10 extraordinary examples of wrestlers toughing it out

#4 Hardcore Holly (twice)

He stood up to his ring name

When your first name is "Hardcore," you are expected to be tough, and Hardcore Holly rightfully earns that distinction.

As if he hadn't already proven that throughout his WWE career, he proved it once again on the September 12, 2002, episode of SmackDown. Near the end of his match with Brock Lesnar, Holly was Powerbombed neck-first to the mat after Lesnar failed to set him up for the move correctly.

Some reports suggest that Holly sandbagged the rookie, as he was known for working a tougher style against newcomers, but regardless of how it happened, Holly ended up with a broken neck. Still, he fought his way out of a second powerbomb, dropkicked Lesnar, countered a German suplex, and took an F-5 for the loss.

His neck injury would sideline him for 13 months, but he displayed a considerable amount of grit by completing a glorified squash match under such circumstances.

Four years later, Holly was a part of WWE's failed incarnation of ECW. On the September 22, 2006, episode of the program, Holly squared off against Rob Van Dam. Right before they went to commercial, Holly suplexed Van Dam out of the ring and through a table.

Unfortunately for him, his back was sliced open by the table's metal railing, leaving him with a gnarly gash. Through the blood loss and the immense pain he was in, Holly continued to wrestle the match, even taking a Suplex on a steel chair at one point. Following his valiant display of perseverance, Holly was rewarded with a standing ovation from the crowd and 24 stitches on his back.

That's one hardcore dude right there.