Chris Candido Cup
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In professional wrestling, the Chris Candido Memorial Tag Team Tournament was a tag team tournament held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to commemorate the memory of Chris Candido, who died on April 28, 2005 while contracted to TNA. Rather than featuring established tag teams, the tournament instead featured teams consisting of one established veteran and one young rookie, representing Candido's veteran status at a young age and his commitment to working with and helping younger wrestlers.
The tournament began on the August 19, 2005, episode of TNA iMPACT! and concluded on the September 8 episode. The winners, Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley, received the Chris Candido Cup and a shot at the NWA World Tag Team Championships at Unbreakable on September 11, 2005.
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[edit] Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals took place on the August 19 and August 26 episodes of TNA iMPACT!
[edit] Simon Diamond and Mikey Batts vs. Shocker and Chris Sabin
On August 19, Shocker and Sabin defeated Diamond and Batts, with Sabin pinning Batts after hitting the Cradle Shock. Batts had hoped to join the Diamonds in the Rough, but according to some reports, Diamond attacked Batts off-camera after the match.
[edit] B.G. James and Cassidy Riley vs. Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt
On August 19, Killings and Dutt defeated James and Riley, with Dutt pinning Riley after the Hindu Press. It should be noted that B.G. put the pumphandle drop on Riley, having refused to fight The Truth during the entire match.
[edit] Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley vs. Abyss and Shark Boy
On August 26, Waltman and Shelley defeated Abyss and Shark Boy, with Shelley pinning Shark Boy after the Shell Shock. Abyss cleared house after a few minutes, but then put the Black Hole Slam on his own partner, Shark Boy, leaving him to get pinned by Alex Shelley.
[edit] Kip James and Petey Williams vs. Konnan and Lance Hoyt
On August 26, Konnan and Hoyt defeated James and Williams, with Hoyt pinning James after the Boot From Hell. Kip James and Petey Williams were the only team to cut a promo together before their match. It did not help them, however. Hoyt proved too big for Petey to put the Canadian Destroyer on, and Hoyt ultimately got the pin on Kip James.
[edit] Semifinals
The semifinals took place on the September 2 episode of TNA iMPACT!
[edit] Shocker and Chris Sabin vs. Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt
On September 2, Shocker and Chris Sabin defeated Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt, with Sabin pinning Dutt in a pin combination. Right before the end, Sabin accidentally hit Shocker in the head with Dutt's legs when he tried to put Dutt in a Cradle Shock, causing a brief bit of friction.
[edit] Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley vs. Konnan and Lance Hoyt
On September 2, Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley defeated Konnan and Lance Hoyt, with Waltman pinning Hoyt after the Syxx-Factor. Kip James came out and distracted Hoyt, allowing Waltman to get a low blow and his finisher.
[edit] Finals
The finals occurred on the September 8 episode of TNA iMPACT!.
[edit] Shocker and Chris Sabin vs. Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley
On September 8, Waltman and Shelley defeated Shocker and Sabin, with Waltman pinning Shocker after an Syxx-Factor. Just prior to the finish, Shocker was accidentally drop-kicked by Sabin, who was aiming for Alex Shelley when Shelley fell out of Shocker's arms. Though Shocker tried to mount a recovery against Waltman, he suffered a low blow while the referee was distracted. Waltman and Shelley win the Chris Candido Cup and the title shot at TNA Unbreakable on September 11.
[edit] Aftermath
Shocker, frustrated by Chris Sabin's miscues in their matches, attacked Sabin after the match, setting up a singles match between the two at Unbreakable. However, travel issues meant that Shocker would be unavailable, and he was replaced with Petey Williams.
On September 11, 2005, at Unbreakable, Shelley and Waltman were scheduled to face defending champions, The Naturals, Team Canada, and America's Most Wanted, in a four way tag team match for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. However, Waltman no-showed Unbreakable, leaving Alex Shelley to fend for himself. After ten minutes of the match had elapsed, several of which saw Team Canada double-teaming a beleaguered Shelley, Johnny Candido (Chris Candido's younger brother) left his seat in the audience next to his father and stood on the ring apron. He then received a tag from Shelley, which the referee accepted. Although he was able to initially clear the ring, Candido was quickly pinned by Eric Young, thus making Candido and Shelley the first tag team to be eliminated from the match.
