It’s been eleven years since Eddie Guerrero passed away and he’s missed by wrestling fans with each passing day.
Eddie Guerrero won over fans across the globe with his charisma and skill, and he had a big impact on the lives of wrestling fans. Eddie may be gone, but his spirit lives on, and he’s very far from forgotten.
The world truly lost one of the greats when we lost Eddie Guerrero and today we’re going to honor his legacy by looking at some of his greatest moments and matches.
#10 – Kurt Angle vs Eddie Guerrero – WWE Championship Match – WrestleMania XX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xa6W61mgO4
Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero was such a perfect feud. Kurt knew exactly how to work with Eddie and portray him as a sympathetic, lovable face and the two just had great chemistry in the ring together. Their excellent chemistry carried them to a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania XX and it was one to remember.
The match itself was as great as we all expected it to be. But there was one particular moment that was vintage Eddie Guerrero. Knowing that Angle would go for the Ankle Lock, Eddie untied his boot so that he would be able to slip out of the hold when Angle applied it. After wiggling his way out of an Ankle Lock Eddie then rolled Kurt Angle up for the 1-2-3 to retain his WWE Championship.
Like we said, the match itself was phenomenal but this moment will always be memorable because it’s something anyone could do, but only Eddie Guerrero could pull off.
#9 – JBL vs Eddie Guerrero- Texas Bullrope Match For The WWE Championship – Great American Bash 2004
At the Great American Bash in 2004 Eddie Guerrero faced off against JBL in a Texas Bullrope match. Let’s be honest here, nobody really likes watching strap matches where the two opponents are attached and have to touch the four corners, but these two made it work.
JBL and Eddie Guerrero proved to be perfect opponents as their characters fit so well when going up against each other. Unfortunately for Eddie however this was the match that ended his one and only WWE Championship reign. After some some controversy, SmackDown General Manager Kurt Angle declared JBL the winner and new WWE Champion. It was a shame to see him lose the belt, but fans were so attached to Eddie that we all took the loss just as hard as he did.
#8 – Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio – Title vs Mask – Halloween Havoc 1997
The stakes were high in this title vs mask match from Halloween Havoc 1997 where Eddie Guerrero put his Cruiserweight Championship on the line. Of course the two delivered an awesome match and it’s remembered fondly by wrestling fans.
But Rey Mysterio recently talked about the match in an interview with MLW Radio and revealed that Eric Bischoff wanted him to lose the mask in the match even claiming that Bischoff threatened to sue him if he didn’t. Mysterio didn’t want to lose the mask and also revealed that Eddie had his back. Of course the finish was changed, but it’s a nice little reminder that family and friends meant everything to Eddie Guerrero.
“Eddie [Guerrero] did tell me, ‘if you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to,’ so he was backing me up 100%. I said, ‘naw, lets just go with it. Lets just do it.’ I want to say a match before ours, the decision was changed, and, again, they were just messing with me.” Mysterio said.
#7 – Eddie Guerrero vs Dean Malenko – Two Out Of Three Falls Match – ECW Hostile City Showdown 1995
Before Eddie Guerrero was a WWE Superstar or even a WCW wrestler he performed all over the world and one of the places that helped him make a name for himself was ECW. Malenko and Guerrero cemented their legacies as incredible wrestlers in ECW and the fans loved them for it.
Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero put on a clinic as they battled each other in a two out of three falls match. Both men were able to score a fall before the match was called a draw. But it’s highly regarded as a technical classic and it’s a nice reminder that there was so much more to ECW than just steel chairs and flaming tables. The two men stood in the ring and listened to a thunderous ovation after the referee called for the bell which is a testament to just how good the match was.
Both men would compete in a similar match a few months later before departing for WCW.
#6 – Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam – Ladder Match For The Intercontinental Championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtfosUky5eg
Eddie Guerrero had already made a name for himself in the WWE but this match was a very pivotal moment for his WWE career. Often overlooked, this match saw two men in their prime face off in what is arguably one of the best ladder matches ever. Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero headlined Monday Night Raw with this match and it got a lot of people talking.
Back in 2002 names like Triple H, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle and The Rock were making waves in the WWE so guys like Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero really had to step up when they wanted to shine. When it came time to perform in this match they both stepped up, big time.
Though Eddie lost his Intercontinental Championship in this match it really didn’t matter. The match itself was simply incredible and it got a lot of WWE fans behind Eddie Guerrero because they knew he would put it all on the line to entertain them.
#5 – Eddie Guerrero Steals Ric Flair’s Royal Rumble Number
Eddie Guerrero lied, cheated and stole our hearts but he also stole Ric Flair’s number for the 2005 Royal Rumble. Flair and Guerrero both picked their Royal Rumble entry numbers in front of Teddy Long and Eric Bischoff. Flair seemed thrilled about his pick, Eddie Guerrero, not so much.
It was then that Eddie hugged Flair and moments later Flair realized that during the embrace Guerrero had stolen his Royal Rumble number. It was a quick moment that reminded us all to keep our eyes on Eddie Guerrero because you never know what kind of tricks he’s got up his sleeve.
#4 – Eddie Guerrero Claims To Be The Father Of Rey Mysterio’s Son
Eddie Guerrero was great at playing the face but he was just as good at being a heel. After turning on his partner and friend, Rey Mysterio, Eddie made a wild claim that he was actually the father of Rey’s son Dominic. It’s the type of soap opera style wrestling storyline that would make you roll your eyes on paper, but Eddie managed to turn it into captivating television.
The storyline really played with the emotions of wrestling fans and it culminated in a ladder match at SummerSlam where Eddie and Rey fought for custody over Dominic. Rey won and gained custody over Dominic and we were all happy to see the hero win. But we never would have felt so happy for the hero had Eddie not managed to play such a great villain.
#3 – Eddie Guerrero vs Mr. Kennedy – Eddie’s Last Match
A few days before Eddie passed he wrestled his last match against Ken Kennedy at a SmackDown taping. Looking back on the match now it’s a perfect reminder of everything that made Eddie Guerrero so special. He of course brings it in the ring and brings out the best in Mr. Kennedy.
In the end Eddie grabs a chair and does a a little dirty work to convince the referee that Kennedy had hit him with the chair causing the ref to call for the bell. Its unfortunate that it was his last match ever, but he went out with style and the match personifies Eddie Guerrero in so many ways.
#2 – Eddie Shares A Moment With Chris Benoit At WrestleMania XX
Chris Benoit is a controversial name nowadays for obvious reasons, but that’s not what this is about. Benoit shared a special moment with his friend Eddie Guerrero at WrestleMania XX an it was unforgettable. After years and years of climbing their way through the ranks of professional wrestling, both men stood tall with their World Championship belts in hand at the end of the show.
It was emotional watching Chris Benoit win the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX. It was emotional watching Eddie Guerrero retain the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XX. But that iconic shot of both men enjoying their special moment together is something that we will never forget.
#1 – Eddie Guerrero Defeats Brock Lesnar For The WWE Championship – No Way Out 2004
Eddie Guerrero had one hell of a career and all of his hard work was finally validated when he defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at No Way Out in 2004. Eddie had the fans on his side and their support managed to push him into the main event scene and get him a WWE Championship shot. The odds were stacked against him and Eddie seemed like such an underdog going up against Brock Lesnar which is why it made for such an unforgettable moment when he finally won the big one.
Eddie’s WWE Championship win is a moment frozen in time. It’s been over 10 years since it happened but it’s the type of moment that you feel every single time you watch it. Eddie Guerrero deserved this win, he deserved to be the WWE Champion and he earned the right to stand at the top of the mountain. This was a special moment for wrestling fans everywhere and the smile on Eddie’s face as he celebrates tells the whole story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAndeYqHya0