Before embarking on a professional wrestling career, Howard, a skilled welder by trade, decided to pursue a new path. Under the guidance of experienced trainers Stan Frazier, Eddie Sullivan, and Rip Taylor, Holly honed his wrestling skills and soon made his debut in 1990.
In 1992, Howard joined Smokey Mountain Wrestling, adopting the moniker "Hollywood Bob Holly" before later switching to "Superstar Bob Holly". His early days in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF),now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, saw him portray a NASCAR driver, going by the name "Thurman 'Sparky' Plug", and eventually adopting the ring name "Bob 'Spark Plug' Holly".
Years of competing in the WWE's singles division ultimately led Holly to transition into the Hardcore division, where he adopted the persona "Hardcore Holly", a character that catapulted him to fame and helped him to transcend his previous gimmick. During this period, he introduced his on-screen cousins, Crash Holly and Molly Holly, with whom he went on to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.
In recent times, Holly has been dealing with nagging knee injuries, which have required surgery to address. Unfortunately, he was hospitalized due to a staph infection in his arm, which could have been fatal. As a result, it remains unclear whether Holly will return to the ring or not.
