Tammy Lynn Sytch
Encyclopedia
Tamara "Tammy" Lynn Sytch (born December 7, 1972) is an American
professional wrestling
manager
, personality,and occasional wrestler. She achieved her greatest success under the ring name
Sunny within the World Wrestling Federation
during the 1990s, and is widely considered as one of the first Divas
. She also performed under her own name in Extreme Championship Wrestling
, World Championship Wrestling
and Ring of Honor
.
. She attended the same high school as her long-time boyfriend Chris Candido
. Prior to joining the professional wrestling business, she studied pre-law at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She then switched to pre-med at the University of Tennessee
, with the ambition to be a pediatrician
. During college, she worked as a freelance photographer.
to make some extra money. In late-1992, she signed a six month deal with Smoky Mountain Wrestling
. She first appeared onscreen as Tammy Fytch in 1993. She played a villain
, who idolized Hillary Clinton
. In her first storyline with the company, she threatened to file a sexual discrimination lawsuit due to the lack of prominent positions offered to females. She managed
Brian Lee
to the Heavyweight Championship
and also began accompanying Candido in his matches, as well. By May 1994, she was managing the two men as a tag team, which won the Tag Team Championship
from The Rock 'n' Roll Express. Both Sytch and Candido, however, left the promotion in early 1995 for jobs with the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF).
fitness fanatics, The Bodydonnas
. Zip
later joined the team, and Sunny was in their corner when they won the Tag Team Championship over The Godwinns
at WrestleMania XII
. In 1996, she won Pro Wrestling Illustrated
s Manager of the Year Award. She was also AOL
's most downloaded woman of that year. Weeks later, The Godwinns regained the championship, and Sunny turned on The Bodydonnas in favor of the new champions. She then turned on The Godwinns and helped The Smoking Gunns win the Tag Team Championship. After The Smokin' Gunns lost the title at In Your House 10: Mind Games
, she fired them in the middle of the ring.
She spent a short time as the manager of Faarooq Asaad
, aiding him in his feud over the Intercontinental Championship
with Marc Mero
and his valet Sable
. Sytch then began acting as host for several WWF television shows, including LiveWire
and Shotgun Saturday Night
. In addition, she appeared on MTV
's Singled Out
and Entertainment Tonight
. Meanwhile, Candido left the WWF for Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW), and it was not long before she began making guest appearances with him in the promotion. In August 1997, she appeared at ECW's Hardcore Heaven pay-per-view.
In 1998, Sunny briefly became the manager for the reformed Road Warriors
as "Legion of Doom 2000", leading them to a win in a Tag Team Championship number one contender battle royal at WrestleMania XIV
. She was released in July 1998 amid rumors of backstage problems with Rena "Sable" Mero and an addiction to painkillers, as well as no-showing several appearances.
(ECW). She made her debut appearance at Heat Wave four days after her WWF release. Now billed as Tammy Lynn Sytch, she assisted Candido in his win over Lance Storm
and their subsequent feud. By September, Storm introduced his own valet, "Tammy Lynn Bytch
", a parody of Sytch. Later that year, amid more rumors of drug use, Sytch and Candido took some time off of television.
When the duo returned, Candido re-aligned with Shane Douglas'
Triple Threat
, and Sytch began a feud with Douglas's manager Francine
. The feud was cut short when Sytch was arrested after violating a restraining order filed by her mother. After a brief tour of Australia, she returned in October 1999 on an episode of ECW on TNN
, where she talked openly about her past drug issues and reformation. After a brief feud with Dawn Marie (previously known as "Tammy Lynn Bytch"), there were rumors that Sytch had been found passed out in a locker room. Candido and Sytch left the promotion in December 1999.
(XPW) in early 2000, both Sytch and Candido signed on with World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). Candido debuted in March of that year and Sytch debuted one month later at Spring Stampede, helping him win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
in a match against The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea
. She then feuded with Iaukea's valet Paisley. The short-lived feud came to a conclusion at Slamboree when The Artist and Paisley stripped Tammy's dress
off to reveal her undergarment
s following Candido's singles victory over Iaukea. Sytch and Candido then briefly feuded with Crowbar and Daffney. Candido later dropped the title, which marked the end of the couples run with the company. As in the past, Sytch's leave was surrounded by rumors of drug abuse.
and were set to work for Victor Quinones' International Wrestling Association
promotion. Sabu convinced them to work for Carlos Colón's rival World Wrestling Council
promotion instead. After six months, the couple quit the promotion and headed back to the States. Upon their return to the States, both Sytch and Candido briefly lived with former ECW wrestler Hack Myers in his home in Florida
.
After the death of Candido, it did not take long for Sytch to become regularly involved in the independent circuit again. Sytch made appearances as a referee for NWS Wrestling in May 2005 and attended a Chris Candido Memorial show on June 4, 2005. Also, Sytch was a part of Hardcore Homecoming
on June 10, 2005. She first came out with Johnny Grunge
and Pitbull #1 to do a tribute to former ECW wrestlers who had recently died. Among those honored were Candido, Pitbull #2
, and Rocco Rock
. They were interrupted by Danny Doring
and Roadkill
, but 911 cleared them out of the ring.
During this time period, Sytch appeared at the New Jersey-based NWA Cyberspace promotion. Soon after Sytch's departure from NWA Cyberspace, the New Jersey-based National Wrestling Superstars (NWS) became her new primary wrestling promotion. She appeared on a handful the promotion's shows in the summer, and on June 3, 2006, she managed Lex Luger
to victory over Johnny Candido
. Prior to the bout, a presentation was held from The Manasquan Elks Lodge to the Chris Candido Memorial Fund. The Elks Lodge donated $500 to the fund, with the money being used towards a scholarship
for a Manasquan
High School student. In spite of the prior ruling, Sytch returned to NWA Shockwave (formerly NWA Cyberspace) in 2006 as a featured headliner. On December 1, 2006, Sytch was appointed the new commissioner of NWA Shockwave. Immediately following this announcement, Sytch declared all Shockwave championship titles vacant and informed fans that new Heavyweight and Internet Champions would be crowned on January 13.
On December 22, 2007, Sytch won her first championship
, the WSU Championship
, after defeating the champion Alicia at a Women Superstars Uncensored
(WSU) show in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey
. Sytch also made an appearance on the 15th Anniversary of Raw
.
Sytch made an appearance at a Ring of Honor
show on December 29, 2007 held at New York City, seated at ringside during a non-title three-way match where Daizee Haze
defeated fellow ROH regulars Lacey
, and then-Shimmer Champion
Sara Del Rey
. Upon the conclusion of the match, Lacey verbally assaulted Sytch and accused her of denigrating women's roles in professional wrestling, which supposedly resulted in women's wrestlers not being taken seriously in the industry. She also threatened to assault Sytch, but Haze made the save on Sytch's behalf. Sytch made a few more appearances for ROH in 2008, where she repeatedly offered her services to Austin Aries
but was turned down. On the April 12 ROH show, Larry Sweeney announced that he had opened a "Diva School" and invited Sytch to be the "trainer", an offer she claimed she would consider.
on April 5, 2009 in the 25-Diva battle royal for the crown of "Miss WrestleMania", but lost after being thrown out early on in the match.
It was announced on the March 7, 2011 edition of Monday Night Raw that Sytch would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
, class of 2011. She was inducted by the entire roster of WWE Divas at the Hall of Fame ceremony on April 2, 2011.
Sytch will be making her Dynamic Wrestling Alliance debut at Dynamic Destiny 2011 on March 12, 2011 in Trenton, OH
. In 1997, Michaels accused Sytch and Bret Hart
of having an affair, which Hart denied. The accusation began causing marital problems for Hart, which led to a backstage confrontation with Michaels. Sytch was friends with Hart and would entertain his children whenever they followed him on tour. In addition, she walked out of Raw
the night after the Montreal Screwjob
, the incident in which WWF owner Vince McMahon
cost Hart the WWF Championship
.
In 1997, Playboy
approached Sytch in regards to posing nude for the magazine, but she declined the offer. According to Sytch, Playboy offered her six figures to pose for them. Rena "Sable" Mero
, with whom Sytch had real-life animosity, later claimed that Playboy never contacted Sytch for a possible photo shoot. She did, however, pose nude for Missy Hyatt
's adult website Wrestling Vixxxens. In 2007, she claimed that she regretted doing it.
Sytch was rushed to the hospital in 2001 after her appendix burst, which required time off from wrestling to heal. By 2007, she was once again in school, studying Medical Technology.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
, personality,and occasional wrestler. She achieved her greatest success under the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Sunny within the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
during the 1990s, and is widely considered as one of the first Divas
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
. She also performed under her own name in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
, World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
.
Early life
Sytch grew up in a strict family with a father who was retired from the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She attended the same high school as her long-time boyfriend Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
. Prior to joining the professional wrestling business, she studied pre-law at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She then switched to pre-med at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, with the ambition to be a pediatrician
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
. During college, she worked as a freelance photographer.
Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1992-1995)
Sytch started out traveling with her boyfriend Chris CandidoChris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
to make some extra money. In late-1992, she signed a six month deal with Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
. She first appeared onscreen as Tammy Fytch in 1993. She played a villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, who idolized Hillary Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
. In her first storyline with the company, she threatened to file a sexual discrimination lawsuit due to the lack of prominent positions offered to females. She managed
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Brian Lee
Brian Lee
Brian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee...
to the Heavyweight Championship
SMW Heavyweight Championship
The SMW Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. It existed from 1992 until 1996 when SMW folded. "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony held the title the most times with three reigns. The United States Wrestling Association briefly recognized the SMW Heavyweight...
and also began accompanying Candido in his matches, as well. By May 1994, she was managing the two men as a tag team, which won the Tag Team Championship
SMW Tag Team Championship
The SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
from The Rock 'n' Roll Express. Both Sytch and Candido, however, left the promotion in early 1995 for jobs with the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF).
World Wrestling Federation (1995-1998)
In late 1994, Sytch was contacted by the WWF, and she began appearing as Tamara Murphy, a commentator for "Live Event News" segments during syndicated WWF television shows. One month later, Candido joined the WWF, and the duo began appearing as Sunny and Skip, known collectively as the villainousHeel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
fitness fanatics, The Bodydonnas
The Bodydonnas
The Bodydonnas were a professional wrestling tag team in the 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 brother Zip.-History:...
. Zip
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name Tom Prichard...
later joined the team, and Sunny was in their corner when they won the Tag Team Championship over The Godwinns
The Godwinns
The Godwinns was the best known gimmick of the professional wrestling tag team composed of Dennis Knight and Mark Canterbury that they used in the WWF. The team has used other gimmicks before they joined the WWF and had a gimmick change in the WWF shortly before disbanding...
at WrestleMania XII
WrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
. In 1996, she won Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
s Manager of the Year Award. She was also AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's most downloaded woman of that year. Weeks later, The Godwinns regained the championship, and Sunny turned on The Bodydonnas in favor of the new champions. She then turned on The Godwinns and helped The Smoking Gunns win the Tag Team Championship. After The Smokin' Gunns lost the title at In Your House 10: Mind Games
In Your House 10: Mind Games
In Your House 10: Mind Games was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on September 22, 1996 at the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, she fired them in the middle of the ring.
She spent a short time as the manager of Faarooq Asaad
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
, aiding him in his feud over the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
with Marc Mero
Marc Mero
Marc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
and his valet Sable
Rena Mero
Rena Marlette Mero Lesnar , better known as Sable, is an American model, actress, and former professional wrestler. She is primarily known for her stints in World Wrestling Entertainment....
. Sytch then began acting as host for several WWF television shows, including LiveWire
WWF LiveWire
WWF LiveWire is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired from 1996 to 2001 on the USA Network and later TNN.-History:...
and Shotgun Saturday Night
WWF Shotgun Saturday Night
WWF Shotgun Saturday Night is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired from January 4, 1997 through August 21, 1999 as a syndicated broadcast...
. In addition, she appeared on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Singled Out
Singled Out
Singled Out was a game show that ran on MTV from 1995-1998. Each episode featured a group of 50 men and a group of 50 women competing for a date with one main contestant of the opposite sex.The original hosts were Chris Hardwick and Jenny McCarthy...
and Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
. Meanwhile, Candido left the WWF for Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW), and it was not long before she began making guest appearances with him in the promotion. In August 1997, she appeared at ECW's Hardcore Heaven pay-per-view.
In 1998, Sunny briefly became the manager for the reformed Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
as "Legion of Doom 2000", leading them to a win in a Tag Team Championship number one contender battle royal at WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
. She was released in July 1998 amid rumors of backstage problems with Rena "Sable" Mero and an addiction to painkillers, as well as no-showing several appearances.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1998-1999)
She then joined Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW). She made her debut appearance at Heat Wave four days after her WWF release. Now billed as Tammy Lynn Sytch, she assisted Candido in his win over Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
and their subsequent feud. By September, Storm introduced his own valet, "Tammy Lynn Bytch
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
", a parody of Sytch. Later that year, amid more rumors of drug use, Sytch and Candido took some time off of television.
When the duo returned, Candido re-aligned with Shane Douglas'
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
Triple Threat
Triple Threat
The Triple Threat was a professional wrestling heel stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas's answer to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen...
, and Sytch began a feud with Douglas's manager Francine
Francine Fournier
Francine Fournier , known simply as Francine, is an American former professional wrestling valet most known for her work in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Extreme Championship Wrestling:...
. The feud was cut short when Sytch was arrested after violating a restraining order filed by her mother. After a brief tour of Australia, she returned in October 1999 on an episode of ECW on TNN
ECW on TNN
ECW on TNN was a weekly American professional wrestling television program that aired on The Nashville Network from August 27, 1999 to October 6, 2000...
, where she talked openly about her past drug issues and reformation. After a brief feud with Dawn Marie (previously known as "Tammy Lynn Bytch"), there were rumors that Sytch had been found passed out in a locker room. Candido and Sytch left the promotion in December 1999.
World Championship Wrestling (2000)
In between a brief stop for Xtreme Pro WrestlingXtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion formerly owned by Extreme Associates CEO and director Rob Zicari, who appeared on shows under the name Rob Black. Zicari appeared on-camera as owner alongside his wife Lizzy Borden. The promotion focuses on hardcore wrestling,...
(XPW) in early 2000, both Sytch and Candido signed on with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). Candido debuted in March of that year and Sytch debuted one month later at Spring Stampede, helping him win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
in a match against The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea
Michael Haynes III
Michael Hayner is a professional wrestler best known as Prince Iaukea in World Championship Wrestling. Haynes has also made a career performing and coordinating stunts for major motion pictures...
. She then feuded with Iaukea's valet Paisley. The short-lived feud came to a conclusion at Slamboree when The Artist and Paisley stripped Tammy's dress
Dress
A dress is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment.Dress may also refer to:*Clothing in general*Costume, fancy dress...
off to reveal her undergarment
Undergarment
Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by bodily secretions and discharges, shape the body, and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional...
s following Candido's singles victory over Iaukea. Sytch and Candido then briefly feuded with Crowbar and Daffney. Candido later dropped the title, which marked the end of the couples run with the company. As in the past, Sytch's leave was surrounded by rumors of drug abuse.
Independent circuit (2000-present)
After being released from WCW, the duo landed in Xtreme Pro Wrestling where she managed Candido to a title (the XPW World Heavyweight Title) once again. Candido and Sytch parted ways with XPW and started touring other independent wrestling promotions. In the spring of 2003, Sytch and Candido moved to Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and were set to work for Victor Quinones' International Wrestling Association
International Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
promotion. Sabu convinced them to work for Carlos Colón's rival World Wrestling Council
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
promotion instead. After six months, the couple quit the promotion and headed back to the States. Upon their return to the States, both Sytch and Candido briefly lived with former ECW wrestler Hack Myers in his home in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
After the death of Candido, it did not take long for Sytch to become regularly involved in the independent circuit again. Sytch made appearances as a referee for NWS Wrestling in May 2005 and attended a Chris Candido Memorial show on June 4, 2005. Also, Sytch was a part of Hardcore Homecoming
Hardcore Homecoming
Hardcore Homecoming was a series of professional wrestling events which were advertised as a reunion of talent from the defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion....
on June 10, 2005. She first came out with Johnny Grunge
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
and Pitbull #1 to do a tribute to former ECW wrestlers who had recently died. Among those honored were Candido, Pitbull #2
Anthony Durante
Anthony Durante was a professional wrestler best known as "Pitbull #2" as one half of the tag team The Pitbulls, with "Pitbull #1" Gary Wolfe.-WWF:...
, and Rocco Rock
Rocco Rock
Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler better known as "Flyboy" Rocco Rock, one half of The Public Enemy.-Career:...
. They were interrupted by Danny Doring
Danny Doring
Dan Morrison is an American wrestler better known as Danny Doring, most known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling, as the tag team partner of Roadkill...
and Roadkill
Michael Depoli
Michael DePoli is a retired professional wrestler best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He worked for World Wrestling Entertainment in its Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory...
, but 911 cleared them out of the ring.
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
to victory over Johnny Candido
Johnny Candido
Johnny Candido is an American professional wrestler, and is the younger brother of Chris Candido.-Career:Candido trained under his brother and debuted in 2000. He did not reach a prominent position on the independent circuit until the death of his brother in April 2005, at which point he competed...
. Prior to the bout, a presentation was held from The Manasquan Elks Lodge to the Chris Candido Memorial Fund. The Elks Lodge donated $500 to the fund, with the money being used towards a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
for a Manasquan
Manasquan, New Jersey
-Government:Manasquan is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only...
High School student. In spite of the prior ruling, Sytch returned to NWA Shockwave (formerly NWA Cyberspace) in 2006 as a featured headliner. On December 1, 2006, Sytch was appointed the new commissioner of NWA Shockwave. Immediately following this announcement, Sytch declared all Shockwave championship titles vacant and informed fans that new Heavyweight and Internet Champions would be crowned on January 13.
On December 22, 2007, Sytch won her first championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
, the WSU Championship
WSU Championship
The WSU Championship is a professional wrestling championship in Women Superstars Uncensored. It is competed for in Women Superstars Uncensored, and has been defended on shows of sister promotion National Wrestling Superstars. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in...
, after defeating the champion Alicia at a Women Superstars Uncensored
Women Superstars Uncensored
Women Superstars Uncensored is an American, New Jersey based female independent professional wrestling promotion which held its first event in 1996. Shows combine wrestling interspersed with both serious and comedic storylines. The company tapes two DVDs worth of material during weekend shows...
(WSU) show in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey
Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey
Lake Hiawatha is an unincorporated area within Parsippany-Troy Hills in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07034...
. Sytch also made an appearance on the 15th Anniversary of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
.
Sytch made an appearance at a Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
show on December 29, 2007 held at New York City, seated at ringside during a non-title three-way match where Daizee Haze
Daizee Haze
Daizee Haze is an American professional wrestler. Whilst wrestling for many companies Daizee Haze is also the head trainer for the Shimmer Women Athletes promotion.-Training and Gateway Championship Wrestling:...
defeated fellow ROH regulars Lacey
Lacey (wrestler)
Lacey is an American former professional wrestler, most known for working with numerous promotions throughout Northern America career such as Ring of Honor, Shimmer, IWA-Mid South, Full Impact Pro, and NWA Midwest. She has also wrestled for Chikara, ChickFight, and was part of Wrestling Society X...
, and then-Shimmer Champion
Shimmer Championship
The Shimmer Championship is a professional wrestling championship in Shimmer Women Athletes. It is competed for in Shimmer Women Athletes, and has been defended on shows of sister promotions Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in...
Sara Del Rey
Sara Del Rey
Sara Amato is an American professional wrestler, better known by her ring name, Sara Del Rey. She is a mainstay for Chikara and Shimmer Women Athletes. She has also appeared for many other independent promotions in the United States, including Ring of Honor, IWA Mid-South, All Pro Wrestling, as...
. Upon the conclusion of the match, Lacey verbally assaulted Sytch and accused her of denigrating women's roles in professional wrestling, which supposedly resulted in women's wrestlers not being taken seriously in the industry. She also threatened to assault Sytch, but Haze made the save on Sytch's behalf. Sytch made a few more appearances for ROH in 2008, where she repeatedly offered her services to Austin Aries
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy "Dan" Solwold, Jr. better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is the current X Division Champion...
but was turned down. On the April 12 ROH show, Larry Sweeney announced that he had opened a "Diva School" and invited Sytch to be the "trainer", an offer she claimed she would consider.
Return to WWE (2009-2011)
Sytch, as Sunny, participated at WrestleMania XXVWrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
on April 5, 2009 in the 25-Diva battle royal for the crown of "Miss WrestleMania", but lost after being thrown out early on in the match.
It was announced on the March 7, 2011 edition of Monday Night Raw that Sytch would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
, class of 2011. She was inducted by the entire roster of WWE Divas at the Hall of Fame ceremony on April 2, 2011.
Sytch will be making her Dynamic Wrestling Alliance debut at Dynamic Destiny 2011 on March 12, 2011 in Trenton, OH
Personal life
Sytch had a nine month relationship with Shawn MichaelsShawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
. In 1997, Michaels accused Sytch and Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
of having an affair, which Hart denied. The accusation began causing marital problems for Hart, which led to a backstage confrontation with Michaels. Sytch was friends with Hart and would entertain his children whenever they followed him on tour. In addition, she walked out of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
the night after the Montreal Screwjob
Montreal Screwjob
The Montreal Screwjob was a controversial, purportedly real life professional wrestling event in which the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, double-crossed the defending WWF Champion, Bret Hart, during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event...
, the incident in which WWF owner Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
cost Hart the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
.
In 1997, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
approached Sytch in regards to posing nude for the magazine, but she declined the offer. According to Sytch, Playboy offered her six figures to pose for them. Rena "Sable" Mero
Rena Mero
Rena Marlette Mero Lesnar , better known as Sable, is an American model, actress, and former professional wrestler. She is primarily known for her stints in World Wrestling Entertainment....
, with whom Sytch had real-life animosity, later claimed that Playboy never contacted Sytch for a possible photo shoot. She did, however, pose nude for Missy Hyatt
Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
's adult website Wrestling Vixxxens. In 2007, she claimed that she regretted doing it.
Sytch was rushed to the hospital in 2001 after her appendix burst, which required time off from wrestling to heal. By 2007, she was once again in school, studying Medical Technology.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- StunnerStunner (professional wrestling)A stunner is a common term in professional wrestling referring to the seated three-quarter facelock jawbreaker maneuver, predominantly used by Stone Cold Steve Austin and named for his Stone Cold Stunner finisher...
- Stunner
- Signature moves
- Diving crossbody
- Jawbreaker
- Wrestlers managedManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Brian LeeBrian LeeBrian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee...
- Chris CandidoChris CandidoChristopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
- Faarooq AsadRon SimmonsRonald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
- L.O.D. 2000
- The BodydonnasThe BodydonnasThe Bodydonnas were a professional wrestling tag team in the 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 brother Zip.-History:...
- The GodwinnsThe GodwinnsThe Godwinns was the best known gimmick of the professional wrestling tag team composed of Dennis Knight and Mark Canterbury that they used in the WWF. The team has used other gimmicks before they joined the WWF and had a gimmick change in the WWF shortly before disbanding...
- The Smoking Gunns (Billy GunnMonty SoppMonty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and Bart Gunn)
- Brian Lee
Championships and accomplishments
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Other honoree (1996)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Manager of the Year (1996)
- Women Superstars UncensoredWomen Superstars UncensoredWomen Superstars Uncensored is an American, New Jersey based female independent professional wrestling promotion which held its first event in 1996. Shows combine wrestling interspersed with both serious and comedic storylines. The company tapes two DVDs worth of material during weekend shows...
- WSU ChampionshipWSU ChampionshipThe WSU Championship is a professional wrestling championship in Women Superstars Uncensored. It is competed for in Women Superstars Uncensored, and has been defended on shows of sister promotion National Wrestling Superstars. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in...
(1 time)
- WSU Championship
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- Slammy Award for Best Buns (1996)
- Slammy Award for Minds Behind the Mayhem (1996)
- WWE Hall of FameWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
(Class of 2011) - WWE.com placed sunny #9 on their list of top 25 most impactful women ever.