Robert William Howard (born January 29, 1963) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
, actor, and former
auto racer and wrestling trainer/
host
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
* Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
* Michel Host ...
, better known by the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Hardcore Holly or Bob Holly. He is best known for his 16-year career with the
World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) where he also worked under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
s Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, Bob "Spark Plug" Holly, Bombastic Bob, and "the Big Shot".
After debuting in 1987, Holly worked for World Organization Of Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette. The promotion was based in Knoxville, Tennessee, wit ...
and other
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
promotions, before joining WWE full-time in 1994. Initially portraying the character of a
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver, Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, his name was soon changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly. In 1998, he formed a team with
Bart Gunn
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1999 under the ring names Bart Gu ...
, known as
The Midnight Express.
In 1999, Howard became known simply as "Hardcore Holly", developing a stern, punishing persona. Once taking up the Hardcore Holly gimmick, he was joined by
on-screen cousins,
Crash
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
and
Molly.
In 2002, Hardcore Holly suffered a broken neck during a match with
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, former mixed martial artist (MMA), amateur wrestler, and professional American football player who holds both American and Canadian citizenship. He is ...
, which sidelined him for over a year. Upon his return, he engaged in a major feud with Lesnar for the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown' ...
and minor feuds with other wrestlers, such as
Mr. Kennedy
Kenneth Anderson (born March 6, 1976) is an American professional wrestler. Anderson is known for his tenure with WWE from 2005 to 2009 under the ring name Mr. Kennedy, and his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Mr. Anderson from 2010 to 2 ...
and
Rob Van Dam. He later formed a tag team combination with
Cody Rhodes in 2007. Holly was released from the WWE in 2009, wrestling only intermittently on the independent circuit. He published his autobiography, ''The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story'', in 2013.
Championships
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this system ...
held by Holly over the course of his career include the
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship,
NWA World Tag Team Championship, and
WWF Hardcore Championship.
Early life
Howard was born in
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...
, where he and his older brother were raised by his mother. After his mother remarried, the family relocated to
Ventura, California
Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city on the Southern Coast of California and the county seat of Ventura County. The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census. Ventura is a popular tourist des ...
and then to
Grants Pass, Oregon
Grants Pass is the county seat of Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on Interstate 5, northwest of Medford, along the Rogue River. The population was 39,189 at the 2020 census.
History
Early Hudson's Bay Company hunt ...
, where Howard attended
Grants Pass High School
Grants Pass High School is a public high school located in Grants Pass, Oregon, United States. The school colors are blue and white, and the mascot is the Caveman. The mascot is a reference to the Oregon Caves National Monument, which is an impor ...
. After graduating, Howard worked in a beer warehouse before moving to
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
with the mother of his daughter, Stephanie. Howard spent several years working as a mechanic for
Meineke (supplementing his income by
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
in bars) before joining Taylor Wharton as a pipe cutter, where he trained as a
welder
In a broad sense, a welder is anyone, amateur or professional, who uses welding equipment, perhaps especially one who uses such equipment fairly often. In a narrower sense, a welder is a tradesperson who specializes in fusing materials together ...
. Howard later moved to Cowin Equipment, where he worked as a mechanic and welder.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1987–1990)
Holly trained under Bob Sweetan, Marcelle Pringle, and Rip Tyler, and debuted in 1987 in the
Mobile area in the World Organization Of Wrestling
promotion where he held titles on and off, including the WOW Tag Team Championship with Ron Starr when they defeated the Rock N Roll Express.
From there, he wrestled in
Memphis and then in the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) with moderate success.
World Championship Wrestling (1990–1991)
In 1990 Holly began making television appearances in World Championship Wrestling, being utilized primarily as a jobber. His first match came on July 30 in Gainesville, Georgia, when he was defeated via submission by
United States Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell Pfohl (born June 2, 1958), better known by the ring name Lex Luger, is an American retired professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and football player. In 2011 he began working with WWE on its wellness policy. He is best known for ...
. Holly then wrestled in a six-man match in Marietta, Georgia on August 6, teaming with "Powerhouse"
Tim Parker
Timothy Charles Parker (born 19 June 1955) is a British executive. As of 2020 he was the chairman of the National Trust, Post Office Ltd, and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). He was replaced in February 2022 as chairman of th ...
and Brad Bratton against
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career spanni ...
,
Arn Anderson and
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham (born July 4, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). ...
. On August 13 Holly faced Flair in a singles match that aired on ''
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
'', losing via submission. After an absence of several months, he made a final appearance at a ''World Championship Wrestling'' taping on January 21 teaming with Dave Johnson in an unsuccessful effort against
The Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed ...
in a match that aired February 9, 1991.
World Wrestling Federation (1991)
Two months later Bob Holly made his initial appearance in the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
(WWF). Again, he was portrayed as a jobber. His sole match was a teaming with Mike Sample in a loss to
The Bushwhackers on the March 30 edition of ''
WWF Superstars'' (match was taped on March 11 in Pensacola, Florida).
Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1991–1992)
Holly joined
Jim Cornette's new
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette. The promotion was based in Knoxville, Tennessee, wit ...
promotion and made his debut at the company's very first television taping on October 30 in Greenville, South Carolina, defeating Tim Frye. Billed as "Hollywood" Bob Holly, he received a televised push and portrayed a snobbish-street thug, West Coast character. Afterwards he worked for Buck Robley & The NWF out of Louisiana.He teamed with Robert Gibson there as the Rock N Roll Express.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1994–2009)
Spark Plug (1994–1998)
![Bob Holly in 1996](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Bob_Holly_in_1996.jpg)
Holly returned to the WWF on January 11, 1994.
His initial
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
was that of a
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver turned wrestler called Thurman "Sparky" Plugg,
which was quietly changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly.
He competed in the
1994 Royal Rumble match, lasting over 21 minutes.
At the
Royal Rumble in January 1995, Holly and the
1–2–3 Kid defeated
Bam Bam Bigelow and
Tatanka in the finals of a tournament to crown new
WWF Tag Team Champions.
Their title reign lasted only one day, however, as the next day, on ''
WWF Monday Night Raw
''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show fe ...
'', Holly and the Kid lost the tag team title to
The Smoking Gunns.
On the May 7, 1995 (taped April 26, 1995) episode of ''
WWF Action Zone
The following is a list of all WWE television programs. It also includes programming produced under the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC), World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Wrestling Entertainmen ...
'', Holly pinned
WWF Intercontinental Champion
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main roster ...
Jeff Jarrett in a title match, but as Jarrett had his foot on the ropes, the decision was overturned and the title vacated.
Later on in the show, Jarrett defeated Holly in a rematch for the vacant title after
pinning Pinning may refer to:
* Pinning, the effect of certain weapons that cause their targets to be pinned down
* Pinning ceremony (nursing), a symbolic welcoming of new graduates into the nursing profession
* Pinning force, a force acting on a pinned ob ...
Holly with a
roll-up.
Holly's title win is not recognized by WWE.
Holly then competed in the
1995 King of the Ring tournament, defeating
Mantaur to qualify before losing to
The Roadie in the quarterfinals.
He was then the first WWF pay-per-view opponent of
Hunter Hearst Helmsley, losing to him at ''
SummerSlam''.
At ''
Survivor Series'', Holly was a part of the Underdogs team along with
Marty Jannetty
Fredrick Martin Jannetty (born February 3, 1960) is an American professional wrestler who has worked for promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wres ...
,
Hakushi
Kensuke Shinzaki (新崎 健介 ''Shinzaki Kensuke'', born December 2, 1966) is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and professional wrestling executive, better known by his ring name, Jinsei Shinzaki (新崎 人生 ''Shinzak ...
, and
Barry Horowitz. They were defeated by the Body Donnas team of
Skip
Skip or Skips may refer to:
Acronyms
* SKIP (Skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), a human gene
* Simple Key-Management for Internet Protocol
* SKIP of New York (Sick Kids need Involved People), a non-profit agency aidin ...
,
Doctor of Desire Tom Prichard,
Rad Radford, and the 1–2–3 Kid.
Despite lasting nearly 40 minutes in the
Royal Rumble, Holly made very few television appearances in the WWF throughout 1996 and 1997.
The Midnight Express and The J.O.B. Squad (1998–1999)
In February 1998, a newly blonde Holly and
Bart Gunn
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1999 under the ring names Bart Gu ...
joined forces with
Jim Cornette as part of Jeff Jarrett's
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...
.
Holly, renamed "Bombastic Bob", and Gunn, renamed "Bodacious Bart" were known collectively as
The Midnight Express.
The Midnight Express defeated
The Headbangers for the
NWA World Tag Team Championship on March 30, 1998
and held the titles until August 14 of that year, when they were defeated by The Border Patrol. They challenged the
New Age Outlaws for the
World Tag Team Championship at the
King of the Ring pay-per-view, but were unsuccessful.
In mid-1998, Holly competed in the
WWF Brawl for All, a 16-man
shootfighting tournament. He was eliminated in the first round by the eventual winner, Bart Gunn, who defeated him on points; Holly has the distinction of being the only one of Gunn's opponents he was unable to knock out.
In November 1998,
Al Snow, Bob Holly and
Scorpio united and formed
The J.O.B. Squad
The J.O.B. Squad was a professional wrestling Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable, stable in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1990s.
The theme of the group was that each member was a perennial Job (professional wr ...
. During that same month on an edition of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'', they helped
Mankind
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, an ...
defeat
Ken Shamrock and
The Big Boss Man
Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his appearances with the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Big Boss Man, as wel ...
in a triple threat match. In February 1999, Scorpio was released by the WWF while
Gillberg was later phased out of storylines and
The Blue Meanie allied with
Goldust
Dustin Patrick Runnels (born April 11, 1969) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Dustin Rhodes. He is best known for his multiple tenures with WWE f ...
. After dwindling down to only two members, Snow wrestled against himself on an edition of ''Raw'' before Holly came down to the ring to prevent Snow from hurting himself, which led to the formal breakup of the J.O.B. Squad. Later that month at ''
St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House'', Bob Holly defeated Snow for the
WWF Hardcore Championship to permanently end the J.O.B. Squad.
A week later on ''Raw'', for his title defense match against former partner Bart Gunn, Holly formally changed his name to Hardcore Holly.
Hardcore Champion and The Holly Cousins (1999–2001)
Holly dropped the championship to
Billy Gunn on the March 15, 1999 edition of ''Raw'', but regained the title two weeks later at
WrestleMania XV, in a
triple threat hardcore match also involving Al Snow. He lost the title to Al Snow at
Backlash
Backlash may refer to:
Literature
* '' Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women'', a 1991 book by Susan Faludi
* ''Backlash'' (Star Wars novel), a 2010 novel by Aaron Allston
* Backlash (Marc Slayton), comic book character
* ''Backla ...
, and soon began referring to himself as "The Big Shot", feuding with
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
and
Kane.
On the August 16, 1999 edition of ''Raw'', Holly introduced his
on-screen
An on-screen display (OSD) is an image superimposed on a screen picture, commonly used by modern television sets, video cassette recorder, VCRs, and DVD players to display information such as volume, channel, and time.
History
In the past, mos ...
"cousin"
Crash Holly.
They unsuccessfully challenged for the
WWF Tag Team Championship at
SummerSlam. Though simultaneously arguing over who was the better Holly, they won the
WWF Tag Team Championship on the October 18, 1999 edition of ''Raw'',
by defeating the
Rock 'n' Sock Connection
The Rock 'n' Sock Connection was a professional wrestling tag team of The Rock and Mankind/Mick Foley who wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1999 and 2000 and briefly in 2004. As a team, they held the WWF Tag Team Championsh ...
, after
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as on ...
interfered.
They lost the titles two weeks later to
Mankind
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, an ...
and
Al Snow on the November 4 edition of ''
SmackDown!
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
''. The Holly Cousins and
Too Cool
Too Cool, originally known as Too Much, was an American professional wrestling tag team and group active in the World Wrestling Federation (later World Wrestling Entertainment) between 1998 and 2001 and for a short time in 2004 and 2014. The group ...
defeated
Edge, Christian and
The Hardy Boyz
The Hardys, also known as The Hardy Boyz, are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy, who are currently appearing in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The team is currently inactive due to Jeff ...
in a traditional four-on-four elimination match at
Survivor Series, where Holly was the lone survivor.
On the November 18, 1999 edition of ''SmackDown!'', Holly challenged
The Big Show for the
WWF Championship, but was defeated. In early 2000, Hardcore Holly pursued the Intercontinental Championship, losing a match against
Chyna
Chyna (born Joan Marie Laurer; December 27, 1969 – April 17, 2016) was an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and television personality.
She first rose to prominence in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1997, where sh ...
due to interference from
Chris Jericho. He then lost a Triple Threat Match against Chyna and Jericho for the championship at the
Royal Rumble, which was won by Jericho. He lost two more subsequent matches to Jericho for the title, ending their
feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
.
After Crash Holly won the Hardcore Championship on the February 24, 2000 episode of ''SmackDown!'', the cousins began feuding over the title. Holly won the Hardcore Championship in a "hardcore" 13-man
battle royal at
WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000 (sequentially known as WrestleMania 16) was the 16th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) List of WWE pay-per-view events, event produced by the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took p ...
. He lost the title back to Crash the following night on ''Raw''. He then sporadically challenged for both the Intercontinental and Hardcore championships the following months. Holly then missed several months of ring time due to a
legitimately broken arm, suffered in a match with
Kurt Angle on the June 29, 2000 edition of ''SmackDown!''.
After his return, later in 2000, another on-screen cousin,
Molly Holly
Nora Kristina Benshoof (''née'' Greenwald; born on September 7, 1977) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler signed to WWE as a producer, she is best known for her appearances with the said company from 2000 to 2005 under the ring na ...
was introduced.
Holly returned on the November 13, 2000 edition of ''Raw'', where Holly, Crash Holly and
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majority ...
defeated Edge, Christian, and Kurt Angle in a six-man tag match. At
Survivor Series, Holly faced
William Regal
Darren Kenneth Matthews (born 10 May 1968), better known by the ring name William Regal, is an English retired professional wrestler. He is known for his over 20 years spent in WWE, as both a performer and an on-screen authority, and for his ti ...
for the
WWF European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, multiple wrestlers held the European and WWF Intercontinental Championships within short ...
but lost by disqualification. Holly got a rematch at the title at
Armageddon but was defeated by Regal. At the
Royal Rumble, Holly competed in the 30-man Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by The Undertaker. In February, Holly won the Hardcore title three more times, but each time re-lost the title moments later under the "24/7 Hardcore rule." Holly competed in the
King of the Ring tournament but lost to Kurt Angle in the first round.
Feud with Brock Lesnar and neck injury (2002–2004)
![Bob Holly in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Bob_Holly_in_Kitchener%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada.jpg)
In early 2002, Howard worked as one of a collection of trainer/hosts for ''
Tough Enough II
''WWE Tough Enough'' was an American professional wrestling reality competition series that was produced by WWE, wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season ...
'', a
reality competition TV series produced by WWE and MTV where participants underwent professional wrestling training and competed for a contract with WWE.
In 2002, Holly turned
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
on ''SmackDown!'' and began a short feud with
Randy Orton
Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and actor who is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw brand but is currently out of action due to a back injury. H ...
.
He then had a minor feud with
Kurt Angle after eliminating him from a battle royal, turning him face again. On a September 12, 2002, edition of ''
WWE SmackDown'', Holly suffered a broken neck during a match against Brock Lesnar, when he was powerbombed neck first on the mat. He had a thirteen-month hiatus from wrestling after surgery.
While awaiting surgery, Holly made a guest appearance on ''
Tough Enough III''. The show caused some controversy when, during the course of a practice match, Howard stiffed a competitor,
Matt Cappotelli, leaving him bleeding. Cappotelli later said that there was no ill-feeling between the two because of the incident.
In October 2003, Holly began training at
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow and Matt Jones and Louisville mayor elect, Craig Greenberg.
O ...
, WWE's
developmental territory
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
, in preparation for his return to the main roster.
Holly returned at the
Survivor Series pay-per-view in November 2003 for revenge.
He challenged Lesnar to a match for the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown' ...
at the
Royal Rumble, but lost.
Various storylines (2004–2006)
During 2004 and early 2005, he formed short-lived tag teams with
Billy Gunn, and later
Charlie Haas in the hunt for the
WWE Tag Team Championship
WWE (formerly the WWF, the WWWF, and Capitol Wrestling) has maintained at least one primary tag team championship for its male performers since 1958 (except for a two year interim between 1967 and 1969). During periods of brand division, separate ...
, but was unsuccessful with both partners.
He also failed to claim the WWE Championship from
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Charles Layfield (born November 29, 1966), better known by the ring name John "Bradshaw" Layfield (abbreviated to JBL), is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and Gridiron football, football player. He is curre ...
(JBL) in a hardcore match on the October 14 episode of ''SmackDown!''.
![Holly-armbar-on-Kennedy,-RLA-Melb-10](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Holly-armbar-on-Kennedy%2C-RLA-Melb-10.11.2007.jpg)
In mid-2005, Holly went into singles competition trying to acquire the
United States Championship from
Orlando Jordan. After being defeated twice by Jordan, Holly finally managed to pick up a non-title win over Jordan via disqualification on ''
WWE Velocity
''WWE Velocity'' was an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and ran from May 25, 2002 to June 11, 2006. It replaced two syndicated WWE shows, ''Jakked'' and ''Metal''. Once ...
'', which aired on August 6, 2005.
Holly then entered a short feud with SmackDown! newcomer,
Mr. Kennedy
Kenneth Anderson (born March 6, 1976) is an American professional wrestler. Anderson is known for his tenure with WWE from 2005 to 2009 under the ring name Mr. Kennedy, and his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Mr. Anderson from 2010 to 2 ...
. This feud climaxed on October 9, 2005 at
No Mercy, where Kennedy defeated Holly after a
Green Bay Plunge.
Holly then underwent several surgeries to repair nagging injuries. He was hospitalized after a
staph infection developed in a right arm wound.
The infection was possibly career-threatening, as doctors were worried at one point that the arm may have to undergo amputation.
The subsequent treatments were a success, however.
ECW championship pursuit (2006–2007)
![Superplex (Professional wrestling aerial technique)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Superplex_%28Professional_wrestling_aerial_technique%29.jpg)
Holly made a surprise appearance at WWE's
ECW ECW may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* Extreme Championship Wrestling (originally Eastern Championship Wrestling), a professional wrestling promotion that operated from 1992 to 2001
* The Alliance (professional wrestling) (originally the WCW/E ...
house show event on August 21, 2006 in
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Allenschteddel'', ''Allenschtadt'', or ''Ellsdaun'') is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The city has a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 United ...
, defeating
Balls Mahoney. Holly made his ECW television debut the next night, August 22, appearing in a promo with
Paul Heyman, and later attacking
Rob Van Dam (RVD) and
Danny Doring during a match. Holly, now as a heel, soon joined with Heyman and his other associates to feud with RVD and others.
On September 26, 2006, Holly received 24 stitches from WWE Doctor Ferdinand Rios in his back after suffering a severe laceration during an
Extreme Rules match against Rob Van Dam when he landed on the metal railing of a table he was suplexing Van Dam out of the ring and through during an ECW show in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. Holly obtained the injury early in the match but continued to wrestle until the match's conclusion when he was pinned. After the match, as he was being helped out of the ring, he received a
standing ovation from fans. The legitimate incident caused fans to cheer Holly in the following weeks, leading him to become a
face character and a feud with Paul Heyman's other enforcer
Test
Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to:
* Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities
Arts and entertainment
* ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film
* ''Test'' (2014 film), ...
. His second to latest run as a face was short lived as he eventually turned on Rob Van Dam when they were partners in a tag match.
When
Sabu was found
kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe, as a noun, is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not staged. ...
unconscious in the locker room area before the
Extreme Elimination Chamber at
December to Dismember, Holly was chosen as his replacement.
Holly entered with Rob Van Dam as the first of two combatants. He was the second to be eliminated; he was eliminated by Test by a
running big boot.
Subsequently, he entered into a feud with
CM Punk
Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler, sports commentator, actor, and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Best known for ...
whereby Holly, now a
tweener, showed his endurance by surviving Punk's
Anaconda Vice submission hold. Holly then gave Punk his first loss in ECW; Punk had been undefeated for half a year. After Test replaced Holly in a match against
ECW World Champion
The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and later, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the original world title of the ECW ...
Bobby Lashley, Holly vowed he would become champion whether he faced Test or Lashley. Holly then was one of ECW superstars entered in the
Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by
The Great Khali
Dalip Singh Rana (born 27 August 1972) is an Indian professional wrestler and wrestling promoter better known by his ring name The Great Khali. He is best known for his tenure in WWE where he became the first Indian-born WWE World Heavywe ...
. Holly soon became the number one contender for Lashley's ECW World Championship and faced off against Lashley, albeit unsuccessfully.
On the April 3 episode of ''ECW'', Holly lost to
Snitsky
Eugene Alan Snisky (born January 14, 1970) is an American actor and retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Gene Snitsky, who is best known for his time spent with WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment. H ...
. After the match, Snitsky wedged Holly's arm between the steel steps and repeatedly hit the steps with a steel chair, resulting in a broken arm in the storyline. Holly had surgery on April 16 because of a
staph infection and missed around five months.
Alliance with Cody Rhodes and departure (2007–2009)
![Cody rhodes and hardcore holly](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Cody_rhodes_and_hardcore_holly.jpg)
Holly was drafted back to
SmackDown!
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
from ECW on June 17, 2007 as part of the
Supplemental Draft. Despite this, he returned to the ring as a member of the
Raw brand on September 24, 2007, defeating
Cody Rhodes, and starting a "respect" feud in which Holly defeated Rhodes on the two following episodes of ''Raw''. On the October 22 episode of ''Raw'', Holly became a fan favorite by saving Rhodes from the post-match assault of
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin (born July 9, 1975) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under his real name.
He is also known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Pro Wres ...
and Charlie Haas. On the October 29 episode of ''Raw'', Holly and Rhodes emerged victorious in a tag team match against Benjamin and Haas. They earned a shot at the World Tag Team Championship by defeating
Paul London and Brian Kendrick and
The Highlanders in a WWE.com exclusive match after an
Alabama Slam. Holly and Rhodes lost their title match, however, against
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch were an American professional wrestling tag team most famous for the time they spent performing for World Wrestling Entertainment's Raw brand. The team debuted on the September 5, 2005 episode of ''Raw'' and in their ...
at
Survivor Series.
On December 10, 2007, on the ''Raw''
15th Anniversary episode, Holly along with Rhodes defeated Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch for the
World Tag Team Championship.
The following week, Holly and Rhodes retained their title, in their first title defense, against Cade and Murdoch. They successfully defended their title against the teams of
Carlito and
Santino Marella and Paul London and Brian Kendrick. Holly participated in the 2008 Royal Rumble match and lasted thirteen minutes, but was eliminated by Umaga. On June 29 at
Night of Champions
Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends o ...
, Rhodes
turned on Holly by defeating him with
Ted DiBiase in a handicap match to crown the new team as champions. This turned out to be his final WWE pay-per-view appearance. After Night of Champions, Holly took time off from WWE television for 7 months. After 7 month hiatus, WWE announced that Holly was released from his WWE contract on January 16, 2009, and ending his 15-year tenure with the company.
Independent circuit (2009–2016)
In May 2009, Holly traveled to England and wrestled for
Varsity Pro Wrestling
Varsity may refer to:
*University, an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in various academic disciplines
Places
*Varsity, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
* Varsity Lakes ...
. On May 26, Holly defeated
The UK Kid
Thomas Jones is a British professional wrestler and promoter better known by his ring name The UK Kid. As well as founding his own promotion Varsity Pro Wrestling, Jones has competed in various other professional wrestling promotions in the Uni ...
in a
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match during which he sustained a rib injury.
Throughout mid-2009, Holly wrestled for National Wrestling Superstars, competing against wrestlers including Danny Demento,
Salvatore Sincere
Thomas Brandi (born July 9, 1966) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation from 1996 to 1998 under the ring name Salvatore Sincere. Brandi is also known for his appearances with t ...
, and
D. J. Hyde
David John Markland (born March 1, 1978) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known as D. J. Hyde.
Professional wrestling
D. J. Hyde is the owner of Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). Hyde purchased the promotion from its original ...
.
Holly then took a break from wrestling from 2010 until 2013.
On March 19, 2013, Holly, now bald and sporting a new tattoo, made a one night appearance for
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
(TNA) as he took part in a six-man tag team match and teamed with
James Storm
James Allen Cox (born June 1, 1977) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name James Storm. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling.
He started his career in 1997 and after working on several independent pr ...
and
Magnus to defeat
Aces & Eights
Aces & Eights are an American Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable, stable in the Professional wrestling promotion, promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), initially consisting of a group of Wrestling mask, masked wrestlers bef ...
(
D.O.C.,
Wes Brisco
Wesley Brisco (born February 21, 1983) is an United States, American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler known for his time in impact Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former member of Aces & Eights. He is a member of the Brisco wrestling ...
, and
Knux) at the
TNA One Night Only event
Hardcore Justice 2, which was aired on July 5, this was Holly's only match for TNA. Later that year he would wrestle for Southside Wrestling Entertainment and
Preston City Wrestling in the U.K. and for
Melbourne City Wrestling in Australia.
On May 7, 2016, Holly wrestled in the Netherlands for Pro Wrestling Showdown. Holly would also spend time in the UK, competing for PCW, Kamikaze Pro, Southside. Holly would also challenge
Eddie Ryan
Vincent Rubio (born 5 November 1985), better known by the ring name Eddie Ryan, is a British professional wrestler currently active in the United Kingdom. Rubio, originally from Plymouth, England, started his in ring career in 2008 at the 4 Fr ...
for the
Pro Wrestling Pride
''Pro Wrestling Pride'' (Sometimes referred to as ''Pride Promotions'', or simply PWP) was a pro wrestling company based in the South West of England, established in 2012 by professional wrestler Darren 'Saviour' Ferguson. Since its inception in 20 ...
Heavyweight Championship, and
Joseph Conners
Joseph Conners (born 28 May 1987) is an English professional wrestler. Conners competed in many British wrestling promotions, most notably New Generation Wrestling (NGW) and What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW), where he was a one-time WCPW Champ ...
for the
IPW:UK World Heavyweight Championship; however he would win neither championship.
Auto racing career
In 1992, Howard began
auto racing
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organise ...
in
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
at the
Mobile International Speedway
Mobile International Speedway is a 1/2-mile paved oval track along U.S. Highway 90 in Irvington, Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It was built by Walter "Skip" Wetjen, and opened in 1965.
History
During the golden age of stock car racin ...
. Driving a 1974
Chevrolet Malibu, Howard placed fifth in the 1992 season and won the 1993 season.
In 1995, Howard began driving a
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
-sponsored
super late model in the
All Pro Series in an attempt at cross promotion. After the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) withdrew its sponsorship, WWF chairman
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the w ...
gifted the equipment to Howard.
Personal life
Howard has a daughter named Stephanine from his first marriage.
Howard has been married to Linda Kievet since 2010.
Howard's autobiography, titled ''The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story'' was released in the United States on April 1, 2013. Co-authored by former British wrestler Ross Owen Williams, an actor and writer who wrestled Holly in June 2010, it was published by ECW Press.
Championships and accomplishments
*Kamikaze Pro
**Kamikaze Pro Championship (1 time)
*''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated''
**PWI ranked him #41 of the top 500 best singles wrestlers in the
PWI 500 in 2000
**PWI ranked him #391 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
*Under the Lights
**UTL Lights Out Championship (1 time)
*
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment
**
NWA World Tag Team Championship (
1 time) – with
Bodacious Bart
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1999 under the ring names Bart Gu ...
**
WWF Hardcore Championship (
6 times)
**
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (
3 times) – with
The 1–2–3 Kid (1),
Crash Holly (1) and
Cody Rhodes (1)
**
WWF World Tag Team Championship Tournament (1995) – with The 1-2-3 Kid
*World Wrestling Organization
**WWO Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ron Starr
**WWO United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Bibliography
*''The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story'' (2013) (with Ross Williams)
Filmography
References
External links
''The Hardcore Truth'' at Google Books*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holly, Hardcore
1963 births
American male film actors
American male professional wrestlers
American racing drivers
Living people
Professional wrestlers from California
Professional wrestling trainers
Racing drivers from California
Sportspeople from Glendale, California
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers
NWA World Tag Team Champions