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Bodydonnas
Bodydonnas
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The Bodydonnas were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the mid-1990s, consisting of Chris Candido as Skip, Candido's real-life girlfriend Tammy Lynn Sytch as Sunny, and Tom Prichard as Skip's kayfabe cousin Zip.

Key Information

History

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The Bodydonnas were formed in 1995 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) with Skip and Sunny introducing themselves via a series of vignettes. They were fitness fanatics who often made fun of their opponents and the fans.[3] They also demonstrated how fit they were by doing jumping jacks during Skip's matches and performed push ups on fallen opponents.[4]

On the July 9, 1995 episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge, Skip was defeated in a booked loss to longtime jobber Barry Horowitz.[4] He got into a feud with Horowitz and lost several more matches.[4][5] A subsequent storyline saw the Bodydonnas approached by Rad Radford, who wanted to be a Bodydonna.[6] He teamed with Skip until Sunny fired him after The Smoking Gunns defeated the Bodydonnas on the December 23, 1995 episode of Superstars.[4]

Skip soon got another partner who was an official Bodydonna in Zip (originally Flip), his kayfabe cousin. They won the vacant WWF Tag Team Championship on March 31, 1996 on the WrestleMania XII pre-show.[7] They then feuded with The Godwinns until they dropped the titles to them on May 19.[8][9] Sunny left the Bodydonnas to follow the gold,[1] becoming the Godwinns' manager until the Godwinns also lost their titles, this time to The Smoking Gunns.[3] Sunny then defected to the Gunns' side because she only wanted to manage champions.[3] Meanwhile, the Bodydonnas announced that they were searching for a new manager. They appeared on WWF television programs urging fans to apply for the position.[10] This storyline culminated in the Bodydonnas "hiring" Cloudy (also spelled Kloudi), who was Candido's friend and wrestler Jimmy Shoulders aka James Haney, dressed as a woman.[11]

In September 1996, Skip was injured and the Bodydonnas disbanded.

Legacy

[edit]

Skip was released from the WWF in 1996 while out injured. He then went to ECW where he found greater success and reunited with Sunny, now going by her real name Tammy Lynn Sytch. Zip changed gimmicks and became the masked Dr. X as a jobber until 1998 when he became a trainer for the WWF. He was released by the company in 2004. The two met each other in a match in ECW on June 28, 1997 at Orgy of Violence, with Skip winning.

On April 28, 2005 Skip (Chris Candido) died after developing pneumonia as a complication of surgery. His death was initially reported as being caused by a blood clot, but this was corrected by his brother Johnny in a 2016 interview.[12]

Zip made a return to WWE (formerly WWF) in January 2007 as the head trainer for Deep South Wrestling, a development territory for WWE. After DSW shut down later that year, he worked for Florida Championship Wrestling a new development territory for WWE. He was released from WWE in May 2012 before FCW folded in August 2012.

Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

References

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from Grokipedia
The Bodydonnas were a in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now ) from 1995 to 1996, characterized by a fitness-obsessed that parodied health enthusiasts through routines like jumping jacks and Hindu squats. The stable consisted of Skip, portrayed by , and later Zip, portrayed by , with Tammy Sytch as their manager Sunny, who significantly boosted their popularity through her provocative presence and managerial antics. Debuting in mid-1995 via vignettes promoting , the team quickly established themselves as arrogant heels in the tag division, leveraging Candido's technical prowess and Prichard's veteran experience. Their most notable achievement came on March 31, 1996, at the Free for All pre-show, where they defeated to win the vacant WWF World Tag Team Championship, holding the titles for 49 days before losing them to the same opponents at a house show on May 19, 1996. Despite their in-ring talent, including crisp arm drags and dropkicks, the Bodydonnas were often overshadowed by Sunny's star power, which propelled her to a induction in 2011. The group's run ended shortly after the title loss, with Sunny transitioning to manage and Candido departing WWF amid personal and creative shifts, marking the dissolution of the Bodydonnas as a unit.

Members

Skip

Christopher Barrett Candido (March 21, 1972 – April 28, 2005) was an American professional wrestler best known by his , particularly for his portrayal of Skip as the leader of the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) Bodydonnas in the mid-1990s. Born in , Candido entered the wrestling industry at a young age and built a reputation for his in-ring prowess across multiple promotions before achieving mainstream exposure in the WWF. He passed away at age 33 due to complications stemming from a blood clot following surgery. Candido began his professional wrestling career in 1986 at the age of 14, training under Larry Sharpe and competing on the independent circuit in the , where he honed his skills against established veterans. By his late teens, he had transitioned to more prominent regional promotions, including (SMW), where he captured the NWA World Heavyweight in 1994 at age 22, marking him as the youngest titleholder in NWA history. In the early , Candido joined Eastern Wrestling (ECW), debuting as a singles competitor and engaging in high-profile matches that showcased his versatility, including bouts against top talents like Sabu and . His time in ECW solidified his status as a reliable performer capable of delivering intense, technically sound contests on the independent scene. As Skip in the WWF, Candido embodied an arrogant, self-proclaimed leader of the Bodydonnas, frequently cutting promos that highlighted his sculpted physique and belittled fans and opponents for lacking fitness dedication. This character emphasized his as the dominant within the , often positioning himself as the intellectual and physical superior in backstage segments and entrances. His promo style was brash and confrontational, using humor and insults to draw from audiences while reinforcing the group's fitness-obsessed theme. In the ring, Candido's Skip persona distinguished itself through exceptional agility and technical wrestling acumen, allowing him to execute fluid chain wrestling sequences and high-flying spots in tag team environments. He frequently demonstrated precise submission holds and quick counters, contributing to the Bodydonnas' fast-paced matches against opponents like . These attributes, combined with his partnership with Zip—portrayed as cousins—helped define the team's dynamic until their disbandment in 1996.

Zip

Thomas Prichard, born August 18, 1959, in , entered in 1979 after training under . Before joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1995, he established himself as a prominent wrestler in regional promotions, including the (USWA), where he became a major star and captured multiple championships, and (SMW), where he wrestled as "Dr. Tom Prichard" and formed the The Heavenly Bodies, securing eight SMW Tag Team Championships across partnerships with and . In SMW, Prichard also contributed as a trainer, helping develop talent alongside his in-ring performances. In the WWF, Prichard debuted under the Zip as part of The Bodydonnas, portrayed as the cousin of leader Skip and serving as the team's enforcer with a focus on power-based maneuvers to complement the group's dynamic. This role highlighted his experience as the physical powerhouse, relying on strength-oriented tactics like slams and strikes to support the unit's objectives. Zip's physical presentation aligned with The Bodydonnas' fitness enthusiast motif, featuring a bleached-blonde achieved by shortening and dyeing his hair to match Skip, along with form-fitting blue trunks and tank tops that evoked bodybuilder aesthetics during entrances and poses. Alongside Skip, Zip briefly held the WWF Tag Team Championship after defeating at in March 1996, with Sunny acting as their to enhance the team's presentation. Prior to the full disbandment of The Bodydonnas later that year, Prichard's tenure as Zip showcased his adaptability, paving the way for his subsequent shifts into managerial positions and expanded training responsibilities within the industry.

Sunny

Tamara Lynn Sytch, born December 7, 1972, entered the industry through independent promotions, debuting as a manager in (SMW) in late 1992 alongside her then-boyfriend . In SMW, she managed wrestlers like Candido and Brian Lee, honing her skills in crowd engagement while balancing her studies at the , and remained with the promotion until early 1995. This early experience in the Knoxville-based territory laid the foundation for her transition to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where she adopted the ring name Sunny. As the Bodydonnas' manager, Sytch portrayed a sultry, fitness-obsessed whose provocative attire and flirtatious demeanor amplified the stable's persona as arrogant gym trainers. Her character emphasized physical allure and confidence, drawing significant fan attention through teasing interactions that often distracted opponents and energized crowds during appearances. Sunny's real-life high relationship with Candido, who performed as Skip, informed their on-screen dynamic, adding authenticity to her protective and promotional role for the team. Sunny's contributions extended to choreographed entrance routines, where she led Skip and Zip to the ring with high-energy poses and taunts that highlighted the group's "perfect body" theme, enhancing their visual appeal and heel heat. Post-match, she participated in celebratory antics, such as mocking defeated opponents or posing triumphantly, which solidified the Bodydonnas' image as vain fitness fanatics and boosted the stable's entertainment value during their brief 1996 run. Her emphasis on sensuality helped pioneer the WWF's evolving portrayal of female personalities, influencing the "sexy" archetype that followed. In mid-1996, Sunny parted ways with the Bodydonnas amid personal strains, including backstage tensions from her extramarital affairs, which contributed to growing unreliability and her storyline shift to managing ; these issues foreshadowed broader challenges that intensified after her full WWF departure in 1998, involving multiple arrests for DUIs and violations beginning in the early 2000s. In February 2022, Sytch was involved in a fatal car crash due to , resulting in charges of DUI and multiple DUIs. She was sentenced in November 2023 to 17.5 years in prison. As of 2025, her appeal to reduce the sentence was denied, and she is serving her term with a projected release in 2039.

History

Formation and debut

The Bodydonnas were formed in early 1995 as a repackaging of wrestlers and , both of whom had established careers in (SMW), where Prichard had teamed as part of The Heavenly Bodies and Candido had been a prominent singles competitor alongside manager Tammy Sytch. Upon signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Candido adopted the Skip and debuted the fitness enthusiast with Sytch as Sunny, while Prichard would later integrate as Zip to complete the core unit. This repackaging aimed to position them as arrogant promoters of physical perfection within WWF's landscape. The group's introduction to WWF audiences began through a series of promotional vignettes on the May 6, 1995, episode of , taped earlier in , where Skip and Sunny proclaimed themselves the Bodydonnas and lectured viewers on the virtues of fitness while deriding the "lazy" and "out of shape" habits of fans and fellow wrestlers. These segments established the core concept of the Bodydonnas as self-proclaimed gurus of and , setting the stage for their on-screen presence. Additional vignettes aired in the following weeks, reinforcing the theme and building hype for their full debut. Skip and Sunny made their in-ring debut as the Bodydonnas on the June 5, 1995, episode of Monday Night Raw from the Erie Civic Center in , where Skip secured a victory over longtime jobber via a top-rope legdrop, with Sunny at ringside providing managerial support and emphasizing the team's superior conditioning. This match served as an initial showcase of Skip's athleticism and the duo's condescending persona, immediately positioning them as antagonists in WWF programming. In the ensuing months, the Bodydonnas developed early storylines centered on promos that mocked opponents' , such as Skip's post-match taunts highlighting his victims' supposed lack of discipline, which played into circuits where the team built momentum through victories over preliminary talent. These non-televised matches, often featuring Skip partnering with enhancement wrestlers or early allies like Rad Radford, allowed the unit to refine its dynamic ahead of Prichard's official addition as Zip in late 1995. A pivotal moment came in their first televised match on WWF programming, where Skip and an initial partner decisively defeated a pair of jobbers, underscoring the group's tag division aspirations and fitness superiority theme.

Path to WrestleMania XII

In early 1996, the Bodydonnas, consisting of Skip and Zip with manager Sunny, engaged in a heated with , marked by several encounters that highlighted their contrasting gimmicks of fitness enthusiasts versus rural brawlers. The rivalry gained momentum through matches like the January 29, 1996, episode of Raw, where managed to a victory over the Bodydonnas in a quick 2:17 bout, setting the stage for further clashes. This positioned the Bodydonnas as aggressive contenders in the WWF division, with Sunny's frequent interference adding tension to their encounters. Amid this rivalry, the Bodydonnas accumulated a string of victories that elevated their status as top challengers. On the March 10, 1996, episode of , they defeated via pinfall in a tournament quarterfinal match, showcasing their technical prowess and Sunny's distractions. Two weeks later, on March 23, 1996, they advanced in the semifinals by overcoming and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a 4:13 match on Superstars, with Skip securing the pin after a roll-up on Austin. These wins demonstrated the team's momentum and helped build anticipation for the tag division's future. The opportunity arose when WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns vacated the titles in February 1996 due to Billy Gunn's neck injury, prompting WWF President "Rowdy" to announce an eight-team culminating at on March 31, 1996. The Bodydonnas' prior successes made them favorites, leading directly to their tournament final appearance on the WrestleMania Free-for-All pre-show against .

Championship reign

The Bodydonnas captured the vacant WWF World Tag Team Championship on March 31, 1996, during the Free-for-All pre-show at , defeating ( and Phineas I. Godwinn) in the tournament final. Sunny distracted the easily swayed Phineas I. Godwinn, enabling Skip to secure the victory with a roll-up pinfall. The duo made their sole successful title defense on April 28, 1996, at 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies, once again overcoming in a rematch. This encounter continued the heated rivalry, with Sunny's managerial presence playing a key role in maintaining the Bodydonnas' advantage. Their championship run concluded abruptly on May 19, 1996, at a non-televised in , where reclaimed the titles amid interference from their manager, . The 49-day reign stood as one of the briefest in WWF World Tag Team Championship history up to that point.

Disbandment

Following the loss of the WWF World Tag Team Championship to on May 19, 1996, at a house show in , the Bodydonnas entered a period of decline marked by internal tensions and diminished momentum. Manager Sunny, visibly frustrated with the team's shortcomings, abandoned them on the May 27, 1996, episode of Raw is War, aligning with the new champions, ; she later managed The Smoking Gunns after they won the titles on June 23, 1996. The duo attempted to persevere by holding a contest for a new manager and introducing the short-lived "Cloudy" (portrayed by Jimmy Shoulders in drag), but the fitness gimmick increasingly felt out of step amid WWF's evolving creative landscape. Skip (Chris Candido) sustained a legitimate neck injury—a fractured vertebra—during an August 9, 1996, house show at Madison Square Garden, which forced him to wrestle in a neck brace and severely limited his participation. This injury exacerbated the strain on the act, as the team struggled to maintain cohesion without full involvement from both members. Their final appearance together came on the September 23, 1996, episode of Raw, where they were defeated by Owen Hart and the British Bulldog, with Skip largely sidelined during the bout. The Bodydonnas officially disbanded in September 1996 when Skip was released from WWF while recovering from his injury, effectively ending the . Contributing to the split were broader behind-the-scenes shifts in WWF programming toward the , which emphasized grittier, anti-establishment personas over the group's polished, health-focused portrayal. Skip briefly transitioned to a face singles run before departing, while Zip () continued in WWF as an unmasked jobber.

Gimmick and portrayal

Fitness enthusiast theme

The Bodydonnas' core gimmick portrayed them as dedicated health and advocates, reflecting the surge in where , spin classes, and gained mainstream popularity through magazines and celebrity athletes like . This theme emerged upon their WWF debut in spring 1995, with as Skip and manager Sunny positioning themselves as superior physiques in a landscape of "lazy" competitors. Their vignettes emphasized personal transformation, often mocking sedentary viewers and promoting rigorous training regimens as essential for success. In execution, the group's promos heavily featured advocacy for workouts and nutritional supplements, deriding opponents as out-of-shape or "sloppy" to highlight their own chiseled forms—for instance, taunting for their rural, less sculpted appearances. Visual elements reinforced this image, including oiled, tanned physiques, minimal attire, and performing exercises such as jumping jacks and Hindu squats during entrances and in matches to symbolize their commitment to physical perfection. Sunny briefly enhanced the theme by serving as a glamorous fitness motivator, aligning with the era's aerobics-inspired icons. The gimmick evolved from its initial absurd, comedic tone—marked by exaggerated laughter at fans and opponents—to a more serious contender persona during their pursuit of the WWF Tag Team Championship, culminating in a title win at WrestleMania XII in 1996. However, it faced criticisms for its cartoonish excess, with member Tom Prichard later describing his Zip role as a "horrible gimmick" that felt inauthentic and disconnected from audiences, contributing to its limited longevity before the group's disbandment later that year.

Managerial role and presentation

Sunny served as the manager for the Bodydonnas, enhancing their fitness-obsessed heel gimmick through her provocative on-screen presence and active interference in matches. Her tactics often involved distracting opponents to create openings for Skip and Zip, most notably at WrestleMania XII in 1996, where she drew the attention of the Godwinns, allowing the Bodydonnas to secure a pinfall victory and claim the WWF Tag Team Championship. Sunny frequently escalated confrontations by physically engaging rivals, such as slapping I. Godwinn during encounters with , which provoked retaliatory attacks and amplified crowd heat toward the group. Following victories, she performed celebratory dances and struts at ringside, taunting fans and opponents alike to solidify the team's arrogant persona. Her presentation created synergy with the Bodydonnas' image through coordinated fitness attire, including outfits that emphasized her pinup aesthetic as the ideal complement to their theme. In promos, Sunny delivered abrasive, confident lines insulting rivals' physiques, positioning herself as the vocal enforcer of the group's superiority. Notable antics included her role in slop bucket incidents against , where her taunts led to being doused in manure, underscoring her villainous role while tying into the team's fitness superiority narrative. The managerial style honed with the Bodydonnas—involving distractions, physical provocations, and pursuits—influenced her subsequent transitions, such as aligning with after they captured the titles from her former charges.

Legacy

Impact on WWF tag team division

The Bodydonnas played a notable role in elevating the status of undercard matches within the WWF during the mid-1990s, particularly by securing a high-profile spot at in 1996, where they won the WWF World Tag Team Championship in the tournament final against on the event's pre-show. This victory highlighted the potential for contests to gain prominence amid the era's focus on singles stars, drawing attention to the division through Sunny's managerial presence and the team's athletic displays. Their fitness enthusiast gimmick contributed to greater diversity in the WWF tag team landscape, introducing a comedic yet skilled pairing that contrasted with the waning influences of the rock 'n' wrestling era and emphasized personality-driven teams like the cowboy-themed or rural . Skip and Zip's portrayal as arrogant gym aficionados, bolstered by Sunny's appeal as an early in wrestling, helped infuse the division with fresh entertainment value and appealed to a broader audience transitioning toward edgier content. The Bodydonnas' brief 49-day championship reign from March 31 to May 19, 1996, exemplified the era's shifting dynamics, where shorter title holds began to erode perceptions of long-term prestige but paved the way for the more fluid, high-stakes changes that defined the Attitude Era's tag team scene starting in late 1997. This pattern of quick turnovers, influenced by the team's loss to , encouraged WWF bookers to prioritize rapid storylines over extended dominance, ultimately revitalizing interest in the division through unpredictability. Statistically, the Bodydonnas stood out as one of the few WWF tag teams to capture the World Tag Team Championship in their debut year, achieving this feat in 1996 after forming in 1995, a rarity that underscored their rapid ascent amid a competitive mid-1990s roster.

Post-career recognition

The Bodydonnas have received nostalgic coverage in wrestling documentaries and profiles, often highlighting the campy fitness enthusiast that defined their brief WWF run. The 2023 episode of titled "Chris & Tammy," produced by , explores the professional and personal lives of and Tammy Sytch (Sunny), dedicating segments to their time as the Bodydonnas and portraying the act's over-the-top presentation as a memorable, if short-lived, highlight of mid-1990s WWF . Similarly, fan-oriented podcasts such as the Awesome Truth episode "The Story of and Sunny" (2023) revisit the 's flamboyant elements, emphasizing its role in elevating Sunny's star power while critiquing its limited longevity. Sunny's induction into the Class of 2011 as the inaugural "Diva" has indirectly spotlighted the Bodydonnas in team retrospectives, with coverage noting her managerial role alongside Candido and (Zip) as a foundational part of her legacy. During the induction ceremony and related media, accounts referenced the group's WWF Tag Team Championship win at and Sunny's turn on them shortly after, framing the Bodydonnas as a key chapter in her influential WWF tenure. This recognition has prompted broader discussions of Candido's contributions, though he himself has not received a honor; instead, posthumous tributes include his 2009 induction into the Hardcore Hall of Fame for his overall body of work across promotions. These member-focused honors have spurred retrospective analyses of the team's dynamic in wrestling media. In the 2020s, the Bodydonnas' short championship reign has been recapped in features as a "what if" scenario in WWF , underscoring its potential amid the era's competitive landscape. For instance, a 2025 PWInsider "This Day in " article marking the 20th anniversary of Candido's reflects on his Bodydonnas accomplishments, positioning the reign as an underappreciated footnote that showcased athletic prowess overshadowed by backstage factors. Such pieces often lament the act's abrupt end while celebrating its enduring appeal to fans of 1990s . No official reunions of the Bodydonnas have occurred since their 1996 disbandment, primarily due to Candido's death on April 28, 2005, from a blood clot following surgery. However, virtual tributes persist through fan-driven content, including 2025 shoots and clips featuring archival interviews with former members like Prichard, who reflect on the group's camaraderie and gimmick in online wrestling communities.

Championships and accomplishments

WWF World Tag Team Championship

The WWF World Tag Team Championship was vacated in February 1996 following a neck injury to Billy Gunn of the reigning champions, The Smoking Gunns, prompting WWF officials to strip the titles. To determine new champions, an eight-team single-elimination tournament was organized, culminating in the final match on the Free For All pre-show at WrestleMania XII. On March 31, 1996, The Bodydonnas—consisting of and , with manager Sunny serving as their cornerman—defeated (Henry and Godwinn) in the final to capture the vacant WWF World Tag Team Championship. The match lasted 5 minutes and 21 seconds, marking the Bodydonnas' first and only reign as champions. The Bodydonnas defended the titles successfully on several s during their 49-day reign before dropping them back to at a non-televised in on May 19, 1996. This contest ended their championship tenure and underscored the intensifying rivalry with that had built through the .

Tournament achievements

The Bodydonnas achieved their most notable tournament success in the WWF World Tag Team Championship Tournament in , a multi-week competition designed to determine new champions after the titles were vacated due to a controversy involving the previous holders, the . This event highlighted their rapid ascent in the WWF tag team division, culminating in a that propelled them to immediate title contention. In the quarterfinal round on March 16, 1996, during an episode of , the Bodydonnas (Skip and Zip) defeated (Luke Williams and ) via pinfall, advancing with a display of technical prowess and Sunny's ringside interference. They progressed to the semifinals on March 23, 1996, again on Superstars, where they overcame the team of and by pinfall, capitalizing on miscommunication between their opponents to secure the win. The tournament concluded on the pre-show on March 31, 1996, at the Arrowhead Pond in , with the Bodydonnas defeating (Henry and Phineas Godwinn) in the finals via pinfall after 5:21, earning them the WWF World Tag Team Championship in the process. Prior to their WWF run, individual members of the Bodydonnas had limited tag team tournament experience in independent promotions, but no joint victories in major tournaments were recorded before 1996, underscoring their quick adaptation and success within the WWF structure. This tournament triumph marked their primary accolade in competitive formats, emphasizing a meteoric rise from mid-card status to champions in under two months.

References

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