Chris Candido Christopher Raul Candito ( March 21 , 1972 – April 28 , 2005 ) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido . Throughout most of his career , he was accompanied by his high school sweetheart Tammy Lynn Sytch . Candido held major titles in Extreme Championship Wrestling , the National Wrestling Alliance , World Championship Wrestling , and the World Wrestling Federation . His highest - profile role was in the World Wrestling Federation as Skip , part of the tag team known as The Bodydonnas with Zip , and his girlfriend and valet Sunny . Early life . Candito was the grandson of " Popeye " Chuck Richards , a wrestler for the World Wide Wrestling Federation , a precursor to the WWF . He started training at age 14 with Larry Sharpe and wrestled for Sharpe ' s World Wrestling Association . He began using the alternate spelling of " Candido " for his ring name . While in high school , he met and fell in love with Tammy Lynn Sytch , and the two began a lifelong relationship . Sytch would later become his valet . Career . In the early 1990s , Candido was a part of Eastern Championship Wrestling ( later Extreme Championship Wrestling ) . While in ECW , he was part of a stable called " The Suicide Blonds " with Johnny Hotbody and Chris Michaels . The trio had two stints as the Tag Team Champions ; the first from April 2 , 1993 to May 15 after winning them from Tony Stetson and Larry Winters . They lost the titles to the Super Destroyers , only to regain them the same day . They later vacated the titles when Candido left the promotion . Candido became famous in Smoky Mountain Wrestling ( SMW ) , alongside his manager and girlfriend Tammy Lynn Sytch . On November 19 , 1994 , Candido won a 10 - man tournament , defeating Al Snow , Dirty White Boy , and Tracy Smothers to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship , which had been won and immediately vacated by Shane Douglas and ECW that August . Candido ' s reign came at a time when national exposure for the National Wrestling Alliance was at an all - time low , as there was no national television outlet for the organization . His title defense matches were mostly held in small independent federations and SMW . Candido dropped the belt to Dan Severn on February 24 , 1995 , whose subsequent reign lasted over four years . Candido and Sytch moved on to the WWF where Sytch was dubbed " Sunny " and Candido " Skip " , the fitness fanatics The Bodydonnas . On March 31 , 1996 , Candido won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Zip from The Godwinns during the finals of a tournament for the vacated titles . They lost the titles on May 19 , 1996 , however , at a house show . According to Tammy Sytch in interviews post Candido ' s death , Candito and Sytch had a brief separation behind the scenes while working for the WWF . After leaving the WWF , Candido joined ECW again , becoming part of the revived Triple Threat stable alongside Shane Douglas . While in the Triple Threat with the nickname " No Gimmick Needed " , he developed a rivalry with fellow member Lance Storm , who was soon replaced by Bam Bam Bigelow . However , Candido teamed with Storm to win the ECW Tag Team Championship . They won the tag titles on December 5 , 1997 from Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon . Despite being a reluctant team who hated each other , Candido and Storm had a lengthy championship run . The duo held the titles for approximately six months until they lost them on June 26 , 1998 to Sabu and Rob Van Dam . He also had a brief run in World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , which started when he was cleared to compete on March 16 , 2000 . During his stint there , he won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship . He won the title on April 16 , 2000 in a six - way match at Spring Stampede against The Artist , Juventud Guerrera , Shannon Moore , Lash LeRoux , and Crowbar . He lost the title on May 15 of that same year . Later , the Triple Threat reformed in WCW , with Candido , Douglas , and Bam Bam Bigelow . However , the reformation was short lived , after Tammy was released from WCW due to backstage problems with Kimberly Page . Candido had two runs with Xtreme Pro Wrestling . The first was in 2000 , and he won the XPW World Heavyweight Championship before leaving for WCW . The second run was from late 2002 until the company ' s final show in 2003 . Candido debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) in January 2005 . , and wrestled with them throughout 2005 , until he died from a post - surgery blood clot . Because his last performance was taped to air later in the week , he was featured on an episode of " TNA Impact ! " after his death . In addition to wrestling , Candido also trained new wrestlers , including his brother Johnny Candido . Death . At Lockdown on April 24 , he fractured both his tibia and fibula and dislocated his ankle during a steel cage match with Lance Hoyt against Apolo and Sonny Siaki . He underwent surgery the next day to have steel plates and screws inserted into his leg . Later in the week , Sytch picked Candido up from the airport , and was told he was given only pain medication but no antibiotics , which are normally given after surgery . He was at the following " Impact ! " tapings managing The Naturals . By April 28 , 2005 , Candido felt ill , and his condition worsened during the day . He collapsed in the evening and was rushed to the hospital . He was diagnosed with pneumonia . Doctors drained his lungs , but Candido did not survive . He was 33 years old . According to his brother Johnny , Candido died due to a blood clot , a complication from surgery , and in late 2005 held the Chris Candido Memorial Tag Team Tournament in honor of the late Candido .