20 Years Gone: Remembering Eddie Guerrero

In 2005, we had just started seeing the effects of drugs on a whole generation of wrestlers. We weren’t quite at the point where it seemed like a wrestler was dying every month. But in just a few short years, we had lost: Crash Holly, Chris Candido, Jerry Tuite, Chris Adams, Curt Hennig, Davey Boy Smith, Big Boss Man, Bobby Duncum Jr., and Anthony Durante. It was one death that rocked me more than the rest, though, and that was Eddie Guerrero.

If you’ve read my first Great Eight column, you know that Eddie Guerrero is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time. I feel privileged that I grew up watching Guerrero on my television. I can safely say he was my childhood. He died just a few months after I turned 18, graduated High School, and dealt with the death of my grandma.

With that said, I want to take some time today to celebrate the legacy of one of my all-time favorite wrestlers.

The Life and Career

Eddie was the fourth and youngest son of Gory Guerrero. His brothers broke into the business a decade before Eddie wou

ld first lace up his boots in 1986.

It was in AAA that Eddie started making a name for himself. He formed La Pareja del Terror with Art Barr. The duo would also align themselves with Konnan, Chicano Power, and Madonna’s Boyfriend to form los Gringos Locos.

La Pereja del Terror’s match against Octagón and El Hijo del Santo on World Collide would catch Paul Heyman’s eye. Barr would, unfortunately, pass away before their debut. But Heyman still brought Guerrero in, and had him beat 2 Cold Scorpio for the ECW World Television Championship in his first match.

His work in ECW, which included a series of acclaimed matches against Dean Malenko, would get him signed to WCW in August of 1995.

His WCW run is filled with incredible matches, championship reigns, and bad booking. So, the typical run of an undercard wrestler in WCW at the time. His match with Rey Mysterio at Halloween Havoc in 1997 was the kick-off to both a rivalry and friendship that would last until Eddie’s death.

In 2000, Eddie would join Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, and Chris Benoit in jumping to the WWF. He would have many memorable moments over the next couple of years. His program with Chyna and Chris Jericho was gold.

Guerrero would be sent to rehab in May of 2001 and then fired after a DUI. While he was out of the WWE, he would show up in some independent companies, having an acclaimed triple threat with Rey Mysterio and CM Punk for the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship.

He would return to the WWE in 2002 and spend two years rebuilding his name. He would team first with Chris Benoit and then with his nephew Chavo. It was during this time that he would perfect his “Lie, Cheat, and Steal” gimmick.

2004 would finally bring a validation and catharsis to us fans. Eddie Guerrero, long touted as one of the best in the business, was given the chance to run with the ball. He would beat Brock Lesnar at 2004’s No Way Out to win the WWE Championship. He would defend it in one hell of a match at WrestleMania XX. And would hold the belt until dropping it to JBL at that year’s Great American Bash.

Eddie’s last two great feuds would be against longtime friend Rey Mysterio, which would culminate in a ladder match for the custody of Dom Mysterio at SummerSlam. And then against Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship.

The Legacy

When talk of who the greatest of all time comes up, there is always a handful of names. Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, The Rock, and Steve Austin. For my money, though? The GOAT is Eddie Guerrero.

He may not have had as many championships as the other listed, and he may not have sold as many tickets. But put his body of work up against any of theirs, and I think Eddie deserves to be in that discussion.

He could wrestle any style, high flying, technical, and brawling. Not only was he able to do it, but he was also great at all of them. He had that realness to him that made you forget you were watching something predetermined. And that came across in his promos as well. Anytime he was on the microphone, he exuded passion and believably. You bought into what he was saying, because he bought into what he was saying.

I pop a little every time Dom pulls out a tribute to Eddie. I love seeing him do the cheating spots that made Eddie’s matches so much fun, with the twist that it doesn’t work as well for Dom. With all the different tournaments and matches that pay tribute to different wrestlers. I’d love to see an Eddie Guerrero Memorial tournament in AAA. It could be a mix of AAA, NXT, TNA, and WWE wrestlers all paying tribute to a man who loved this business and is deserving of the honor.

It doesn’t feel like it’s been 20 years already; it seems like only yesterday that I was sitting there reading the news. The first wrestler’s death that would make me cry, and unfortunately, not the last. RIP to one of the greatest of all time, Eddie Guerrero.