Robert William Howard (born January 29, 1963) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...
. He is best known for his tenure in
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
, where he performed under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname 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 ...
Hardcore Holly.
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 Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
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. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
driver, Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, his name was soon changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly. In 1998, under the name of Bombastic Bob, he formed a team with
Bart Gunn
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and 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 Gunn and ...
known as
The Midnight Express. Towards the end of that same year, Howard reverted to the Bob Holly name as he joined the stable titled
The J.O.B. Squad.
After the disintegration of The J.O.B. Squad in early 1999, Howard won his first
singles title in WWE and shortly after he became known simply as Hardcore Holly, developing a stern and punishing persona in the process. After taking up the Hardcore Holly gimmick, he was joined by
on-screen cousins Crash in 1999 and
Molly in 2000. In 2002, Hardcore Holly suffered a broken neck during a match with
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...
, 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, also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a men's professional wrestling world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, defended on the SmackDown bran ...
and minor feuds with other wrestlers, such as
Mr. Kennedy
Kenneth Anthony Anderson (born March 6, 1976) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is known for his tenure in WWE from 2005 to 2009 under the ring name Mr. Kennedy, and his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, T ...
and
Rob Van Dam
Robert Szatkowski (born December 18, 1970) better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (frequently abbreviated to RVD) is an American professional wrestler. Known for his unique ring style—which includes his variety of kicks, acrobatic movemen ...
. He later formed a tag team combination with
Cody Rhodes
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes (born June 30, 1985) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. As of April 2022, he is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. He is also known for co-fou ...
in 2007. Holly was released from WWE in 2009, wrestling only intermittently on the independent circuit afterwards. In 2013, he published his autobiography, ''The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story''.
Championships held by Holly over the course of his career include the
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship,
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...
, and
WWF Hardcore Championship.
Early life
Robert William Howard was born on January 29, 1963 in
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles.
As of 2024, Glendale ha ...
, 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 in and the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States. It is a coastal city located northwest of Los Angeles. The population was 110,763 at the ...
and then to
Grants Pass, Oregon
Grants Pass is a city in and the county seat of Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on Interstate 5 in Oregon, Interstate 5, northwest of Medford, Oregon, Medford, along the Rogue River (Oregon), Rogue River. The populatio ...
, where Howard attended
Grants Pass High School. 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 was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
with the mother of his daughter, Stephanie. Howard spent several years working as a mechanic for
Meineke (supplementing his income by
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
in bars) before joining Taylor Wharton as a pipe cutter, where he trained as a
welder
A welder is a person or equipment that fuses materials together. The term welder refers to the operator, the machine is referred to as the welding power supply. The materials to be joined can be metals (such as steel, aluminum, brass, stainles ...
. Howard later moved to Cowin Equipment, where he worked as a mechanic and welder.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1988–1990)
Holly trained under
Bob Sweetan
Robert Carson (born Robert Beier; July 4, 1940 – February 10, 2017), better known by his ring name Bob Sweetan, was a Canadian professional wrestler. Sweetan was nicknamed "Bruiser" and "Mr. Piledriver", the latter in reference to his finishing ...
, Marcelle Pringle, and Rip Tyler, and debuted in 1988 in the
Mobile area in the World Organization Of Wrestling
promotion
Promotion may refer to:
Marketing
* Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...
where he held titles on and off, including the WOW Tag Team Championship with
Ron Starr when they defeated the
Rock 'n' Roll Express
The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson (wrestler), Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Universal Wrest ...
.
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
World Championship Wrestling (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 National W ...
under the name "Bob Holly", being utilized primarily as a jobber. His first match came on July 30 in Gainesville, Georgia, when he was defeated via submission by
WCW 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 wrestling, professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and gridiron football player. He is best known for his work with Jim Crocke ...
. Holly then wrestled in a six-man match in Marietta, Georgia on August 6, teaming with Tim "Powerhouse" Parker and Brad Bratton against
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Flair's career spanned 50 years.
He is ...
,
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde (born September 20, 1958), better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Agent, road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. Although he ...
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 the World Wrestling Federation (W ...
. On August 13 Holly faced Flair in a singles match that aired on ''
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling (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 National W ...
'', 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 in a match that aired February 9, 1991.
Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1991–1992)
Holly joined
Jim Cornette
James Mark Cornette (born September 17, 1961) is an American author, sports historian, and podcaster who previously worked in the professional wrestling industry as an agent, booker, color commentator, manager, photographer, promoter, tra ...
'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. Afterward, he worked for
Buck Robley
Philip Thompson Robley (January 19, 1945 – May 28, 2013) was an American professional wrestler who worked as Col. Buck Robley mainly in the Mid-South/NWA Tri-State during the 1970s and early 1980s. He also worked in St. Louis, Florida, Kans ...
and The NWF out of Louisiana. He teamed with Robert Gibson there as the Rock N Roll Express. In 1993, Holly did not wrestle at all that year and took a hiatus.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1994–2009)
Spark Plug (1994–1997)

In 1991, Holly made his initial appearance in the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
(WWF). Again, he was portrayed as a jobber using the name "Bob Holly". His sole match was teaming with Mike Sample in a loss to
The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team who competed first as the New Zealand Kiwis and then as The Sheepherders during their 36-year career as a tag team. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett Promotions ...
on the March 30 edition of ''
WWF Superstars
is a List of wrestling video games, wrestling video game manufactured by Technōs Japan and released for arcade game, arcades in 1989. It is the first WWE, WWF arcade game to be released. A series of unrelated games with the WWF Superstars (Gam ...
'' (match was taped on March 11 in
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
).
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 out ...
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. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
driver turned wrestler called Thurman "Sparky" Plugg,
by late summer 1994, Holly changed his name to Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, according to Holly, he went to
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( ; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest ...
and asked him to change his name because he didn't like the "Thurman" name and that his friends and family were teasing him over the name but wanted to keep the NASCAR gimmick and McMahon agreed.
He competed in the
1994 Royal Rumble match, lasting over 21 minutes.
Bob Holly alongside
1-2-3 Kid took part at WWF World Tag Team Championship Tournament (1995). After defeating
Well Dunn
Well Dunn, also known as the Southern Rockers, was a professional wrestling tag team who competed in several promotions in the United States. The team was composed of Rex King and Steve Doll, and the team name "Well Dunn" was a play on the term ...
and
Heavenly Bodies, they reached to the finals which was held at Royal Rumble. At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
in January 1995, Holly and the
1–2–3 Kid
Sean Michael Waltman (born July 13, 1972) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE under a legends contract. He is best known for his appearances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) under the ring names 1– ...
defeated
Bam Bam Bigelow
Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close-to-400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned mo ...
and
Tatanka to crown new
WWF Tag Team Champions.
Their title reign lasted only one day, however, as the next day, on ''
WWF Monday Night Raw'', Holly and the Kid lost the tag team title to
The Smoking Gunns
The Smoking Gunns were a professional wrestling tag team of kayfabe brothers Billy Gunn (Monty Sopp) and Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek). They portrayed cowboys in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1996, where they held the WWF T ...
.
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 Entertainme ...
'', Holly pinned
WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett (born July 14, 1967) is an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he both wrestles and serves as Director of Business Development. He is also ...
in a title match, but as Jarrett had his foot on the ropes the title was vacated.
Later on in the show, Jarrett defeated Holly in a rematch for the vacant title after
pinning Holly with a
roll-up. Holly's title win is no longer 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
Paul Michael Levesque (; born July 27, 1969), also known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive and former professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as its chief content officer.
Levesque began his wres ...
, losing to him at ''
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by the world's largest professional wrestling promotion, WWE. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's second biggest event of the year behind th ...
''.
At ''
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
'', Holly was a part of the Underdogs team along with
Marty Jannetty
Fredrick Martin Jannetty (born February 3, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler who has worked for promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Champion ...
,
Hakushi, and
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1959) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, best known for his time in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Early life
Horowitz attended Florida State University, where he studied spo ...
. 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 aiding ...
,
Doctor of Desire Tom Prichard,
Rad Radford, and the 1–2–3 Kid.
Despite lasting nearly 40 minutes in the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
, Holly made very few television appearances in the WWF throughout 1996 and 1997.
In 1997 he scored two victories over
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian-American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (W ...
on May 19 episode of Raw by pinfall and
Brian Pillman
Brian William Pillman (May 22, 1962 – October 5, 1997) was an American professional wrestler and professional football player best known for his appearances in Stampede Wrestling in the 1980s and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme ...
on August 4 episode of Raw by countout. Afterwards, Holly was inactive during the rest of 1997 and temporarily went back to welding.
The Midnight Express and J.O.B. Squad (1998–1999)
In February 1998, he returned after six month hiatus with a newly blonde hair and
Bart Gunn
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and 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 Gunn and ...
joined forces with
Jim Cornette
James Mark Cornette (born September 17, 1961) is an American author, sports historian, and podcaster who previously worked in the professional wrestling industry as an agent, booker, color commentator, manager, photographer, promoter, tra ...
as part of Jeff Jarrett's
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
stable
A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed.
Styles
There are many different types of stables in use tod ...
.
Holly, renamed "Bombastic Bob", and Gunn, renamed "Bodacious Bart" were known collectively as
The Midnight Express.
The Midnight Express defeated
The Headbangers
The Headbangers are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh (Charles Warrington) and Thrasher (Glenn Ruth). They are currently signed to WWE as ambassadors.
As the name of the team implies, their gimmick is that they are a pair of ...
for the
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...
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
The New Age Outlaws are an American professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation (WWF) made up of Brian James ("Road Dogg" Jesse James) and Monty Sopp ("Badd Ass" Billy Gunn). The duo became popular in the late 1990s as membe ...
for the
WWF Tag Team Championship WWF may refer to:
Computing and games
*WWF (file format), a campaign for unprintable PDF documents
*Windows Workflow Foundation, a software component of the .NET Framework
*''Words with Friends'', a mobile computer game franchise
Non-profit orga ...
at the
King of the Ring
King and Queen of the Ring, formerly and still commonly known as simply King of the Ring, was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The event was established in 1993 and originally c ...
pay-per-view, but were unsuccessful.
In mid-1998, Holly competed in the
WWF Brawl for All, a 16-man
shootfighting
Shootfighting is a martial art and combat sport, with competitions governed by the International Shootfighting Association (ISFA). It incorporates techniques from a multitude of traditional martial arts, the most principal of these being wrestlin ...
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.
They disbanded in July and Holly went on his own working in lower card matches on ''
Shotgun Saturday Night''.
In November 1998,
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Al Snow. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/ World Wrestling Entertainm ...
, Holly, and
Scorpio united and formed
The J.O.B. Squad (later members of the stable also included
Gillberg and
The Blue Meanie). During that same month on an edition of ''
Raw'', they helped
Mankind defeat
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock ( né Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract, under the ring name Ken Shamrock. He is best known ...
and
The Big Boss Man in a triple threat match, as Mankind (though not a member of the stable) became a close associate. At 1998's
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
pay-per-view, Holly and Scorpio defeated
The Legion of Doom (
Animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...
and
Droz) in a warmup match. Two months later at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
pay-per-view, Holly and Scorpio notably defeated
Too Much in one of the warmup matches.
In February 1999, the members gradually drifted apart: Scorpio was released by the WWF, 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 signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Dustin Rhodes, with a nickname of "The Natural" and is a member of The Sons of ...
; thus, 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. The two fought and it led to the formal breakup of the J.O.B. Squad. Later that month at
St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House, 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
Monty Kip Sopp (born November 1, 1963), better known by his ring name Billy Gunn, is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to the WWE under a Legends contract and All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he also perfo ...
on the March 15, 1999 edition of ''Raw'', but regained the title two weeks later at
WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV was a 1999 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the 15th annual WrestleMania and took place on March 28, 1999, at the First Union Center in Philadelp ...
, in a
triple threat hardcore match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a storyline. ...
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), a comic book character from ...
, 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) under his real name of Paul Wight. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) f ...
and
Kane. On the August 16, 1999 edition of ''Raw'', Holly introduced his
on-screen "cousin"
Crash Holly
Michael John Lockwood (August 25, 1971 – November 6, 2003) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) f ...
.
They unsuccessfully challenged for the
WWF Tag Team Championship WWF may refer to:
Computing and games
*WWF (file format), a campaign for unprintable PDF documents
*Windows Workflow Foundation, a software component of the .NET Framework
*''Words with Friends'', a mobile computer game franchise
Non-profit orga ...
at
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by the world's largest professional wrestling promotion, WWE. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's second biggest event of the year behind th ...
. Although simultaneously arguing over who was the better Holly, they won the
WWF Tag Team Championship WWF may refer to:
Computing and games
*WWF (file format), a campaign for unprintable PDF documents
*Windows Workflow Foundation, a software component of the .NET Framework
*''Words with Friends'', a mobile computer game franchise
Non-profit orga ...
on the October 18, 1999 edition of ''Raw'',
by defeating the
Rock 'n' Sock Connection, after
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (; born July 27, 1969), also known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive and former professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as its chief content officer.
Levesque began his wres ...
interfered.
They lost the titles two weeks later to
Mankind and
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Al Snow. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/ World Wrestling Entertainm ...
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. It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on USA Network in the United ...
'' The Holly Cousins and
Too Cool defeated
Edge, Christian and
The Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers Jeff Hardy, Jeff and Matt Hardy. They are both signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where they are former three time TNA Tag Team Championship, TNA ...
in a traditional four-on-four elimination match at
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
, where Holly was the lone survivor.
On the November 18, 1999 edition of ''SmackDown!'', Holly challenged
The Big Show for the
WWF Championship
The WWE Championship, also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a men's professional wrestling World championship (professional wrestling), world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American profe ...
, 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), also known as Joanie Laurer, was an American professional wrestler, fitness model, bodybuilder, actress, adult actress, and television personality.
Chyna first rose to pr ...
due to interference from
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, rock musician, and actor. As a wrestler, he has been signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) , where he ...
. He then lost a Triple Threat Match against Chyna and Jericho for the championship at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
, which was won by Jericho. He lost two more subsequent matches to Jericho for the title, ending their
feud
A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...
.
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
Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
at
WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000, also known as WrestleMania 16, was a 2000 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the 16th annual WrestleMania and took place on April 2, 2000, at th ...
. 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
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He first earned recognition for winning a Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, gold me ...
on the June 29, 2000 edition of ''SmackDown!''.
After his return, later in 2000, another on-screen cousin,
Molly Holly
Nora Kristina Greenwald (born September 7, 1977) is an American retired professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, under the ring name Molly Holly, as a producer. She is also known for her tenure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Miss Ma ...
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 his ring name the Undertaker, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway ...
defeated Edge, Christian, and Kurt Angle in a six-man tag match. At
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
, 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 signed to WWE, where he serves as the vice-president of Global Talent Development. He is also known for ...
for the
WWF European Championship but lost by disqualification. Holly got a rematch at the title at
Armageddon
Armageddon ( ; ; ; from ) is the prophesied gathering of armies for a battle during the end times, according to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Armageddon is variously interpreted as either a literal or a ...
but was defeated by Regal. At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
, 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
King and Queen of the Ring, formerly and still commonly known as simply King of the Ring, was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The event was established in 1993 and originally c ...
tournament but lost to Kurt Angle in the first round. Then Holly continued teaming with Crash until December 2001.
Various storylines (2002–2006)
In early 2002, Howard worked as one of a collection of trainer/hosts for ''
Tough Enough II'', 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 leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
on ''SmackDown!'' and began a short feud with
Randy Orton
Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He has been signed to WWE since 2000, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. Orton is widely regarded as one of t ...
.
He then had a minor feud with
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He first earned recognition for winning a Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, gold me ...
after eliminating him from a battle royal, turning him face again. On the September 12, 2002, edition of ''
SmackDown!
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on USA Network in the United ...
'', Holly suffered a broken neck during a match against
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...
, 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
Matthew Lee Cappotelli (November 12, 1979 – June 29, 2018) was an American professional wrestler. After co-winning '' Tough Enough III'' with John Hennigan, he worked in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), the primary developmental territory for WWE. ...
, 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, professional wrestling promotion and former developmental territory based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow, Matt Jones (radio host), Ma ...
, WWE's
developmental territory
Development of the human body is the process of growth to maturity. The process begins with fertilization, where an egg released from the ovary of a female is penetrated by a sperm cell from a male. The resulting zygote develops through mitos ...
, in preparation for his return to the main roster.
Holly returned at the
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
pay-per-view on November 16 for revenge against Lesnar for his neck injury.
He challenged Lesnar to a match for the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship, also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a men's professional wrestling world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, defended on the SmackDown bran ...
at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
on January 25, 2004, but lost.
During 2004 and early 2005, he formed short-lived tag teams with
Billy Gunn
Monty Kip Sopp (born November 1, 1963), better known by his ring name Billy Gunn, is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to the WWE under a Legends contract and All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he also perfo ...
, and later
Charlie Haas
Charles Doyle Haas II (born March 27, 1972) is an American Professional wrestling, professional and former Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from 2000 to 2009 and Ring of H ...
in the hunt for the
WWE Tag Team Championship
The WWE Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE, defended on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE ...
, but was unsuccessful with both partners.
He also failed to claim the WWE Championship from
John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) in a hardcore match on the October 14 episode of ''SmackDown!''.
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'' is 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 Anthony Anderson (born March 6, 1976) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is known for his tenure in WWE from 2005 to 2009 under the ring name Mr. Kennedy, and his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, T ...
. 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
A staphylococcal infection or staph infection is an infection caused by members of the ''Staphylococcus'' genus of bacteria.
These bacteria commonly inhabit the skin and nose where they are innocuous, but may enter the body through cuts or abrasi ...
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 pursuits (2006–2007)
Holly made a surprise appearance at WWE's
ECW house show event on August 21, 2006, in
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Allenschteddel'', ''Allenschtadt'', or ''Ellsdaun'') is a city in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. The county seat of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, it is the List o ...
, defeating
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner (April 11, 1972 – April 12, 2016), better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and WWE, W ...
. Holly made his ECW television debut the next night, August 22, appearing in a promo with
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman (born September 11, 1965) is an American professional wrestling manager, former executive, promoter, and commentator. He is signed to WWE as the on-screen manager of Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed, and is widely regard ...
, and later attacking
Rob Van Dam
Robert Szatkowski (born December 18, 1970) better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (frequently abbreviated to RVD) is an American professional wrestler. Known for his unique ring style—which includes his variety of kicks, acrobatic movemen ...
and
Danny Doring
Daniel Morrison (born February 19, 1974) is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Danny Doring. He is best known for his appearances with the professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championsh ...
during a match. Holly, now as a heel, soon joined with Heyman and his other associates to feud with Van Dam 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 List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...
. 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
A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding, often after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim.
Standing ovations are considered to be a special honor. Often they are ...
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 (pronounced ) is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants. The term has evolved to become a code word ...
unconscious in the locker room area before the
Extreme Elimination Chamber at
December to Dismember on December 3, 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 his ring name CM Punk, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw brand. Regarded as ...
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 Bobby Lashley
Franklin Roberto Lashley (born July 16, 1976) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Hurt Syndicate and is one-half of the AEW World Tag Team C ...
, Holly vowed he would become champion whether he faced Test or Lashley. Holly then was one of the ECW superstars entered in the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
on January 28, 2007, but was eliminated by
The Great Khali
Dalip Singh Rana (born 27 August 1972), better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian-born American former Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, promoter, and actor. He is best known for his tenure with WWE, where he be ...
. 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. 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
A staphylococcal infection or staph infection is an infection caused by members of the ''Staphylococcus'' genus of bacteria.
These bacteria commonly inhabit the skin and nose where they are innocuous, but may enter the body through cuts or abrasi ...
and missed around five months.
Teaming with Cody Rhodes and departure (2007–2009)

Hardcore 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. It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on USA Network in the United ...
from ECW on June 17, 2007, as part of the
Supplemental Draft. Despite his draft, Holly would return to in-ring action on the
Raw brand by September 24, 2007, defeating the rookie Cody Rhodes. This match initiated a brief "respect" feud between the two, with Holly defeating Rhodes on the next two episodes of ''Raw''. On the October 22 episode of ''Raw,'' Holly turned into a fan favorite when he saved Rhodes from a post-match assault by
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin (born July 9, 1975) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. , he is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Hurt Syndicate and is one-half of the AEW World Tag Team Champ ...
and
Charlie Haas
Charles Doyle Haas II (born March 27, 1972) is an American Professional wrestling, professional and former Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from 2000 to 2009 and Ring of H ...
. Holly and Rhodes subsequently teamed up and emerged victorious in a tag team match against Benjamin and Haas the following week. Their teamwork led to a title opportunity when they defeated
Paul London and Brian Kendrick and
The Highlanders in a WWE.com exclusive match, courtesy of Holly's
Alabama Slam. Holly and Rhodes, however, were unsuccessful in their challenge for the World Tag Team Championship at
Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
on November 18 against the reigning champions
Lance Cade
Lance Kurtis McNaught (March 2, 1981 – August 13, 2010) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade.
After be ...
and
Trevor Murdoch.
Despite this setback, on the December 10, 2007, episode of ''Raw'' during the brand’s
15th Anniversary show, Holly and Rhodes captured the
World Tag Team Championship
In professional wrestling, a championship or title is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in predetermined rival ...
from Cade and Murdoch. The pair successfully defended their titles on multiple occasions, including matches against teams like
Carlito and
Santino Marella
Anthony Carelli (born March 14, 1974), better known by the ring name Santino Marella, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he works as the on-screen director of authority. He is best kn ...
, and Paul London and Brian Kendrick.
At the
Night of Champions
WWE Night of Champions is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming supercards, event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The inaugural event took pl ...
event on June 29, 2008, Rhodes
turned on Holly, teaming with
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (; born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, and color commentator. He is signed to WWE as of 2024, where he works in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship succ ...
to defeat Holly and claim the World Tag Team Championship. This marked Holly’s final WWE pay-per-view appearance. Following this, Holly took an extended hiatus from WWE television for seven months. He was released from his contract January 16, 2009, after 15 years with the company, ending his lengthy tenure with WWE.
In the months preceding his release, Holly faced personal struggles, including a suspension due to a pain pill addiction. The incident that led to this suspension involved Holly being caught stealing painkillers from another wrestler’s bag, which resulted in his immediate placement in rehab.
Independent circuit (2009–2019)
In May 2009, Holly traveled to England and wrestled for
Varsity Pro Wrestling. On May 26, Holly defeated
The UK Kid in a
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
A tables, ladders, and chairs match, often abbreviated as TLC, is a type of professional wrestling match that originated within the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE).
The TLC match is a variation of a ladder match, which is modified to c ...
during which he sustained a rib injury.
Throughout mid-2009, Holly wrestled for National Wrestling Superstars, competing against wrestlers including Danny Demento,
Salvatore Sincere, and
D. J. Hyde.
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
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...
(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 currently competes on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
He sta ...
and
Magnus
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
to defeat
Aces & Eights
Aces & Eights were a Heel (professional wrestling), villainous Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable, stable in the American Professional wrestling promotion, promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, later Impact Wrestling), initi ...
(
D.O.C.,
Wes Brisco
Wesley Brisco (born February 21, 1983) is an American 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 family; the son of former Championshi ...
, and
Knux) at the
TNA One Night Only
''One Night Only'' was a series of professional wrestling events held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) launched in April 2013. The concept was announced on January 11, 2013 by then-Total Nonstop Action (TNA) President Dixie Carter (wrestlin ...
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
Melbourne City Wrestling is an Australian independent professional wrestling promotion founded in 2010, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Melbourne City Wrestling currently has two major venues that they use. MCW hosts monthly events at the ...
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 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 Champi ...
for the
IPW:UK World Heavyweight Championship; however he would win neither championship.
Holly participated in a triple threat match against
Cody Hall and
Luke Hawx for the British
WAW promotion on June 2, 2019. Although Holly did not announce a retirement afterwards, the match is his last known to date.
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. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...
in
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
at the
Mobile International Speedway. Driving a 1974
Chevrolet Malibu
The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet from 1964 to 1983 and from 1997 to 2025. The Malibu began as a trim-level of the Chevrolet Chevelle, becoming its own model line in 1978. Originally a rear-w ...
, Howard placed fifth in the 1992 season and won the 1993 season.
In 1995, Howard began driving a
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
-sponsored
super late model
Late Model stock car racing, also known as late model racing and late models, refers to a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other primarily on oval tracks. This type of racing was early-on ...
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 businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest ...
gifted the equipment to Howard.
Other media
Filmography
Bibliography
*''The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story'' (2013) (with Ross Williams)
Personal life
Howard has a daughter named Stephanie from his first marriage. In 2009, Howard moved to
Dubuque
Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...
as he reconnected with his high school girlfriend, Linda Kievet. Howard has been married to 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
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
''
**PWI ranked him #41 of the top 500 best singles wrestlers in the
PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
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
The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...
(
1 time) – with
Bodacious Bart
**
WWF Hardcore Championship (
6 times)
**
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (
3 times) – with
The 1–2–3 Kid (1),
Crash Holly
Michael John Lockwood (August 25, 1971 – November 6, 2003) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) f ...
(1), and
Cody Rhodes
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes (born June 30, 1985) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. As of April 2022, he is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. He is also known for co-fou ...
(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)
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holly, Hardcore
1963 births
American male film actors
American male professional wrestlers
Living people
Professional wrestlers from California
American professional wrestling trainers
Racing drivers from California
Sportspeople from Glendale, California
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
20th-century male professional wrestlers
20th-century American professional wrestlers
21st-century male professional wrestlers
21st-century American professional wrestlers
NWA World Tag Team Champions
1987 professional wrestling debuts
World Tag Team Champions (WWE, 1971–2010)