The Bart Gunn/Bob Holly hardcore match...

[Sephiroth]

I kind of think this one may be deserving of an induction all its own, not just because it was a weird ass match, but because it also tied in several different wrestlecrap inductee's already. First off, we have Bob Holly, a regular target for IWC mockery and fresh off a run as part of the JOB Squad. Then we had Bart Gunn, fresh off his victory in the disastrous Brawl for All contest. And finally, you had Dr. Death Steve Williams in a bizarre kabuki outfit that he only wore this one time and never saw again.
But this match itself had some unique qualities too. I must say that I can't remember another match where watermelons got used as a weapon (Gallagher would have been proud), nor did I have any idea that being pelted with fruit could cause such damage. Those hardcore matches must have been a nuisance to clean up after, but this one takes the messiest match I've ever seen award. The metal folding chairs at least can be explained-after all, everyone needs a place to park their carcass-but I am at a loss for why WWE had a crate of bananas right behind the curtain.
Bart Gunn did not look bad in this match. Too bad that he went on to get humiliated in the match with Butterbean at Wrestlemania that year and was never seen on television again.

[Trent Valentine]

*looks at Dr.Death's ridiculous costume*

Holy shit! That made me wanna pee myself!...That was terrible..though the Match itself was pretty hard hitting. These two beat eachother with anything in radius. Bart Gunn would have been good in the Hardcore Division.

One saving grace in this angle was that they scrapped Dr.Death's angle under that Kabuki gimmick. JR even shot on it on TV, saying this is the biggest load of crap he ever seen in his life, and I agree, it's hard to take an athlete like that seriously if he's gonna run around in a red gi and a Kanji Mask.

[Sephiroth]

I have a good deal of respect for Steve Williams, but honestly I think he's a guy who would have been a lot better suited to toughman contests than pro wrestling. I have heard the legendary story's of his displays of toughness. But honestly, to me he was always rather bland and uncharismatic.

I might add you gotta love how obvious it is that he thought the whole thing was crap too. He run out and trash Bart Gunn, but then slumped his shoulders and walked away like he really was thinking "ah...smurf it."

[agent817]

I think I still have this match on tape somewhere. I thought that the match was entertaining, but I agree about the parts with Williams dressed as some Kabuki Ninja, as well as the fruit crates. Funny thing though, sometime before this matched happened, I once had a dream that I attended RAW and probably during a hardcore match/street fight, I went near a concession stand that happened to serve produce (Yeah, you read that right) and one person picked up a crate full of vegetables and his opponent. This was a long time ago, but just though I mention it.

["Hollywood" Cactus Matt]

I remember the Kabuki mask, and I thought that this was a fun match.

I just found out that it was in this match that Hardcore Holly smashed Bart Gunn with the pitcher of water. I always remember that spot, and thought it looked brutal as hell, but I couldn't remember who was involved.

[navajomartian]

Looked like Dr Death was wearing a constipated Powers Of Pain Warlord Halloween Mask.


For a second I thought they gave him the El Diablo outfit left over from the Undertaker/Jake Roberts Vs Sid Justice angle.

[Matt Dunn]

God, I miss the Hardcore division. Pre 24/7.

[mongomcmichael]

The Dr. Death as "Phantom Kabuki" really takes the cake.

And the first lines Bart Gunn utters, well...just look.

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, what the HELL do you mean weak ass tag team partner?"

Then they go talking about asses and how Holly's ass hasn't been knocked out. Would've been great if they teamed up again along with Billy Gunn and called themselves "The Ass Family".

[Ultimo Gallos]

Mar 15, 2010 10:35:02 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

I kind of think this one may be deserving of an induction all its own, not just because it was a weird ass match, but because it also tied in several different wrestlecrap inductee's already. First off, we have Bob Holly, a regular target for IWC mockery and fresh off a run as part of the JOB Squad. Then we had Bart Gunn, fresh off his victory in the disastrous Brawl for All contest. And finally, you had Dr. Death Steve Williams in a bizarre kabuki outfit that he only wore this one time and never saw again.
But this match itself had some unique qualities too. I must say that I can't remember another match where watermelons got used as a weapon (Gallagher would have been proud), nor did I have any idea that being pelted with fruit could cause such damage. Those hardcore matches must have been a nuisance to clean up after, but this one takes the messiest match I've ever seen award. The metal folding chairs at least can be explained-after all, everyone needs a place to park their carcass-but I am at a loss for why WWE had a crate of bananas right behind the curtain.
Bart Gunn did not look bad in this match. Too bad that he went on to get humiliated in the match with Butterbean at Wrestlemania that year and was never seen on television again.

Nothing with Bob Holly should ever be considered Wrestlecrap. NOTHING!!

[Sephiroth]

I might add there was one small part about Bob Holly's transformation into "Hardcore Holly" that seems overlooked. As I recall, he got the title and monicker because of a PPV match with Al Snow. It was supposed to be Road Dogg Jesse James vs. Al Snow for the title, but in a backstage segment they showed Road Dogg laid out as if he had been attacked. Bob Holly stepped into the match in his place, and proceeded to get the first real push of his entire career. But they never explained just who attacked Road Dogg, or why. Must have been the same guy who drove the white hummer.