Why Crash Holly was a highlight of the WWF

In wrestling having a character/persona is important. As a kid I didn’t understand it as much as I do now. For a wrestler to succeed he must have the look, the wrestling abilities, the character and the microphone skills. It’s a bonus if they can connect with the fans. While listing all those I’m still puzzled as to why Crash Holly didn’t have a more prominent role as a wrestler. I mean it’s not like we didn’t get to see him be involved in some of the most memorable moments in WWF/WWE history. If you asked anyone who watched wrestling in the Attitude era they would probably remember the WWF Hardcore Championship being defended until 24/7 rules because Crash Holly was a fighting champion. We saw him defend his title in a hotel room, at the circus, while getting a massage, at the laundry mat, the baggage claim area at the airport, and the most memorable being the brawl at fun time USA between Crash and the Headbangers team. Crash defended the title against male wrestlers, female wrestlers, clowns, referees, WWF authority figures and the Godfather’s female friends. Crash held that title 22 times in his career. The Hardcore title was a wonderful thing and Crash was the best guy to hold it because he is a little guys who wants to prove something. He wanted to be seen as big as Stone Cold, The Rock and Triple H.

Even in his debut with his cousin he was introduced as a superheavyweight and tried to make people believe he weighed 400 pounds. Brought to the WWF by his cousin “The Big Shot” Hardcore Holly, Crash was Hardcore Holly’s back up when he was backed into a corner. Quite comedic because usually when someone is backed into a corner they call on someone who is bigger and stronger than they are for assistance. Not someone who is smaller than they are. That’s exactly Hardcore Holly did he called on his small cousin Crash for some assistance. They were pair of cousins who are 6’0 and 5’11 on paper you wouldn’t think this would equal success in a land of stars and big men. But at this time, WWF did a lot of things that were different. Things didn’t go their way they usually do with families in WWF as on Crash’s first night they brawled all over the arena to see who the tougher Holly was. But after this brawl they fought between rivals and partners until they were able to compromise and were able to coexist to become Tag Team Champions. I personally don’t remember the Holly Cousins reign with the tag team titles because it only lasted 2 weeks. 

But as for the Holly cousins they were an important part of my childhood. I mean when ask normal people who watched WWF back then to name 3 tag teams they would say Dudley Boys, Edge and Christian and Hardy Boys because they revolutionized tag team in the early 2000s. But the Holly Cousins including Molly Holly weren’t far behind in my book, in their 3 years stint when they were apart or together they were entertaining. If it was Hardcore and Crash teaming, fighting each other for the Hardcore Title or the famous Romeo and Juilet feud they were in with the Dudleys where Spike Dudley loved Molly Holly.

Shortly after this rivalry with the Dudleys, the Holly cousins broke up and that was followed by Crash Holly being released from the company in June of 2003. He did wrestle the independent circuit again and even for NWA-TNA. On November, 6th, 2003, Mike Lockwood known to fans as Crash Holly passed away from what was ruled a suicide. In wrestling the toll count seems to increase more and more and most of the wrestlers that die usually do at a young age. The media has covered the stories where wrestlers die from suicides, heart attacks and sometimes natural causes. Wrestling to the outside world is seen as a fake sport where men are muscles and just do heavy amounts of drugs. The world of wrestling is constantly evolving to depend more on talent than how big someone’s muscles are. After seeing so many of my heroes it’s better to not think of their death but remember their careers and remember the emotions they made me feel and what they taught me. Wrestling will always be the number one thing in my life and Mike “Crash Holly” Lockwood to me will always be someone who had a great character and great wrestling skills but most importantly someone who managed to be the highlight in a company of big muscle men with his comedy and willing to do anything.