Hardcore Holly

Robert William Howard (born January 29, 1963) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name 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 names Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, Bob "Spark Plug" Holly, and Bombastic Bob.

After debuting in 1987, Holly worked for World Organization of Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and other independent promotions, before joining WWE full-time in 1994.

Initially portraying the character of a NASCAR driver, Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, his name was soon changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly.

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.

In 1990 Holly began making television appearances in World Championship Wrestling 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 United States Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger.

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, Arn Anderson and Barry Windham.

On August 13 Holly faced Flair in a singles match that aired on World Championship Wrestling, 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.

Two months later Holly made his initial appearance in the World Wrestling Federation (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 on the March 30 edition of WWF Superstars (match was taped on March 11 in Pensacola, Florida).

Holly joined Jim Cornette's new Smoky Mountain Wrestling 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 & 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.

Holly returned to the WWF on January 11, 1994.

His initial gimmick was that of a NASCAR driver turned wrestler called Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, which was quietly changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly by the fall of 1994.

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 and Heavenly Bodies, they reached to the finals which was held at Royal Rumble.

At the Royal Rumble in January 1995, Holly and the 1–2–3 Kid defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka to crown new WWF Tag Team Champions.

In 1998, under the name of Bombastic Bob, he formed a team with Bart Gunn 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, which sidelined him for over a year.

Upon his return, he engaged in a major feud with Lesnar for the WWE Championship and minor feuds with other wrestlers, such as Mr. Kennedy and Rob Van Dam.

He later formed a tag team combination with Cody Rhodes in 2007.

Holly was released from WWE in 2009, wrestling only intermittently on the independent circuit afterwards.

He published his autobiography, The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story, in 2013.

Championships 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.

Howard was born in Glendale, California, where he and his older brother were raised by his mother.

After his mother remarried, the family relocated to Ventura, California and then to Grants Pass, Oregon, where Howard attended Grants Pass High School.

After graduating, Howard worked in a beer warehouse before moving to Mobile, Alabama with the mother of his daughter, Stephanie.

Howard spent several years working as a mechanic for Meineke (supplementing his income by boxing in bars) before joining Taylor Wharton as a pipe cutter, where he trained as a welder.

Howard later moved to Cowin Equipment, where he worked as a mechanic and welder.