Tammy Lynn Sytch
Tamara Lynn Sytch (born December 7, 1972), commonly known by her ring name Sunny, is an American former professional wrestling personality.
Tammy Lynn Sytch
- Professional wrestling manager
- ring announcer
- adult entertainer
Incarcerated
- Chris Candido (1990–2005, his death)
- DUI manslaughter
- Driving with a suspended license and causing injury or death
17 years in prison
5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[1]
118 lb (54 kg)[1]
1992
2018
Sytch was introduced to the professional industry by her longtime boyfriend Chris Candido, and debuted in the Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) territory in the early 1990s. During the later half of the 1990s, Sytch gained mainstream fame within the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) as Sunny, becoming one of the most popular figures in the company during the New Generation Era and early Attitude Era. WWE widely considers Sunny as their first Diva,[3][4][5] and America Online named her the most downloaded celebrity on the internet in 1996.[6] After departing the WWF in 1998, she appeared alongside Candido in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). After Candido's 2005 death, Sytch was active on the independent circuit until she retired in 2018. Lauded as one of the greatest managers in WWE history, she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.[7]
Since 2012, Sytch has been arrested and incarcerated several times, including multiple arrests for driving under the influence. In November 2023, she was sentenced to seventeen and a half years in prison on DUI and manslaughter-related charges stemming from a March 2022 incident. Although lauded as having "redefined the role of women in WWE",[8] various commentators have noted how her personal controversies have impacted her legacy.
Early life[edit]
Sytch was born to parents of American and Russian origin. Sytch grew up in a strict family,[9] with a father retired from the United States Navy.[10] Sytch graduated from Cedar Ridge High School in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, in 1990.[11] Upon entering Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1993, her fictional "in-character" storyline presented her as having come from studying pre-law at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.[12] She then switched to pre-med at the University of Tennessee,[2][12] with the ambition to be a plastic or orthopedic surgeon.[13] During her first year of college, she worked as a freelance photographer.[12]
Professional wrestling career[edit]
Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1992–1995)[edit]
Sytch started out traveling with her boyfriend Chris Candido to make some extra money.[2] 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. In June 1993, an unnamed Sytch made a cameo appearance at Eastern Championship Wrestling's Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular event.
Sytch managed Brian Lee to the Heavyweight Championship and also began accompanying Candido in his matches. 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).[12]
World Wrestling Federation (1994–1998)[edit]
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.[12] One month later, Candido joined the WWF, and the duo began appearing as Sunny and Skip, known collectively as The Bodydonnas. They were originally known as Team Spirit and booked as babyfaces, but were heavily booed by the crowd after they were recognized for their characters in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, thus turning villainous fitness fanatics.[14][12][15] Zip (portrayed by Tom Prichard) later joined the team, and Sunny was in their corner when they won the Tag Team Championship over The Godwinns at WrestleMania XII.[2][12] On March 10, 1996, Sunny hosted a show called “The Sunny Show” wherein she discussed the upcoming matches at Wrestlemania XII.[16] In that same year, she won Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Manager of the Year Award.[1][15] 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.[12]
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.[12] She then served as a special guest commentator during Rocky Maivia's WWF debut at Survivor Series 1996. Later that year, the internet company AOL announced that Sytch was the most downloaded woman on their website, surpassing various megastar celebrities such as Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Aniston, Mariah Carey and Cindy Margolis.[17] During this time, she was heavily featured on numerous television programs such as MTV's Singled Out and Entertainment Tonight, becoming one of the preeminent figures in the company. On February 24, 1997, Sunny faced Marlena on Monday Night Raw at Manhattan Center in an arm wrestling match that ended in no contest after Sunny threw a powder on Marlena's face.[18] She later managed Savio Vega in his match against Goldust that same night. Sunny would spend the rest of 1997 acting as a host, ring announcer, special guest referee, commentator and timekeeper for several WWF television shows, including LiveWire and Shotgun Saturday Night.[12] 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 1997 pay-per-view.[12]
In 1998, Sunny returned from a brief hiatus and became the manager for Legion of Doom 2000, leading them to a win in a Tag Team Championship number one contender battle royal at WrestleMania XIV, turning face for the first time in her career.[15] Sunny would continue to manage them until her final appearance on June 15, 1998. She was released in July 1998 amid rumors of backstage problems with Sable and an addiction to painkillers, as well as no-showing several appearances.[12]
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1998–1999)[edit]
After being released by the WWF in July 1998, Sytch joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).[19] She made her debut at Heat Wave four days after her WWF release.[12] Now billed as Tammy Lynn Sytch, she assisted Candido in his win over Lance Storm and their subsequent feud.[12][15] By September, Storm introduced his own valet, a parody of Sytch, "Tammy Lynn Bytch". Later that year, amid more rumors of drug use, Sytch and Candido took some time off of television.[12]
When the duo returned, Candido re-aligned with Shane Douglas' Triple Threat, and Sytch began a feud with Douglas' manager Francine. The feud was cut short when Sytch was arrested after violating a restraining order filed by her mother.[12] 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. Candido and Sytch left the promotion in December 1999.[12]
World Championship Wrestling (2000)[edit]
After appearing in Xtreme Pro Wrestling (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 Sytch's dress off to reveal her undergarments after Candido defeated The Artist in a singles match. Sytch and Candido then briefly feuded with Crowbar and Daffney. Candido later dropped the title, which marked the end of the couple's run with the company.[12] As in the past, Sytch's departure was surrounded by rumors of drug abuse.[12]
Independent circuit (2000–2018)[edit]
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 Rico 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 (WWC) 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, Sytch became 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.
Adult entertainment[edit]
Sytch has claimed that, in 1997, Playboy had approached her and offered a six-figure sum to pose nude for the magazine. Sytch stated that she declined the offer[12][27] because she didn't feel that she was emotionally ready to do something like that. Rena "Sable" Mero, with whom Sytch had real-life animosity,[12] later disputed Sytch's claim that she was approached for a possible photo shoot.[28]
From 2001 to 2003, however, Sytch regularly posed nude for Missy Hyatt's adult website Wrestling Vixxxens. In later years, Sytch said she regretted taking part in the website due to money she claimed she never received as well as the sexual actions some of the other models performed in their own photo and video shoots.[29]
In 2016, Vivid Entertainment released a pornographic film featuring Sytch titled Sunny Side Up: In Through the Backdoor.[30]
After being released from prison in 2020, Sytch created an OnlyFans account to upload adult-oriented content.[31]
Personal life[edit]
Sytch attended high school at the same time as her long-time boyfriend, Chris Candido,[32] who would later introduce her to the professional wrestling industry.[12] Sytch regularly managed Candido throughout his career until his death in 2005.[33] By 2007, she was once again in school, studying Medical Technology.[2]
Sytch claims to have had a nine-month relationship with Shawn Michaels in the mid-1990s.[34][35] Sytch was also friends with Bret Hart and would entertain his children whenever they followed him on tour.[36] On one episode of Raw in mid-1997, Michaels accused Hart of having an affair with Sytch; the "sunny days" promo would contribute greatly to the real-life animosity between the two men, to the point where they would eventually have a fight backstage several weeks later.[37] Sytch would walk out of WWE on the night after Survivor Series that year, after WWF owner Vince McMahon double-crossed Hart – who was imminently due to leave for main competitor WCW – and cost Hart the WWF Championship in an unscripted incident known as the Montreal Screwjob.[12]
Sytch was rushed to the hospital in 2001 after her appendix burst, which required time off from wrestling to heal.[12] While in jail in 2013, Sytch said that she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, but underwent a hysterectomy and was later diagnosed as cancer free.[38][39]
She released an autobiography, A Star Shattered: The Rise & Fall & Rise of Wrestling Diva Tammy "Sunny" Sytch, on February 4, 2016.[40]