Wrestler of the Day: EDDIE GUERRERO

[The Man Known as Dan]

EricR and I were at this when it happened (albeit on different sides of the Cow Palace) and suffice to say, no volume on any sound system in the entire world can duplicate the pop when the ref counts three. There was absolute fucking magic in the air that night.

 

 

Not only is that match amazing and the finish amazing, but it might be my favorite Cole ever.

[E.J.]

The first wrestler I ever liked not because he looked cool, or WWE told me to like him, but because he genuinely entertained me with his ring-work.

[RIPPA]

If anyone has the strength - the entire Eddie tribute show is on Youtube

 

[Cristobal]

The first wrestler I ever liked not because he looked cool, or WWE told me to like him, but because he genuinely entertained me with his ring-work.

This. I remember his feud with the Horsemen (think it was the Pillman/Benoit version), and it was this little flying Mexican dude, and growing up on 80's WWF, I had been conditioned not to care about that sort of wrestler but he was SO DAMNED GOOD in there. Then they turned him heel and he became the first heel I ever supported. If you're going to point to a point in the evolution of my fandom where it became about wrestling and not just watching a tv show with fake fighting, that's probably about it.

[Greggulator]

Like the T-Shirt he forced Chavo to wear said: Eddy Guerrero is my favorite wrestler.

 

To wit:1) The first time I saw him was in ECW. In the context of the era, they were mindboggling. To those of us where were "cultured" fans of the time, their really wasn't anything like it since Steamboat/Flair. They were two superior athletes using incredibly imaginative moves and sequences. The only guys really on par in terms of athleticism and imagination were Shawn and Bret but we know that story. Also, those Malenko/Guerrero matches essentially invented American indie wrestling. You can take that for good or bad but they essentially took all the disparate parts of their backgrounds -- Japan, lucha, etc. -- into a new hybrid form of wrestling that took off.

 

Also, one of the most popular musicians of the time period was Beck. Beck essentially did that for music -- he took everything he loved and morphed it into a post-modern version of punk/hip-hop/folk/etc. A lot of people afterwards tried to do what Beck did in merging styles and failed -- crap like 311, Cyprus Hill, Limp Bizkit, etc. all tried to take disparate influences into one sound. But that doesn't make Odelay any less brilliant. It's the same with wrestling -- just because a ton of shitty indie dudes do the reversal sequences doesn't make what Eddy and Dean did bad. They jut can't do it as well. No one can.I don't think the Eddie/Dean matches were the best ever in ECW. But I'm not going to disagree with someone who says they are.

 

2) I still remember when Eddy came in and went rudos in WCW and started to talk. He was doing color commentary on Nitro of some Dean Malenko match. "Dean Malenko? When we go to parties, he just sits there and stares at people." It was so amazing. The first sign of the personality he had.

 

3) Eddy took what he did in ECW and extended it in WCW since he had a a lot more people to work with. That, naturally, culminated in THE match versus Rey. I think that's the best match in WCW history and probably the best match of that decade. It's definitely high on the list. It's just absolutely spectacular, perfect wrestling -- a hate-filled match in the context of American Junior Wrestling. Just terrific.

 

4) The best part about WCW was that, despite the friggin' never ending Buff Bagwell posing while Kevin Nash and Scott Hall and Hogan say a bunch of crap and the Warrior in the mirror, you'd get some random match that could end up being one of the best matches ever. Case in point: There's some Nitro match that happened during the LWO-era. Eddy is a spectacular rudo and Juvi is portraying a perfect Stevie Ricardo lackey. They take on Rey and Billy Kidman. The match went on for a super long time and was awesome. My favorite WCW match ever, except for maybe the above match and Doc/Gordy vs. The Steiners or Dustin/Ricky vs. The Enforcers.

 

5) I'm not a lucha expert at all. But I'm thinking that everyone who really loves lucha reveres the Eddy/Art Barr vs. Santo/Octogan match at When World's Collide. The storytelling in that match is so epic: Eddie and Santo's dads being lifelong best friends; Art Barr as super dick; Octogon having to save the day to keep Santo's mask; the heels getting their comeuppance. So lucha fans, am I correct in saying that match is one of the best ever? I think it's one of the best tag matches of all-time. Also, it had Art and Eddy doing the swim taunt which is so great.

 

6) Eddy in the WWE was so, so, so insanely great. He was the best face AND the best heel within the same year. Also, the ladder match for custody of a child is legitimately my favorite gimmick match ever. I wish all custody battles were determined in that fashion. Eddy's silent promo and the "DON'T MAKE ME HURT THEIR PAPA" are great but by far the creepiest is when he's at the playground with Dominic to start the "I'm his real dad" angle and sits the kid on his lap and asks if he wants candy.

 

7) Eddie vs. Brock. Eddie vs. JBL. Oh man. The best.

[The Natural]

 

 

On the mike Eddie Guerrero gave one of the creepiest promos I've seen, the week after he turned heel on Rey Mysterio in 2005. The promo had Eddie Guerrero sitting down on a chair with an overhead spotlight on him talking to Rey Mysterio’s mask. The promo ended with Eddie Guerrero telling Rey not to come back: “don’t make me hurt their papa”. Superb intense promo.

 

A legend.

 

 

Thank you!

[Craig H]

I didn't make it past the Hurt video. Still too painful. Still too fucking painful.

[Brian Fowler]

I didn't make it past the Hurt video. Still too painful. Still too fucking painful.

Yup. Nobody else like that for me, but it seems I'll never get over his death.

[Dolfan in NYC]

Serious question... Where do you think Eddie would be if he'd not passed away? 

 

My guess is he'd be in the 'special attraction' category like Chris Jericho and the Undertaker. Probably would've been a part of the streak.

[Bustronaut]

I would love for him to be a trainer at NXT, but I don't think he'd allow himself to be anything other than a full-time wrestler.

[RIPPA]

I think a lot would depend on other factors.Like if the WWE still discovered what they had with Vicki and she was still a performer - I could see him staying full time to be able to travel with her.

 

Or - assuming Benoit still goes crazy, I could see that ruining wrestling for Eddie

[jaedmc]

He would have been WWECW champion for sure and he would eventually be putting over Morrison and Swagger. Having tag matches with Christian. We probably would have gotten an epic ECW title feud between him and Mark Henry. 

 

I can't even imagine what would happen if they still discovered Vickie. Such a great heel character. She could rise to power and they'd probably run a wacky angle with her as heel boss telling Eddie he should be at home watching the kids. It's his turn to take them to school. It probably would have gotten super sexist, but the prospect of those interactions sound magical. She'd tell him Edge is the future and we'd get Edge/Eddie Feud Part 2.

[Matt D]

Freaking everyone making me sad. Today's wrestler of the day better be a happy wrestler. No Owen Hart or Brian Pillman. At least save that for Friday.

[The Man Known as Dan]

Can we nominate wrestlers? Cause there are some fun options to entertain all over.

[RIPPA]

Yeah - I kinda boned myself starting with Eddie since no one will care who I pick now. But yeah... I have about a billion people to choose from so I think I am good there.

 

I was looking through the old 500s just for inspiration and if anyone cares. 

Where Eddie placed

1) #4

2) #12

3) #39

4) #66

5) #73

6) #2

7) #1

8) #14

[The Natural]

 

I didn't make it past the Hurt video. Still too painful. Still too fucking painful.

Yup. Nobody else like that for me, but it seems I'll never get over his death.

 

 

The Hurt and Here Without You videos are very moving.

 

Serious question... Where do you think Eddie would be if he'd not passed away? 

 

My guess is he'd be in the 'special attraction' category like Chris Jericho and the Undertaker. Probably would've been a part of the streak.

 

I think Eddie would have held the WWE Championship again and or the World Heavyweight Championship. Two of my dream matches: Eddie Guerrero vs. The Undertaker and Eddie Guerrero vs. Shawn Michaels. I can imagine Eddie using his Cheat 2 Win mantra to try and beat The Undertaker at a WrestleMania.

[DEAN]

Eddy is my all favorite wrestler.  I became a superfan because I got so deeply into his career- getting pissed off at every slight, but also freaking out over every thing they did right right with him.  He's a strange story for me.  I don't think I get two of him in a lifetime, but I'm always looking.  Eddy was- for me as a wrestling fan- and I mean this- like the FIRST time I ever saw Jimmy Snuka (which for me was in 1977 and it was a fucking GIANT DEAL) but that moment just STAYED until he died.  I can't really compare it to any other fan experience.

[RIPPA]

One of the first memories of meeting Dean (besides the Dick Murdoch story) was the number of times I heard about him seeing Eddie wrestle in ECW Arena

[LooseCannon]

Serious question... Where do you think Eddie would be if he'd not passed away? 

 

My guess is he'd be in the 'special attraction' category like Chris Jericho and the Undertaker. Probably would've been a part of the streak.

 

He'd be the guy feuding with wrestlers they want to move up to the title picture, sometimes jobbing to them and sometimes going over when they abort the push.  The Miz (after teaming with him in the world's most dickish tag team), Ryback, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett...those are the kind of the people he might feud with.  And he'd be the guy they plug into a title match when they don't have anyone else ready and don't want to go with yet another rematch of a recent match.

[Pete]

EricR and I were at this when it happened (albeit on different sides of the Cow Palace) and suffice to say, no volume on any sound system in the entire world can duplicate the pop when the ref counts three. There was absolute fucking magic in the air that night.

 

 

Few of you might remember my friend Mayumi, AKA "Puro Girl," so called because she was a big fan from growing up in the Philippines while NJPW was doing berserk TV ratings there. The night Eddie won the title I was on the phone with her and mentioned the title change. "Eddie won the World title. EDDIE GUERRERO. WORLD TITLE."  Too damn funny.

[Cristobal]

Serious question... Where do you think Eddie would be if he'd not passed away?

We'd either have all come around on Cena a lot sooner, because Eddie would have made him with some utterly great matches, or we'd still hate him cuz he'd never have matches so good as Eddie's, so we'd just assume he was a carryable guy who can talk.

[Dolfan in NYC]

 

Serious question... Where do you think Eddie would be if he'd not passed away? 

 

My guess is he'd be in the 'special attraction' category like Chris Jericho and the Undertaker. Probably would've been a part of the streak.

 

He'd be the guy feuding with wrestlers they want to move up to the title picture, sometimes jobbing to them and sometimes going over when they abort the push.  The Miz (after teaming with him in the world's most dickish tag team), Ryback, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett...those are the kind of the people he might feud with.  And he'd be the guy they plug into a title match when they don't have anyone else ready and don't want to go with yet another rematch of a recent match.

 

So, yes... Chris Jericho.  We agree.

[Brian Fowler]

Yes, Chris Jericho, except 10 billion times better.

 

Also, if Eddy had lived we would currently be living in a booming worldwide economy, cancer would have been cured, and world peace would be just weeks away.

[BobbyWhioux]

I think Eddy dying in particular is one of the main deaths that caused me to Not Really Watch Wrestling Much, Anymore.

 

All of them have had a cumulative effect and would've anyway, of course, but Eddy in particular was frustrating and sad because he was so good in whatever capacity he was put in.  Felt like one of the ever-dwindling number of guys who could make it feel real, even if just for a moment. 

 

He always reminded me a bit of Savage in that he was equally good and equally believable as a face or a heel and that's pretty rare.

 

I knew there wasn't going to be and couldn't be another one like him and thoughts like that really underscore what a true loss anyone's death is.

[No Point Stance]

I think I realised in the mid-90s that Eddy (his own preferred spelling of the name, as he notes in his book) was my favourite wrestler, and somehow he remained in that spot for me through the highs and the lows right up until the present day. He was THE total package, as versatile a performer as there has ever been and someone who excelled in every category. I act a little bit and watching that 2005 heel turn promo reminds me how incredible and convincing Eddy could be on promos, even granting some much-needed credibility to a stupid and unbelievable angle like a paternity struggle over Rey's kid.
When Eddy died it hurt for me like no other wrestling death before or since, possibly in part due to the fact that I'd just read and really enjoyed his autobiography. When Vince and the soulless pieces of crap writing for the WWE decided to then exploit and mock his passing it was time for me to turn my back on the WWE. I've never watched a single Raw or Smackdown since they used Eddy's death for the cheapest of cheap heat (though I think I've watched a total of four or five of their PPVs since) and I will never again respect Misterio or Randy Orton for their part in agreeing to metaphorically piss on Eddy's grave. It was truly a sub-Fritz Von Erich piece of 'booking' and made me furious; how it must have made his family feel is another thing altogether. I also can't help but find blame for the manner of his passing in the pressure he must have felt to bulk up in WWE.
It's interesting to think of what might have been, the good and the bad. Who knows if Benoit would even have gone insane like he did if Eddy hadn't passed away? Regardless, nothing can take away from the legacy Eddy Guerrero left us, an amazing body of work from a guy who will never be forgotten.