YouShoot: Bob Holly

Written by: Brian Bayless

This was released in 2010

The interview was conducted by Sean Oliver

It runs for one hour and fifty-four minutes long

SMW

Holly is asked if he has a background in racing cars. He said that he started in 1992 and is currently racing cars today. He claims one of the reasons he did not re-sign with the WWE is that he wanted to get back into as racing as he was sick of traveling and needed to give his body a rest.

He was trained by Bob Sweetan and Rip Tyler in Pensacola, FL. His favorite wrestler as a kid was Playboy Buddy Rose.

On Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Holly thought it was a good promotion with entertaining shows and solid talent. He likes Jim Cornette but decided to go back to his regular job as he made more money doing that and could race on the weekends. Holly also said Cornette was a great boss as he was easy to approach.

SPARKY PLUGG

Holly is asked how he got hired by the WWF. He said that JJ Dillon called. He then said that Vince came up with the Sparky Plugg gimmick because he was into racing and when Vince creates a gimmick, you just go along with that. Holly said that after six months he was not comfortable with the character as that was not who he was. He tells a story of being asked his profession while on a plane and got laughed at when he told the guy his wrestling name. So, at the next TV Taping he went to Vince and said the name had to go. Vince was understanding and let him use the Bob Holly name.

His favorite match as Sparky Plugg was teaming with the 1-2-3 Kid against the Smoking Gunns.

He tells of his favorite rib. During the middle of Summer, Owen Hart picked up a hitchhiker. Owen decided to roll up the windows and turn off the air conditioning. When the hitchhiker complained about the heat, Owen said that Hakushi, who was sitting next to the guy in the back and does not speak English, did not believe in air conditioning in a vehicle. Holly said they rode their for three hours and got the guy in the building and into the show then ending up leaving him there.

On the Kliq dressing room influence, Holly said he had a few words with them. Holly said they liked to see whose buttons they could push. He tells a story of Kevin Nash sitting on a box at catering and “took care” of an issue they had. He also claimed to shut the locker room door on Shawn Michaels and Scott Hall and also had a conversation with them. When asked what he said, Holly just told Sean it “wasn’t nice” and had to be a man and stand up for himself, no matter the situation even if he gets his ass kicked.

BOMBASTIC BOB

He is asked about his opinion on the “Brawl for All” concept. Holly said that the office was pissed off that Bart Gunn beat Steve Williams, who they thought would beat everyone down. Holly said it was entertaining but it pitted the wrestlers against each other and a lot of guys ended up getting hurt. When asked, Holly said he never would have went up against Butterbean because you do not play someone else’s game as Butterbean was a boxer, unlike the wrestlers.

HARDCORE HOLLY

Holly loved the hardcore division, stating that it probably was the reason he was with the company for so long. His favorite opponent was Al Snow. Holly also said it was Vince’s idea for them to wrestle in the Mississippi during their St. Valentine’s Day Massacre match.

When asked about Crash Holly, he said Crash was a funny guy but had his issues. He then said they were not that close. Holly also liked the 24/7 Hardcore Title rules at first because it was different but after a while it got old.

On the end of the 2000 Hardcore Battle Royal, Holly thought he was going to get yelled at it for the botched finish. Holly then said the buzzer never went off and referee Tim White tried to count.

Holly is asked if he ever thought about going to WCW. He talked about having discussions with them but after the botched handling of Jeff Jarrett’s contract by the WWF, Jim Ross came up to him and said that they will do whatever it takes to keep him with the company as his contract was up soon. Holly the called WCW and told them he was re-signing with the WWF as WCW told Holly they would pay him double, without even hearing the WWF offer.

THE BRAND SPLIT

On his title shot at the 2004 Royal Rumble, Holly said that was due to the broken neck deal but said it did not work in the long run as Brock apparently did not want to do the program.

He is asked about the incident where Matt Striker got kicked out of the dressing room. Holly said that Striker is an old-school guy but his “mouth” got him in trouble as people would take what he said wrong but Striker overcame that. Holly said he never once threatened Striker and how that whole story got overblown.

Holly is now asked about his staph infection. He worked with Orlando Jordan and after the match, the doctor said he had to go to the hospital but John Laurinaitis told him no as they had to go overseas. So, Holly went on tour and felt awful with a fever and had to get stuff extracted from his arm on a nightly basis. Holly then said he was “needed” on tour to take part of a battle royal he was not even scheduled to win. After the tour, he spent a month in the hospital and learned the infection went into his bone and he almost lost his arm because the company needed him to take part of a battle royal.

On getting a huge cut on his back after going through a table while wrestling RVD in 2006, Holly said that they wanted to have a doctor stop the match but told them no because they were having a great match. Holly said it was not RVD’s fault at all as he puts him over for being his favorite to work against and that he is a great guy.

When asked about being shocked when the WWE released him, Holly said he was not. He also said he was ready to leave anyway as he was tired of traveling and called his leaving mutual. He talked about how there was nothing for him and did not want to sit in the back doing nothing as you do not make money that way. They also had nothing for him when he was ready to come back and even told Laurinaitis he wasnt going to return if that was the case.

BULLY BOB

Holly is asked about working stiff with people. He said that he worked “snug” because he didnt want what he did to look awful or fake. After a few questions going after him for being a bully in the ring, Holly goes off a bit, saying these people are “fucking idiots” to think Vince McMahon would put up with him or keep him around if he was a bully to you. Holly speaks about never hurting anyone and to always returned the favor to his opponent.

On the top three “crybabies” in the locker room, Holly mentiones Scott Hall for all three slots.

We now play the “How Would Bob Holly Kick Their Ass” game. This is when the host lists of a name as Holly describes how he would beat them up

Vince McMahon: He first talks about taking him out to the woods then said that Vince has always been good to him and changes his mind about kicking his ass.

Ken Kennedy: Holly starts by saying he would take him into the woods and shove toothpicks underneath his fingernails. He would then take fire ants and dump them on his body before pouring alcohol all over him, so he would not be infected. He’d then carve around his eye with a knife and hopes that his wife would be watching. After that, he would pour gasoline on him and light a fire near his feet. Holly then talks about taking off his toes and fingers with bolt cutters before finding a big, round stick to shove up his ass.

Dave Meltzer: He tells Meltzer to go “fuck himself” for thinking he knows the wrestling business and never working a match.

Miz: He would cut his throat out.

Holly is now asked about the incident on “Tough Enough” against Matt Cappotelli. He said that Cappotelli was making a mockery of the wrestling business and clowning around. He then said that Cappotelli could have fought back as he takes what he gives out. Looking back, Holly does feel bad and said he was too hard on him.

The next question is someone calling him out for beating up Rene Dupree during a match after Dupree got a parking ticket while using Holly’s rent-a-car. Holly said that Dupree got a ticket and threw it away, resulting in his license being suspended. Holly claimed that Dupree denied this and it resulted in a warrant for his arrest. Holly said that he beat up Dupree backstage and not in the ring before saying he was nice enough to let him use his rent-a-car as Holly accuses the internet of making up that story.

We now play the “Who is Hated More Than Bob Holly” game. Holly said last time he was in the locker room they all loved him. It was terrible but below are the results.

More hated: Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Yoko Ono, Fidel Castro

Equally hated: Vince Russo, JBL, Paul Heyman

Less hated: HHH, Stephanie McMahon, Tazz, Jose Gonzalez, Chief Jay Strongbow

BROCK

Someone asks him if he really tried to shoot on Brock Lesnar backstage or was he just all pilled up. Holly first jokes that they were all “pilled up” back then and this was not true as he chalks it up as another bullshit internet rumor.

On his match against Lesnar, Holly said Brock was sick and tried to powerbomb him as he tried to hold him but they fell down. Holly said that it was an accident and that Brock called him up and was sorry as Holly does not seem mad at all over the incident.

SEX & DRUGS

Holly said that he did not party all that much and not into the scene.

When asked about the girls today in the WWE compared to the 90’s, Holly said that now they are “stupid” and have zero concept of the business and are only thrown out on TV because they are good looking.

We then see a video submission from Rikishi, asking her about B.B’s “titties.” Holly laughs then said they were huge. (Holly and B.B. apparently dated for a bit).

Someone then asks him if he had a painkiller addiction. Holly admitted to taking them and getting a “little carried away” but was able to get off of them before his addiction got serious. He then talks about guys in the locker room “helping each other out” but that he was never begging for them at any point or anything like that.

Regarding steroid use, Holly said he never took enough that it would really hurt him. He then said he took them when the Hardcore Holly gimmick came out and took a “little bit” every couple of weeks and changed his diet to get his desired physique. When asked about testing today, Holly sarcastically mentions how you are not supposed to use them today and that everyone is tested.

Next is the “What’s in the Bag” game. Here are the results:

Jack Daniels: Bradshaw

Pills: Randy Orton & Ken Kennedy

Marijuana: Randy Orton & Ken Kennedy

Cocaine: “Jeff”

Crack: Holly does not have a name.

Needle: Gives his name as he took steroids.

THE BOYS

We get another game, this time its the “Tougher Than Bob Holly” game. Holly says he is tougher than the Undertaker and Tazz. He then laughs and rips up HHH’s name. He also said that Tracy Smothers is fucking crazy and that Meng is the last person you ever want to fuck with. He said that Kurt Angle can wrestle but does not if he can fight.

He is then asked if Molly Holly was as prudish as her gimmick. He called the gimmick a “front” and that he heard a rumor about Molly and Matt Cappotelli “having a good time” as he told Sean to use his imagination as to what happened between them.

Holly is then asked about a rumor that he got John Heidenreich fired when he went to the office and ratted him out for using crystal meth. Holly said that is false and Heidenreich got himself fired. He also addressed the part of the question hinting that Holly was afraid of him by saying that he was supposed to work against him at an independent show but Heidenreich refused to do the match. They also show a transcript of what Heidenreich said in a radio interview where he said Holly would ask him for pills then turn around a tell the office and how he would kick Holly’s ass if he tried to be tough with him. Holly then laughs and says that Heidenreich always says hi to him.

Its time for some name association. Here are some of the results:

Jeff Jarrett: “Nice guy but doesnt mean I like him.”

Marty Jannetty: “Great guy.”

Headbangers: “Crazy.”

CM Punk: “Super Guy.”

Bobby Lashley: “Likes him a lot.”

Randy Orton: “Loose Cannon.”

Final Thoughts: There were a few interesting things here but overall, it wasnt all that entertaining. Holly also kept talking about “internet bullshit” when any story about him came up. Who knows what is true or not but several wrestlers have accused Holly of ratting them out to the office after giving him pills so there seems to be some truth in that regard.

Holly at least answered all of the questions but being someone who did not party, he did not have that many wild stories. He was generally mellow here for the most part and seems content being away from wrestling.

Overall, there are more entertaining “YouShoots” out there but this one is also far from the worst. This was more entertaining than Holly’s RF Video Shoot (you can read my recap of that here) but I cannot really recommend this shoot to anyone other than diehard Holly fans.