Hardcore Holly |
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 Hardcore Holly
World Wrestling Entertainment
Bob "Hardcore" Holly has been a WWE wrestler for over 10 years and is currently one of the longest tenured wrestlers on the WWE roster.
Holly's original gimmick was that of a race car driver, under the stage name Thurman "Sparky" Plug and later "Spark Plug" Bob Holly.
In April of 1995 in a Wrestling Challenge, Bob Holly defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the Intercontinental Title. However, Jarrett's foot was on the rope during the 3 count and the IC title was declared vacant. Jeff Jarrett defeated Bob Holly in a rematch to recapture the Intercontinental championship.
Several years after his failed attempt to capture the Intercontinental title, Holly entered the race for the WWE's new Hardcore title. Under the new nickname "Hardcore Holly", he became a force in the newly established Hardcore division of WWE. As part of his new gimmick, he formed an alliance/rivalry with The Big Show, a real Super Heavyweight embarrassed by Holly's delusions of grandeur. He was then teamed up with on his on-screen cousin, the late Crash Holly (Mike Lockwood) and at one point the Holly cousins even managed to capture the World Tag Team Championships. In 2000, another on-screen "cousin" Molly Holly was introduced.
Holly's career was almost ended in mid-2002 after he suffered a broken neck during a match against Brock Lesnar. Lesnar had powerbombed Holly neck-first right onto the mat. He had a 13 month hiatus from wrestling after surgery.
In recent months he has been gaining a reputation as a bully among the superstars after his brutal treatment of Tough Enough III contestant Matt Cappotelli, and his vindictive attack on the face of Rene Dupree during a match as punishment for a traffic incident. Some believe Bob to be a real life "enforcer" used by Vince McMahon to punish or prevent negative attitude by young Superstars. Many smarks believed that Bob Holly needed to be released from the WWE due to his actions, though others have defended his actions as typical means of conflict resolution within the wrestling industry, which is not unionised and poorly regulated, and therefore lacks conventional mechanisms for addressing grievances.
He formed a short-lived tag-team with Charlie Haas in the hunt for the WWE Tag-Team Championship gold until Haas was released by WWE on the 5th July 2005.
In July 2005, Holly opened the Bob Holly Academy, a professional wrestling school in Mobile, Alabama.
Hardcore Holly next went into singles compition trying to aquire the United States Championship from champion Orlando Jordan, after being defeated twice by Jordan (through cheating tactics), Holly finially managed to pick up a win (but not the title) over Jordan via DQ on WWE Velocity which aired on August 6, 2005
Personal life
Howard was rumored to have once been married to WWE Diva Cathy "Barbara Bush" Dingman, but no facts have ever been found to back up that story.
Howard is married to Sandra now and they reside together in Mobile, Alabama.
Profile
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
- Weight: 242lbs (109.8 kg)
- Birthday: January 29, 1963
- Hometown: Talladega, Alabama
- Trained by: Rip Tyler
- Professional Debut: 1990
- Previous Identities: Sparky Plugg, Bodacious Bob, "Hollywood" Bob Holly
- Manager(s): Jim Cornette
- Quotes: "Nut up or shut up!", "How do you like me now?"
- Films: Operation Sandman (2000) as Sturner
Finishing and signature moves
- Alabama Slam
- Signature Standing Dropkick
- Top-Rope Flying Clothesline
- Hollycaust (Falcon Arrow)
- Full Nelson Neckbreaker
- Top-Rope Diving Leg Drop
- Rope-Hanged Midsection Kick
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