Viva la raza eddie guerrero5/2/2023 ![]() ![]() After a historic match with current UFC Heavyweight Champion and then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, Eddie finally peaked by earning the company's top title, cementing his status as a truly gifted performer. By 2003, Eddie earned the United States Championship and inched closer to true main event status. He also formed a tag team with his nephew Chavo, dubbed "Los Guerreros", and teamed with the unpredictable Tajiri a short time after. After an unfortunate drunk-driving incident led to his temporary release from the company (during which he wrestled for the fledgling Ring of Honor promotion), he returned to WWE and quickly regained the Intercontinental title. Utilizing his natural showmanship and newly-christened nickname "Latino Heat", Guerrero quickly became European Champion and was involved in several feuds for the Intercontinental Championship. ![]() As his time in WCW slowly drew to a close, however, Guerrero displayed an increasingly methodical approach that led to a more successful career path.Įventually, the fading promotion relinquished Guerrero to the WWF in 2000, which would finally give the charismatic athlete some time in the spotlight. 1999 was certainly a rough year for Guerrero, as his involvement in a serious car accident led to several months of recovery and an increased drug addition. During his stay, however, Eddie's ability earned him several notable achievements during these years, including a run as WCW United States Champion, several memorable matches in the company's Cruiserweight division, a feud with the legendary Ric Flair and a spoof of the popular "New World Order" stable. Like countless other young performers in the industry, management simply didn't know how to sell these gifted athletes-and while they certainly made their mark in the promotion, Guerrero and company were undoubtedly frustrated. Fans and colleagues alike were dismayed to see him leave, along with close friends and future superstars Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit, after they were hired by WCW later in the year.Īs fate would have it, Guerrero and company were sorely underused during their five-year stints in WCW. Quickly establishing a strong reputation as an innovative singles wrestler, Guerrero was welcomed by the infamous ECW crowd and participated in some of 1995's most memorable matches. During his tenure in NJPW, Guerrero was soon discovered by ECW owner Paul Heyman, who invited the young star to wrestle for his fledgling promotion. Meanwhile, Guerrero also enjoyed relative success in New Japan Pro Wrestling during these years, continuing his venture as a tag team performer and wrestling as a singles competitor. Eddie began his professional wrestling career in Mexico's AAA promotion (Asistencia Asesoría y Administración) in 1992 and stayed there for roughly two years, earning a reputation as part of several successful tag teams. His father trained and wrestled in Mexico, while his uncles and three brothers also followed similar career paths. Yet the damage inflicted upon his body had already been done: Guerrero's heart finally gave out at the age of 38 while he slept in a hotel room.īorn and raised in El Paso, Texas, Guerrero was surrounded by the wrestling industry from an early age. Eddie Guerrero's death in November of 2005 was shocking in its own right: though the talented, popular athlete had certainly lived recklessly in earlier years, he was reportedly clean and sober since 2001.and enjoying his most successful years in the industry to date. Whether their deaths were due to actions inside or outside the square circle, such events have greatly influenced the industry in general, often paving the way for stricter safety guidelines and drug-related investigations. The wrestling industry has lost plenty of talented performers far too soon, from Brian Pillman to the late, great Owen Hart. ![]() It's a story that's become painfully familiar in recent years: an athlete dies in the prime of their career, much to the dismay of friends, family and fans across the globe. ![]()
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