Did Franco Columbu turn Sylvester Stallone into Rich Piana

Did Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pal and former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu ruin Sylvester Stallone’s famous symmetry?

At the time, Stallone and Schwarzenegger were rivals. Yet, Stallone made an unexpected move when he hired Arnold’s close friend, Franco Columbu, to train him for Rocky II . On the surface, it seemed like a great idea—Franco was one of the strongest bodybuilders in the world and had the expertise to help Stallone look like a convincing boxer. But what happened next raises serious questions about whether Franco had Stallone’s best interests at heart.

Trainers are supposed to prioritize their clients’ health and safety, right? But for some reason, Franco convinced Stallone to participate in a dangerous bench-pressing challenge. Think about it—Franco, a world-class bodybuilder at the peak of his strength, facing off against an actor who was training for a role. What could go wrong?

The answer came quickly: Stallone tore his right pectoral muscle completely off the bone, requiring 60 stitches under his right arm. And this wasn’t just a casual injury—this happened just months before filming for Rocky II was set to begin. Stallone later reflected on that moment, saying:

“I go home. I feel like my career is over. I’m supposed to start Rocky II, direct it, everything in a month and a half… I can’t use this arm, so I’ll change it in Rocky. He’ll fight right-handed.”

That’s right—if you’ve ever wondered why Rocky Balboa suddenly has eyesight problems and fights right-handed in Rocky II, the real reason is far more dramatic. Stallone couldn’t punch with his left hand due to his injury, so the script had to be adjusted to work around it.

But the story doesn’t end there. Over the years, Stallone noticed the veins on his right pectoral becoming more pronounced, even grotesque. The injury, combined with the surgery, negatively affected his circulation, and the new veins were the result. This started to bother him more and more.

Fast forward to 2010, while filming The Expendables. Stallone decided to cover the unsightly veins with tattoos. Initially, it was just a way to hide the damage. But as time went on, he kept adding more ink until tattoos became a signature part of his look.

Compare Stallone to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who maintained smooth, unmarked skin throughout his career. Stallone, once a rival to Arnold’s chiseled aesthetic on screen, if not on stage, ended up looking more like a heavily tattooed Rich Piana five percenter.

So was Franco Columbu, Arnold’s best friend, responsible for this downward spiral? Did his encouragement lead Stallone into an unnecessary injury that altered the course of his career—and his appearance—forever? One thing’s for sure: Rocky II and Stallone’s iconic physique were never the same after that fateful challenge.