The Match #12: The Sandman Vs. Chris Candido

By April 1st, 2001, both World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling were out of business leaving a lot of top names wrestlers available for independent shows. In this case, former ECW/WCW wrestlers Sandman and Chris Candido appeared on a show for the wrestling company Legacy Wrestling Enterprises. The show took place on December 5th, 2002 and was held in Fort Worth, Texas. After looking up the company, it appears they had only one show, with this match about to be highlighted as their one and only main event in company history.

Well, there is a bit of a backstory for the match. I seem to recall a shoot interview with Chris Candido where he recalls the match with Sandman as being a complete disaster since they drove together to Texas from New Jersey. Along with Tammy Sytch, they were drunk and exhausted from the road prior to appearing on the show. So, with that in mind, this should be interesting to see how this plays out.

Candido comes out with a microphone saying that he lost his ring gear and bag but is still ready for a fight. The match is actually a battle royal, at the start. Candido is so obviously intoxicated. He runs the ropes in slow motion before hitting a snap suplex on another wrestler. Sandman’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring through the crowd doing his usual entrance. Candido attacks Sandman on the floor but gets a beer can to the head. Candido whacks Sandman over the head with a steel chair. Candido clotheslines Sandman over the railing towards the ringside area to maintain control of the match. Sandman tosses Candido chest first into the railing but gets knocked down by Tammy. Sandman slams Candido on the wooden floor but is stopped by a low blow. Candido brings the action into the ring where he has a table. Sandman stops Candido with left hands. Tammy tosses the kendo stick right into Sandman’s face!

Candido puts Sandman onto a table and heads to the top rope. However, Sandman stops him with a head butt and a left hand. Sandman blocks a kendo stick shot but Candido whacks him across the back. Candido rings the ring bell on Sandman’s head. Sandman is able to break free and has a piece of guard railing to hit Candido a few times on the floor. Tammy whacks Sandman with the kendo stick a few times. Sandman sets Candido up and hit a suplex onto the guard railing but Tammy enters to hit Sandman with the kendo stick. Sandman elbows Candido a few times before putting him on the top turnbuckle. Sandman hit a top rope hurricanrana, as best as a drunk can possibly do.

Sandman is up and taunting Tammy before setting up the railing in the corner. Sandman sends Candido chest first into the railing before hitting a clothesline. Tammy whacks Sandman with a few wild kendo stick shots. Sandman lets out a “Jesus Christ” after a second wild one. Candido goes to the top rope and barely hits a leg drop to put Sandman through the table for the win.

Well, that was probably one of the most hilarious and yet awful matches. Normally, I’ll highlight underrated or good matches but I remembered reading or hearing about this match and there was actually footage of it. I think the fans were laughing at what these guys were doing and knew they were both in no shape to perform. The finish didn’t get and reaction whatsoever. The aftermath probably had the best spot of the match as Sandman hit a swanton off the top onto Candido who had the railing over his body. Oh, he also hit a DDT on Tammy onto the railing. Sandman continued to brawl backstage to end the video.

I had actually decided to review this a few weeks ago but I kept on putting it off until now. I promise the next installment of this series won’t be comedically awful match. This gets a DUD from me.

Thanks for reading.