Now, I would like to focus on the great rivalries throughout the career of one of Jericho's closest friends, Eddie Guerrero.
During his storied Career, the late legendary Eddie Guerrero has battled with some of the best that the business had to offer. From AAA in Mexico to Japan, to ECW, WCW and finally in WWE, Eddie has danced with many partners. Like Chris Jericho, Benoit and others, Eddie was well versed in many different International styles of wrestling. Now, it is time to explore his greatest rivalries:
Chris Benoit:
Length of Feud: 1993-2003
Featured Matches:
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 1996
Fatal Four Way at No Way Out 2001 (IC Championship)
Four Way Elimination Match on Smackdown (w/Edge and Kurt Angle)
Armageddon 2002
Vengeance 2003 (US Title Match)
Match Quality: 4.5/5
Storyline Quality: 7.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10
Their styles of wrestling and careers mirrored each other. The only difference is that Eddie had much more charisma. Both were technical wizards who crafted their skill Internationally. Eddie incorporated more of the Lucha-libre style while Benoit applied the Hart Dungeon Canadian style of wrestling. They were both fantastic in the Japanese strong style of wrestling as well. Their builds were also very similar. Guerrero and Benoit first crossed paths on the International Circuit in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the Best of the Super Juniors Tournaments in the 90's. They would battle each other in WCW as well, but things did not fully launch until they both jumped ship to the WWF as members of the Radicalz. Soon, tension started to build within the group as both leaders would find themselves fighting for the IC Title. At No Way Out 2001, Guerrero and Benoit were involved in the Fatal 4 Way Match that included X-Pac and IC Champion Chris Jericho. Y2J would ultimately win. Between 2002 and 2003, Benoit and Eddie would battle for the US Title with Guerrero being the ultimate victor. WrestleMania XX was a watershed moment for both of them as they closed the night with confetti as they held their World Titles in victory after years of dedication. The chemistry that they had together was among the best that wrestling had to offer. They had similar skills, but different characters. Sadly, they are also associated by the way that they died. Eddie passed away in 2005 while Benoit tragically took his life along with his family's life in 2007. They changed the business not only by their influence as wrestlers but also through their tragedies.
Rey Mysterio:
Length of Feud: 1995-2005
Featured Matches:
Halloween Havoc 1997 (Title vs. Mask for WCW Cruiserweight Title)
WrestleMania 21
Judgment Day 2005
Great American Bash 2005
Summerslam 2005
Match Quality: 4.5/5
Storyline Quality: 9/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10
Both of these Latino Warriors are deeply connected because Eddie Guerrero's influence is what helped to propel Rey Mysterio. Without Eddie, there would be no Rey. Eddie and Rey's history traces back to their time in AAA. From that point, they would reconnect in WCW. This is where things really started to heat up between them. Rey and Eddie were fixtures as the backbone of the Cruiserweight Division. At Halloween Havoc, Guerrero and Mysterio tore the roof off of the building with their Title vs. Mask match for the WCW Cruiserweight Crown. Mysterio won the championship and kept his mask. This match put everything else on that show to shame. This was named WCW's Match of the Year, and rightfully so. Later, Eddie would form the Latino answer to the NWO called the "LWO" (Latino World Order). He tried to recruit Mysterio, but Rey denied. In WWE, Eddie and Rey would be members of the Smackdown Six, a group of workhorse wrestlers that delivered the best quality matches that WWE had to offer on the Smackdown Brand. Along with them were Edge, Kurt Angle, Benoit, and Chavo. Like they did in the Cruiserweight Division, Eddie and Rey formed their own identity away from the A level Stars. Eddie even defended the WWE Title against Rey at one point. Mysterio and Guerrero later won the WWE Tag Team Titles. At WrestleMania 21, Eddie and Rey put on a great match to start the show. Mysterio won as it helped to ignite the fire that was burning to create their feud. Soon, Guerrero turned heel and viciously attacked him. The feud culminated at Summerslam with Rey winning custody of Dominic. Following Eddie's death, Rey won the WHC at WrestleMania 22 in honor of the Latino Legend.
Dean Malenko:
Length of Feud: 1995-1997
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 7/10
Rivalry Rating: 7.5/10
Featured Matches:
ECW Hostile City Showdown
ECW WrestlePalooza 6-man Tag Match (Dean w/Cactus Jack & 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Eddie Guerrero & The Steiner Brothers)
Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match in ECW
WCW Uncensored 1997
WCW Starrcade 1997
This feud was built strictly off of one-upmanship. Malenko was one of Eddie's best dance partners, because of how well they were able to bounce off of one another. Their matches were the highlight of ECW as they carried many of the shows. In an environment fueled by blood-thirsty fans and violent brawls, Guerrero and Malenko provided substance and technique. Their series of matches from ECW is still the stuff of legend to this very day. They danced pretty much to the same beat and same rhythm in the ring. Both men received a standing ovation from the ECW crowd in their farewell match before going to WCW together in late 1995. In WCW, Dean and Eddie would cross paths again as staples of the Cruiserweight Division with feature matches in 1997 from Uncensored to Starrcade. No matter the environment, they created chemistry.
Kurt Angle:
Length of Feud: 2004
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 7.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8/10
Featured Matches:
WrestleMania XX
Summerslam 2004
Much of Eddie's best work involves him dancing with great technicians, and Kurt Angle is one of the best that his generation has to offer. I find it quite interesting that after winning the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar, Eddie transitioned from a storyline with one former amateur wrestler to another. Kurt Angle stepped in to become Guerrero's next challenger. Kurt attacked Eddie's character by saying that he has brought dishonor and disrespect to the WWE Title because of his problems with drugs and alcohol. This led to their awesome match at WrestleMania XX, where Guerrero retained the title by outsmarting Angle. Soon, Kurt suffered an injury and became the General Manager of Smackdown. The feud continued with Angle making things miserable for Eddie as champion. At the Great American Bash, Kurt pointed out how JBL reached the last turnbuckle in their Strap Match before Eddie's hand reached that point. Thus, JBL became the new WWE Champion. After his injury was exposed as fake Kurt Angle faced Eddie Guerrero at Summerslam. This time, Kurt won. Anytime Eddie and Kurt stepped into the ring to battle, you knew they would pull things out of the hat that they wouldn't use against anyone else.
John Bradshaw Layfield:
Length of Feud: 2004
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Rating: 8.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8/10
Featured Matches:
Judgment Day 2004 (WWE Championship)
Great American Bash 2004 (WWE Championship- Texas Bull Rope Match)
Steel Cage Match (Smackdown)
Armageddon (Fatal Four Way for WWE Championship w/Undertaker and Booker T)
When Bradshaw returned after the APA split up, he became the arrogant JR Ewing-inspired John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL). The JBL character was like the Texan version of Ted DiBiase. JBL was like the Cowboy that struck rich on Wall Street. He carried himself like a Presidential Candidate. After fighting off Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XX, Eddie would have his hands full with the hard-hitting and pompous Layfield. JBL caused Eddie's mother to have a heart attack (kayfabe). From that point, the rivalry would kick off. JBL would mock Hispanics and Latinos and say that Eddie had no place as the WWE Champion (Long before Donald Trump). This would lead to a bloody and brutal battle at Judgment Day as JBL challenged Eddie for the WWE Championship. This match was the definition of Ruthless Aggression, as it was clearly a product of its time. It is most remembered by the way that both men would heavily bleed during the match as it was the extra element that made this battle unique. Eddie would retain the WWE title by DQ after hitting JBL with a chair. This would open the door for a Texas Bull Rope Match at the Great American Bash. Much like the Judgment Day match, Guerrero and JBL would bleed profusely in this match. Talk about a colorful rivalry. Their matches are best defined by blood. This match ended in very controversial fashion when Eddie would seemingly remain the champion. However, GM Kurt Angle reversed the decision when he showed that JBL's back reached the turnbuckle before Eddie's hand could even reach it. As a result, John Bradshaw Layfield became the new WWE Champion. They would have a rematch in a Steel Cage Match. However, Angle cost Guerrero the title when he dressed as El Gran Luchadore. It caught Eddie by surprise. Guerrero and Layfield would have their last encounter for the Title in a Fatal Four Way match that featured Undertaker and Booker T. JBL remained Champion. This feud did great things for JBL as a heel. I would go on record to say that Bradshaw had the best matches of his career with Eddie Guerrero. This is a testament to how Eddie could bring the best out of his dance partner.
Conclusion:
Rey Mysterio:
Eddie Guerrero's most passionate and intense rivalry came against long-time friend Rey Mysterio. They were practically brothers, which added extra fuel to this fire. Their matches were technical classics, but their storyline is what gives this feud the edge over Eddie's other rivalries. The dances that Eddie had with Rey were his best. Guerrero was a major influence on Mysterio breaking into the business. The best Dance Partners are usually those who have a very deep connection with each other, and Eddie had his best dances and strongest connections with Rey. It was evident in their quality of matches and storylines. The rivalry essentially started with Eddie trying to take away Rey's mask and it basically ends that same way. The only difference is that it became much more personal years down the line in WWE. Both of these Latino legends had undying passion and that very passion was at its peak in their feud. Without question, Rey Mysterio will go down as Eddie Guerrero's greatest rival.
Greatest Matches:
1. vs. Rey Mysterio (Halloween Havoc)
2. vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania XX)
3. vs. Chris Benoit (Vengeance 2003)
4. vs. Dean Malenko (Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match)
5. vs. Dean Malenko (Hostile City Showdown)
6. vs. JBL (Judgment Day 2004)
7. vs. Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 21)
8. vs. Chris Benoit (Best of the Super Juniors 1996)
9. vs. Kurt Angle (Summerslam 2004)
10. vs. JBL (Great American Bash 2004)
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