Through two games of the NBA Finals, much has been made regarding Kobe Bryant’s game face and just how badly he wants to win. While his game face was as intense as anything I’d seen in a non-football environment, clearly we’ve seen better. Namely, Ivan Drago in Rocky IV as he took on Apollo Creed.

The match was one of those circle of life moments. Drago began the fight confidently but exhibited trepidation during the James Brown Living In America entrance for Creed. Once the Russian landed the match’s first big blow, game on. It led to Drago killing the former champ during the bout and unleashing the ultimate game face at the end of this clip, as he burned a hole through Rocky. Now, Drago’s face…THAT is a game face.

Back in April, I went to Las Vegas and felt it necessary to pay tribute to the place where Apollo Creed perished. After all, this man’s on-screen character died for your entertainment essentially at the MGM Grand.  His death was so jarring to me when I was six years old, that it took me around five years to actually watch that scene (look, having nightmares about Drago peering into your soul or breaking into house to knock you dead with a punch wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time).

Pay your respects to the site where the legendary Apollo Creed perished.

In a bit of inside baseball from the movie, Creed offered up a big to do speech to Rocky in the corner right before dying. However, when the movie’s final cut hit the theaters, a good chunk of the aforementioned monologue hit the cutting room floor.

It was a sad ending for one of the pivotal characters in the franchise’s vehicle.

Anyways, peep the Drago face if you haven’t seen it for some reason and then compare it to what Kobe and his chin have unleashed. It’s a no contest. Advantage Drago.