Today marks twenty years since Eddie Guerrero, a sturdy branch of the famous Guerrero wrestling family tree, passed away. I remember that a decade ago I penned a column about the tenth anniversary of his passing, noting that there was still somewhat of a sombre atmosphere around his legacy. Eddie had endured and overcome so much in his life just a few years prior to his death that it seemed like such an abrupt, unfinished ending to his story. The “sizzle” of Latino Heat didn’t seem like it could burn out when Eddie was just 38, or even fade away two decades later. Given his family history and influence on the industry that has emerged since he left the pro wrestling world in 2005, one would’ve guessed that Eddie would be alongside his longtime friend, Dean Malenko as a producer for All Elite Wrestling, or maybe working as a coach at the WWE Performance Center.
Eddie Guerrero was a lifer in pro wrestling, but nobody would’ve thought that his tenure in the sport would’ve been limited to the year of 2005. Eddie was a lifer of the squared circle the way that Malenko, Jericho, Mysterio, and Regal have spent their entire lives involved in the industry in some form or fashion. It seemed like the most successful chapter of his career and his life was just beginning, not ending.
It’s cliche, but it’s true. Life isn’t fair, and Eddie Guerrero passed away at just 38 in a hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota, seemingly in the prime of his life.
Even twenty years later, I can still remember exactly where I was when I saw the news of Guerrero’s passing on a Sunday night on a Yahoo Sports webpage. In total shock, as fast as dial up internet at the time could get there, I checked a wrestling news site to see if it was true. I called one of my wrestling buddies, still completely in shock that one of the prime WWE stars had passed away.
Eddie’s story of addiction and the vices of life is well documented. If I had to guess, I’d say the years of the party lifestyle and steroids probably contributed to the enlarged heart that caused his death. Those years still took their toll on the body long after Eddie turned his life around. That’s why Eddie Guerrero’s legacy, including the impact that it still has today, should be considered a true success story. The narrative of the career of Eddie and thus his legacy could’ve been viewed very differently if he didn’t show the courage to kick his addiction. If Eddie had passed away from drugs in 2002 after he was cut from the WWE the previous year, the discussion around his career would’ve been a disappointing cautionary tale rather than the success story that it is today.
Still, there will always be some traces of sadness around Eddie, he worked so hard to reclaim his stellar reputation as one of the best pure workers in the business, and as he evolved as a performer in the WWE in the latter stages of his career, he checked the entertainment boxes too as a way to prove how truly well-rounded his was in the squared circle. He deserved so much more than just the few years of recognition that he got was he was still alive.
The other side of that coin would be, could you imagine what Eddie could be doing as an elder statesman of the business today?
Sure, as mentioned, it would be a natural fit as a coach or trainer, but it also seems like it would’ve been a given that he would have a role in running AAA after the WWE purchase earlier this year. Furthermore, Dominik Mysterio and Eddie in the same ring for a promo battle would probably be very compelling television.
Speaking of which, with the WWE acquisition of the lucha libre group, it will hopefully make his legendary run alongside the late, Art Barr as Los Gringos Locos more accessible to more fans than any other time in the history of the sport. Along those same lines, his legacy is cemented in the the annals of the record books of sports entertainment, as his ECW, WCW, and WWE career are easily found on the different WWE streaming platforms.
When it comes to classic Eddie Guerrero moments, one of them was more or less (and probably justly) erased from history. At Wrestlemania 20, the event where Eddie retained his belt in a match against Kurt Angle, his longtime friend, Chris Benoit won a triple threat match in the main event to claim the World Heavyweight championship, an accomplishment that many of his critics, didn’t think he could achieve. Benoit wasn’t too bland and he wasn’t too small, he was the top guy for the biggest pro wrestling company in the world. The pair of real-life best friends embraced in tears as Eddie celebrated Benoit’s success as the show went off the air.
With their real-life friendship so well known and the moment at Wrestlemania 20 etched in the minds of so many fans when they reflect on the history of the “showcase of the immortals” when it rolls around each April on the calendar, it’s understandable why the careers of Benoit and Guerrero are always linked to some degree. That brings us back to the “what if” Eddie had lived to become a coach or trainer in the modern era. I could be wrong, but I honestly believe that if Eddie didn’t pass away that the Benoit tragedy doesn’t take place. I understand that is a lot of hypotheticals, but I sincerely think that his best friend’s death contributed to Benoit’s mindset when he decided to commit murder a year and a half later. If the Benoit tragedy doesn’t happen, there’s a completely different perspective of the business for several years, but with a scenario that complex, it’s a different story for a different time. I’ve rarely written about Chris Benoit since that horrific weekend of events more than 18 years ago simply because I truly don’t think there’s much left to say about him. Benoit killed a women and a child before he took his own life. Those real-life actions are far more important than anything he did during a scripted pro wrestling show. It’s unforgivable and there’s absolutely no excuse for taking the lives of two innocent people. As closely as their careers were associated, it’s very apparent why they are viewed so differently in retrospect.
The Guerrero legacy remains celebrated as it should be, and within the past few months, there was news that the family name will continue in the industry. One of Eddie’s daughters, Shaul Guerrero spent three and a half years in the WWE developmental system before she left the company. Just recently, it was announced that his daughter, Sherilyn started to train to become a professional wrestler at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling organization.
As I said, when I wrote an article about the anniversary of Eddie’s passing ten years ago, there was still a sadness around it, and while time can’t fully heal some wounds, things can get easier throughout that time. Over the past decade, it seems like Eddie’s legacy is celebrated rather than his death being mourned.
On November 13, 2005 at the age of just 38 years old, Eddie Guerrero passed away, but legends never die.
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
