Eddie Guerrero

Eduardo Gory Guerrero Yañez (October 9, 1967 - November 13, 2005), better known by his ring name Eddie Guerrero, was a Mexican-American professional wrestler. Born into a legendary Mexican wrestling family, Eddie Guerrero managed to maintain the storied legacy of his family. Through the 1990s, he had a distinguished career, working for every major promotion in the United States during that period: Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Guerrero's in-ring character was that of a crafty, resourceful wrestler who would do anything to win a match. His famous mantra became "Cheat to Win". Despite being a heel for much of his career, he became popular in and outside the ring.

Throughout his career, Guerrero encountered various substance abuse problems outside of wrestling, including alcoholism and an addiction to pain killers. His problems outside of the ring were sometimes integrated into his storylines. Notwithstanding these issues, Guerrero won numerous titles during his career, including the WWE Championship.

Early Years (1987-1992)
Fro 1987 until Guerrero wrestled in Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre (EMLL) (now Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), World Wrestling Association (WWA) in Mexico and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the United States.

Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion (1992-1994)
In Mexico, he wrestled mainly for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, teaming with "El Hijo del Santo" as the new version of La Pareja Atómica (The Atomic Pair), the tag team of Gory Guerrero and El Santo.

After Gueerrero turned on Santo and allied with Art Barr as La Pareja del Terror (The Pair of Terror), the duo became arguably the most hated tag team in lucha libre history. Along with Barr, Konnan, Chicano Power, and Madonna's Boyfriend (Louie Spicolli), Guerrero formed Los Gringos Locos (The Crazy Americans), a villainous stable. Guerrero later said that no matter how many people joined Los Gringos Locos, the stable was all about Art. Locos feuded mostly with El Hijo del Santo and his partner Octagón, eventually ending in a Hair vs Mask Match at the first lucha pay-per-view in America, When World's Collide, which they lost.

Guerrero and Barr's first break would come when they were noticed in late 1994 by the owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Paul Heyman, and were approached about wrestling for him in 1995. Barr, however, died before he could join ECW with Guerrero.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (1993-1996)
In 1993, Guerrero began wrestling in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he was known as the second incarnation of Black Tiger. He won the NJPW Junior Heavyweight Super Grade Tag League Championship with Great Sasuke in 1993, which made him the most successful Black Tiger. He became more successful upon his return when he won the Best of the Super Juniors 1996 tournament of junior heavweights. He received a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke at NJPW Skydiving J but lost the match.

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995)
Guerrero won the ECW World Television Championship from 2 Cold Scorpio on his debut in ECW, and went on to have a series of acclaimed matches with Dean Malenko before they both signed with World Championship Wrestling later that year. Guerrero lost the ECW Television Championship to Malenko on July 21 of that year, but Guerrero regained the title on July 28. Guerrero lost the ECW Television Championship back to 2 Cold Scorpio on August 25. The next day, they had their last match which ended in a draw in a two out of three falls match at the ECW arena. After the match, the locker room emptied and the two were carried around the ringby their fellow wrestlers while the crowd chanted "please don't go".

Return (1995)
Guerrero to WCW in late 1995 along with Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit with whom he had worked with in NJPW and ECW. During his first few pay-per-view events, he competed in dark matches against Alex Wright. His first televised pay-per-view appearance was at World War 3 where he competed in the 3-ring, 60-man World War 3 battle royal for the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Guerrero was one of the final nine wrestlers in the battle royal until he was tossed out of the ring by Four Horsemen members. At "Starrcade 1995, Guerrero represented WCW in a WCW vs. NJPW World Cup tournament2661 series. He lost to Shinjiro Otani in the match, but WCW went on to win the series.

United States Champion (1996-1997)
In 1996, Guerrero reveived several shots at the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship against Konnan at Uncensored and Ric Flair at Hog Wild. He feuded with Ric Flair and the "Four Horsemen" during 1996 after Guerrero's partner Arn Anderson turned on him during a tag team match against Ric Flair and Randy Savage. In late 1996, he feuded with Diamond Dallas Page after defeating him in a match at Clash of the Champions XXXIII. He started feuding with Diamond Dallas Page to steal his nickname of "Lord of the Ring" but lost. Guerrero participated in a tournament for the vacant WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and defeated DDP in the final round at Starrcade 1996 to win the United States title.

In 1997, Guerrero defended the United StatesHeavyweight Championship against Scott Norton at Clash of the Champions XXXIV, Syxx in a Ladder Match at Souled Out, and Chris Jericho at SuperBrawl VII. His reign came to an end at Uncensored when Dean Malenko defeated him for the title.

Death
On November 13, 2005, Eddie was found unconscious in his hotel room by his nephew, Chavo. Chavo attempted CPR, but it failed. Chavo contacted the paramedics, but Eddie had already died. An autopsy revealed that Eddie had overdosed on painkillers. A ceremony in honor of Eddie was held on an edition of Friday Night Smackdown!. Eddie was inducted by his nephew into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. On the 10 year special edition of Smackdown!, Eddie was honored, as the anniversary was on Eddie's birthday.

Wrestling facts

 * As Eddie Guerrero
 * Finishing moves
 * Frog Splash (WWF/E) / Jackknife Splash (WCW)
 * Lasso from El Paso (Elevated cloverleaf with a knee to the back)


 * Signature moves
 * Brainbuster
 * Dropkick, sometimes to the opponent's knee, or from the top rope
 * European uppercut
 * Figure four leglock
 * Gory special
 * Hilo (Slingshot somersault senton)
 * Huracanrana, sometimes to an oncoming opponent, while springboarding or from the top rope, or to an opponent sitting on the turnbuckle
 * Monkey flip to a cornered opponent
 * Multiple suplex variations
 * German
 * Super
 * Three Amigos (Triple rolling verticals)
 * Vertical
 * Plancha
 * Seated chinlock
 * Senton - WCW
 * Spinning crucifix dropped into a neckbreaker slam - 2000-2001
 * Splash Mountain (Sitout crucifix powerbomb)
 * STF
 * Sunset flip powerbomb
 * Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker
 * Tornado DDT, sometimes when diving from the top rope


 * 'As Black Tiger
 * Finishing moves
 * Black Tiger Bomb (Sitout crucifix powerbomb, sometimes from the second rope)
 * Kneeling bely to belly piledriver


 * Signature moves
 * Slingshot somersault senton
 * Tornado DDT


 * Nicknames
 * "Latino Heat"
 * "The Late Great"


 * Tag teams and stables
 * La Pareja del Terror - with Love Machine
 * Los Guerreros - with Chavo Guerrero
 * Filthy Animals
 * Latino World Order
 * Los Gringos Locos
 * Radicalz


 * Managers
 * Chyna (WWF) (2000)


 * Wrestlers trained
 * Chavo Guerrero
 * Fuerza Chicana
 * Konnan


 * Theme music
 * "Animal" by Pearl Jam (ECW) (1995)
 * "Latino Heat" by Jim Johnston (WWE) (April 2, 2000-May 21, 2001; April 1, 2002-March 13, 2003)
 * "Lie, Cheat, Steal" by Jim Johnston (WWE) (March 14, 2004-April 28, 2005; October 28, 2005-November 11, 2005)
 * "Live And Let Die" by Guns N' Roses (ECW) (1995)
 * "Smooth" by Santana (ROH) (2002)

Championships and accomplishments

 * Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
 * AAA World Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Love Machine


 * Extreme Championship Wrestling
 * ECW Television Champion (2 time)


 * IWA Mid-South
 * IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion (1 time)


 * World Championship Wrestling
 * WCW United States Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
 * WCW World Cruiserweight Champion (2 time)


 * World Wrestling All-Stars
 * WWA International Cruiserweight Champion (1 time)


 * World Wrestling Association
 * WWA World Trios Champion (1 time) - with Chavo Guerrero Sr.& Mando Guerrero
 * WWA World Welterweight Champion (1 time)


 * World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
 * WWE Champion (1 time)
 * WWE Tag Team Champion (4 time) - with Rey Mysterio (1), Chavo Guerrero (2), Tajiri (1)
 * WWF/E Intercontinental Champion (2 time)
 * WWE United States Champion (1 time)
 * WWF European Champion (2 time)
 * WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2006 (inducted posthumously)
 * 6th WWE Grand Slam Champion