought a little dirty, so he figured out where his weak spots were and aimed for them. Creed paced himself. He took several blows, but he didn’t let his anger fuel his fighting, which made Adonis see everything more clearly. Creed III’s final fight was close, but Adonis had to come out on top, or else the film wouldn’t have been as good or as emotionally riveting. Still, Damian proved himself a worthy contender, especially considering how new he was to professional boxing. In the end, though, Adonis had more experience and skills, which is why he earned his win, keeping the title of heavyweight champion of the world.
Why Creed 3's Final Fight Scene Cuts To Just Dame & Adonis
Creed III’s final fight is intense. It has clear anime influences Jordan used to stage the fight, allowing it to stand out as one of the best fight scenes in the Rocky franchise. During Creed III’s final fight, there’s a sequence where it’s just Dame and Adonis alone in the ring. The audience is practically non-existent, and there’s nothing but silence save for Adonis and Dame’s punches and intense stares. This sequence in Creed III showcases how Adonis’ fight with Damian is extremely personal, especially for Adonis, who has everything to lose. Adonis fought Viktor Drago, with whom he shared a history, but that was more of a tie to his father.
Damian was his friend. It’s been one against the other throughout the entire film, and the focus being on them in the fight highlights their past history, their connection, and the internal conflict that has existed between them since Dame went to prison. Creed III’s final fight is the culmination of all of that. The scene cutting to Damian and Adonis forces the audience to focus solely on them. It’s a creative choice that underscores the emotion that lingers for each of them. It also reconciles their pasts, and the bitterness, guilt, and turmoil steeped in their friendship.
Did Adonis Retire Again After Winning Creed 3's Fight?
Adonis Creed left retirement behind to train ahead of his big fight with Dame in Creed III. After winning the title of heavyweight boxing champion for the second time, however, it’s likely Creed will retire once again. After all, Adonis only came out of retirement because he was called out and challenged publicly by Damian. Adonis’ fight with his old friend was personal — he wouldn’t have left retirement for just anyone. Plus, Creed was the world’s heavyweight champion twice over. His boxing career had reached its end, and there was nothing more to strive for.
To go back to boxing would continue to put him at risk of physical harm, and Creed had already sustained so many injuries. It’s also doubtful that anyone else would dare to challenge him again after his fight with Dame. It’s possible Adonis will turn his attention back to helping train rising boxers at his gym, as well as focus on helping Amara train. Creed III ended with Adonis facing his past and reconciling with Dame — the chapter of his life as a professional boxer was over, and he could finally put it to rest for good.
How Dame's Heavyweight Championship Loss Sets Up His Future
Dame may have lost the heavyweight championship fight to Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, but that doesn’t mean audiences have seen the last of him. Damian was a good boxer as a teen and despite his nearly two decades in prison, Dame proved he still had the skill and talent to make it to the top. Damian won one of two fights right out of the gate, and though he’s older than Adonis, Dame’s boxing career seems to just be getting started. Jonathan Majors' character has a lot of potential, and Creed III proved that he was good enough to go up against Adonis and nearly win.
With so much skill, Damian could become a big deal in the boxing world. It’s possible he might go on to fight other big-name boxers, including Viktor Drago, in a Creed spinoff. It would be fitting if Dame and Drago fought each other in a match, especially considering the lengths Damian went to pull Drago from his Creed III fight with Felix. Damian will want to continue proving himself in the boxing world; the best way to do that is to fight skilled boxers, and he’s more than up to the task. Whatever his future holds, Creed III introduced a great boxer, someone who could go on to become the heavyweight champion someday.
Why Adonis Had To Win In Creed 3's Ending
While seeing who wins the fight in Creed III might not have been surprising to some fans, it was the best outcome for the movie. Rocky movies have never been afraid to play on audience expectations with the ultimate victories in the ring. The original Rocky famously ends with Rocky Balboa losing the fight against Apollo Creed. Rocky Balboa and Creed did the same and each of them worked because it was not ultimately about winning the title, but rather proving something to the world. Creed III was about Adonis proving something to Dame and the only way to do that was by defeating him.
It's a personal fight but it's also one of good vs. evil evidenced by the colors the fighters wear during the fight with Creed donning white and Dame in black. Despite the fact that Dame is likely the most sympathetic of the franchise yet going into the final fight, there is no question about who is the hero and who is the villain. From a fighting standpoint, Creed also boxed a better fight thanks to a patient and controlled attack against Dame's overly aggressive style. Rocky movies have shown the hero can lose in the ring and still win the hearts of the audience, Creed III was not an underdog story and if Dame was able to hold his victory with his approach to boxing, it would have betrayed the franchise's deep respect for the sport.
