5 Interesting backstage stories about Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero is one of the most iconic and influential WWE Superstars of all time. During his time with WWE, Latino Heat was able to build some great relationships and become the WWE Champion.
Although he hit his prime in the mid-2000s, Guerrero tragically passed away on Nov. 13, 2005. His sudden death left the WWE Universe stunned as there was so much more that he could've achieved had he been blessed with a few more years.
Even though his tenure with the company lasted just over five years, he managed to touch a lot of lives and inspire a generation of new Superstars, who still idolize him.
Kurt Angle has called him the second-best wrestler of all time, while WWE has listed Eddie Guerrero as the fifth-greatest wrestler in the SmackDown history.
"[Eddie] could have been the absolute greatest of all time because when I wrestled, he was still in that top three we were talking about, so Eddie had it all. He was so entertaining, but he also had all the technique. He was such a great wrestler and he got it. He got finishes. He knew how to structure them."
Several current and former WWE Superstars have also shared some interesting backstage stories related to the former WWE Champion. Let's look at five such stories following the Eddie Guerrero's 53rd birthday.
#5. Eddie Guerrero didn’t want Rey Mysterio to lose his mask at Halloween Havoc
Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero were the closest of friends, which allowed them to deliver great matches and a memorable rivalry WWE. Their WCW Cruiserweight Championship at WCW Halloween Havoc 1997 was one of the most iconic matches of their respective careers.
According to Mysterio, the original plan was for him to lose his mask during the match, an idea he wasn’t really in favor of. However, Eric Bischoff threatened to sue Mysterio if he didn't do so, which made Mysterio even more unhappy with the decision.
However, Eddie Guerrero didn't want Mysterio to unwillingly lose his mask and backed his friend up against Bischoff.
"I remember getting in there a day or two early before the pay-per-view and we saw Eric [Bischoff] at the Betty Boop Bar, at the MGM Grand [Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada], which is right there at the entrance and I remember I wanted to talk to him. And it was very brief, but I told him that I wasn't comfortable doing that match, especially, well, I wasn't comfortable losing my mask. And he was like, 'Rey, you have to do what you're told [because] you're under contract or else you'll be in breach of contract', so he was really getting at me that day. That whole week was a nightmare, man."
"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%."
WCW changed the outcome of the match at the last minute, and Mysterio won the match and the title from Eddie Guerrero during the show instead. The story speaks to how much he respected Mysterio and his beliefs during their time together.