Chris Candido
A supremely skilled and resilient technical wrestler who thrived in the hardcore crucible of 1990s ECW and beyond.
1972–2005 (age 33)·American professional wrestler·Birthday: March 21·Generation X
Biography
Chris Candido was a wrestler's wrestler, a master of the mat whose technical prowess often overshadowed by the chaotic eras in which he performed. Trained by the legendary Larry Sharpe, he debuted as a teenager and quickly proved he could work any style. Candido found his most defining run in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he formed a memorable partnership with Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch. As 'The Triple Threat' member, he delivered show-stealing performances that blended pure wrestling with the promotion's violent ethos. He achieved mainstream visibility in the WWF as Skip, part of the vain tag team The Bodydonnas, winning the tag titles. Throughout his career, which included stops in WCW, Japan, and TNA, Candido was respected for his toughness and adaptability. His life was cut short in 2005 due to complications from surgery, a tragic end for a talent widely regarded as one of the most underrated of his generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Died at 33
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
Key Achievements
- Won the WWF World Tag Team Championship as Skip, one-half of The Bodydonnas.
- Captured the ECW World Television Championship and was a key member of The Triple Threat faction.
- Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship during his tenure in TNA.
- Won multiple tag team titles across various promotions with several different partners.
Did You Know?
He began professional wrestling training at the age of 16.
Candido wrestled a match with a severely broken arm, which he suffered during the bout, and finished his scheduled spots.
He was an accomplished amateur wrestler in high school.
His brother, Johnny Candido, was also a professional wrestler.
“I'm a wrestler, not a sports entertainer. I do this for the guys in the locker room.”
