This article is about the Rocky character. For the pornographic actor of the same name, see Tommy Gunn (porn actor). For the action figure of the same name, see Tommy Gunn (Action Figure). For the firearm, see Thompson submachine gun.
Tommy "The Machine" Gunn is a fictional character from the film Rocky V. He is played by professional boxer Tommy Morrison.
In Rocky V, Tommy Gunn seeks out a down-and-out Rocky Balboa hoping for a chance at boxing greatness. As Gunn explains, he comes from a broken home in Oklahoma and has nothing but the clothes on his back. The first man that he ever knocked out was his father, who was returning home in a drunken stupor. He pleads with Rocky to take him in despite a poor first impression in Mighty Mick's Gym. When he met Rocky, he had already won 8 fights, making a perfect record, knocking out all of his opponents. Thanks to Rocky's experience and Tommy's talent the two soon achieve great success winning 22 consecutive fights. Tommy however, unhappy with being viewed as a pawn for a now disabled Balboa and wanting bigger paying fights, signs on with less-than-reputable promoter George Washington Duke. The move splits Rocky and his protege apart. Gunn, Duke, and the Press rush to the Lucky-Seven Tavern the same night Gunn beats Union Cane for the World Heavyweight Championship. Gunn challenges Balboa to a ring-fight. Rocky declines until his best friend and Adrian's brother, Paulie is punched in the jaw by Tommy Gunn. Rocky challenges him to a street fight. Gunn ultimately loses and is knocked against a city-bus. He is arrested and later leaves Philidelphia in humiliation, vowing never to return. It is thought that he left for Oklahoma, his home town.
Gunn is slightly taller than Balboa, and has stats very similar to James "Clubber" Lang, fighting in a similar manner without any real strategy; however, Tommy is not as quick and tenacious in the ring and is inexperienced. These are both Rocky's keys to beating him. His record stood as 31-0. The 8 before he met Rocky, the 22 while he was with Rocky and the fight for the Heavyweight Title. His street fight with Rocky does not count on his record. It is unknown how many defenses he made of the title or whether he lost it in the ring or retired. It is possible that Mason Dixon beat out Tommy Gunn since it says in Rocky Balboa that Rocky is the ex-ex-ex-heavyweight champion of the world. Although this fits into the plotline, since the movies only showed Rocky being proceeded by three champions, it is not confirmed.
