Jim Ross said Hardcore Holly deserves WWE Hall of Fame recognition and predicted it will happen in the near future.
“Bob had great contributions. He had a reputation of being a tough, hard-ass guy. I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Ross said on the latest Grilling JR. “Anybody that’s deserving of a Hall of Fame will eventually find their way there, including Bob Holly.”
Ross used a word he returns to often when evaluating talent. “Reliable as hell. Tough. Physical,” he said.
He set a specific timeline for the induction. “I would be shocked if within the next year or two Bob Holly wasn’t inducted into the Hall of Fame,” he said.
Holly, whose real name is Robert Howard, worked for WWE from 1994 to 2009. He competed under several names, including Thurman “Sparky” Plugg and Hardcore Holly, and held the Hardcore Championship multiple times. He was known for his stiff in-ring style and was involved in programs with top stars including Brock Lesnar, who he challenged for the WWE Championship at the 2004 Royal Rumble. Holly was also one half of a tag team with Crash Holly and later teamed with Cody Rhodes early in Rhodes’ career.
Despite never winning a world championship, Holly was regarded as one of the most dependable hands on the roster throughout his tenure. Veterans and peers have consistently spoken highly of his toughness.
Ross was less certain about another name raised by fans – Test, the late Andrew Martin. “I’m a little more cloudy on that one,” Ross said. “Nostalgic pick, an emotional pick because of his passing prematurely.”
Martin died in March 2009 at the age of 33 from an accidental overdose. He worked for WWE from 1998 to 2007, and was involved in high-profile storylines including a televised wedding angle with Stephanie McMahon in 1999 and a run as a member of the Alliance during the Invasion angle in 2001. He was considered a physically gifted performer with main event potential that was never fully realized.
Ross said Martin’s drug issues ultimately derailed his career. “He had some issues that developed over time, and he became not as reliable as we needed,” he said. “When you get out of your lane and you stay out of your lane for very long, it’s sometimes very hard to get back in that lane of productivity and integrity.”
Ross said he hired Martin and had no personal issue with him, but does not expect an induction anytime soon. “Stranger people have gone into the Hall of Fame. I think we’d all agree to that,” he said.
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