WINC Watchlist: Eddie Guerrero's Greatest Matches

Twenty years ago this past Thursday, the wrestling industry lost one of its greatest stars when former WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero passed away at the age of 38. After seeing those who knew and loved Guerrero honor his memory this week, we here at Wrestling Inc. also wanted to contribute, and since we're fundamentally fans, we figured the best way to honor Eddie would be to remember our favorite performances from his electric and far too short career.

These matches are not ranked, and we didn't do a complicated vote or anything like that. These are just the matches that a few of Eddie Guerrero's fans remembered fondly and wanted to write about. As you might expect, they're not just WWE matches either — far from it. Guerrero's career spanned from WWE and WCW to NJPW and AAA, and we'll cover all those bases here. If you've been following WINC's opinion features, you may remember a couple of these matches from previous columns, like an earlier Watchlist or our Halloween Havoc 1997 retro review. All we can say is that we write about those matches here specifically with Eddie in mind, and it's not our fault he was part of so many famous and/or nostalgic moments in modern wrestling history!

With that in mind, here are Eddie Guerrero's greatest matches, as selected by the WINC staff. Viva la raza!

Given that Eddie Guerrero spent the bulk of his career wrestling for powerhouse promotions such as WCW, WWE, ECW, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, one would figure that the greatest match of his career had to happen in one of those places. But what if the match many consider the greatest Guerrero had wasn't in any of those promotions? Rather, what if it was for a Mexican promotion, where Guerrero's first name was spelled with a "y" (his preferred way of spelling his name), and where he was only one fourth of a match that featured two all-time lucha libre legends and one of the biggest what-if's in wrestling history?

To be fair, the When Worlds Collide match that saw Guerrero and Los Gringos Locos teammate Love Machine Art Barr battle El Hijo del Santo and Octagon in a mask vs. hair match has become the stuff of legend over the years. It was one of two marquee matches in the first ever lucha libre event broadcast over United States pay-per-view, alongside Konnan vs. Perro Aguayo, it was the culmination of the hottest period in AAA's then short history, and it sadly proved to be the apex of Barr, who's death just days after the event left a permanent mark on Guerrero — who subsequently adopted Barr's finisher, the Frog Splash, as his own.

What it also was, however, was a match that had been broiling for generations. While Guerrero has since become one of wrestling's most legendary figures, he began his life as the son of Gory Guerrero, an early lucha libre legend who just so happened to be the tag team partner of El Santo, considered by many to be the greatest luchador, and perhaps the greatest wrestler, to ever live. So when Guerrero and Hijo del Santo decided to follow their fathers into lucha, and wound up in AAA at the same time, it was only natural to team them up as La Pareja Atomica (The Atomic Pair), the same name Gory and Santo had used during their decades teaming together. But jealousy on Guerrero's part, and Barr manipulating Guerrero into believing Hijo del Santo had betrayed him, caused the team to split, birthed Los Gringos Locos, and led to When Worlds Collide.

From a moves standpoint, Guerrero may have had better matches, most notably his bout with fellow When Worlds Collide alum Rey Mysterio at Halloween Havoc 1997. But the history, the story, the stakes, and a hot, pro-Mexico crowd in the LA Sports Arena, combined with the great action to create not only the high water mark for lucha libre, but for Guerrero's career. Other matches may have more flash, others may have been more accessible. But as far as this writer is concerned, nothing can hold a candle to the magic Guerrero created that night, with an assist from Barr, Santo, and Octagon.

Written by Eric Mutter

Of all the names tied to the legacy of Eddie Guerrero in wrestling, there is one that quite rightfully cannot be revered alongside him, despite being one of the closest – both as a rival in the ring and as close friends beyond it – to him in his life. But at times when one looks at the immense body of work that Guerrero put out in a career he literally gave his life to, it would be unfair not to laud his ability in producing some of the most innovative action-packed storytelling between the ropes. 

One such an occasion, and frankly quite a few of the best, came when Guerrero was wrestling in NJPW as the Junior Heavyweight, Black Tiger II, and during his time competing within the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament. His best opponent, far and away, was the man who would become his best friend, wrestling as the Wild Pegasus, in several clashes as the Gaijin in the tournament over the years. Guerrero got the better of Pegasus during the block stage of the 1994 tournament, before Pegasus went on to win the 1995 tournament with a win over Guerrero in the semi-finals. So when the 1996 semi-finals played host to a rematch between them, they had already laid the groundwork for a competitive saga-defining match. 

The match itself told that story to great effect, with Guerrero fighting from beneath Pegasus, who was making use of great mat work to asphyxiate the early goings. It's a very rare happenstance in professional wrestling where headlocks can be utilized to such a great degree, but it was the way in which they were being replied, Pegasus harassing his opponent throughout the proceeding with all the confidence of a proven winner, that worked so well with Guerrero's eventual comeback and victory. 

The closing stretch in particular was some of the smoothest work ever produced, sealed with a victory that saw the Black Tiger eventually crowned as the winner of that year's tournament. Sometimes things just click and the viewer is aware of the chemistry between the talent before them, and perhaps that only adds to the tragedy that would come later. Guerrero remains one of the best workers the sport has ever seen, years before his time and gone far too soon. Here's to him and the mark he left on professional wrestling.

Written by Max Everett

For all of the historic moments and matches that took place in World Championship Wrestling, it really is a true testament to how good Eddie Guerrero and Rey Misterio Jr. were in this match as it has become one of the most iconic matches in WCW history, and to many, the best in the company's history.

Chances are you have probably seen this match already, or are at least aware of it. From the purple gear Rey had on to prevent himself from being unmasked as his mask was literally sown into the outfit, to the legendary Halloween Havoc set, and of course the "Latino Heat" gimmick that Rey's son Dominik Mysterio certainly takes inspiration from these days. Everything about it is so recognizable, with Rey's gear being referenced a number of times over the years, and the match being part of the WWE 2K25 showcase mode which has allowed younger generations to discover it, but the actual quality of the match shouldn't be overlooked.

Eddie and Rey always had great matches together as their chemistry was off the charts, but even for someone who was still seen as a cruiserweight, Eddie was a brilliant bully in this match. After a quick start, Eddie quickly took control of the match by targeting Rey's back as a way of grounding his much smaller opponent. Some of the backbreakers in this match are a thing of beauty, and Eddie plays the role of Goliath to Rey's David excellently here. Rey knows that he won't just have to fight through the pain to get the job done, but he would have to take every miniscule opening he could get and do something spectacular just to stay alive.

This led to such moves as the backflip DDT that Rey himself claims was a once in a lifetime thing that he hasn't never been able to replicate. The tope con giro into the Hurricanrana that requires such precise timing and coordination that it's a borderline miracle they were able to pull it off at all, and of course the finish which saw Rey counter an Avalanche Razor's Edge into a modified West Coast Pop, a move both men nicknamed "Splash Mountain." It would take something remarkable to beat Eddie on this night, but Rey took his highlight reel offense to another level.

It feels cliché to call this match a classic, but sometimes the popular opinion is also the correct one. This is the crown jewel of the WCW cruiserweight division, arguably the best match in WCW history, and even the careers of both Rey and Eddie. If you haven't watched it, watch it right now, and if you have watched it ... just watch it again.

Written by Sam Palmer

All things considered, Eddie Guerrero was already an all-timer before he got to WWE but upon that arrival, while the fans were drawn to him, it would take some time before he'd cement legendary status. Enter: Brock Lesnar, as WWE Champion, and with Guerrero as his challenger, an absolute star-making moment was afoot. Though "Latino Heat" had his time in the spotlight as part of The Radicalz after defecting from WCW, his flirtations and partnership with Chyna, some midcard title shine and otherwise, beginning in 2002, Guerrero began to ascend as a made man without any shadow of doubt.

With Lesnar unequivocally atop the WWE come time for No Way Out in 2004, Guerrero presented as a legitimate challenger, but we call bullhonk on anyone who says they saw this match going in Eddie's favor. That said, the crowd was all Eddie on this particular evening, with "Eddie!" chants ringing out almost immediately and Guerrero playing the underdog throughout, working Lesnar methodically in a chop-the-tree-slowly-until-it-falls fashion. Ultimately, following a ref bump (and with a forgettable Goldberg spear playing a ho-hum cameo in the interim), Guerrero put together an unbelievable reversal of Lesnar's F5, turning it into an explosive DDT, and finishing things off with his trademark Frog Splash for the win.

As emotions flowed freely, this was the moment that took Eddie Guerrero from cult hero to all-time great, securing his spot amongst legends forevermore, and while looking back, it's hard not to lament what else could have been, this moment is etched in history as a coming-of-age moment for a one of a kind, all-time great.

Written by Jon Jordan

Guerrero's WWE Championship match against John Bradshaw Layfield at Judgment Day 2004 is best-known for being a brutal gorefest, as Guerrero accidentally cut too deep into his own forehead during a blade job, causing one of the bloodiest scenes in WWE history. However, their championship match at the pay-per-view wasn't just historic for its bloody imagery, it also kicked off the pair's now-legendary feud. 

The match occurred right around the time JBL was really leaning into his heel Wall Street character, and he even gave Guerrero's mother a kayfabe heart attack after attacking the champion in the ring at one point. With the storyline heat burning going into the match, it's no wonder the just-over 23 minute main event match started out as a slug fest, with Guerrero dominating its beginnings. The match is a fairly standard, yet hard-hitting bout, right until JBL blocked the third of the Three Amigos and Guerrero countered a big power bomb from JBL, then knocked down the referee. JBL clocked Guerrero with a chair at ringside, and that's when the botched blade job occurred, with Guerrero immediately leaking buckets to "holy s***" chants from the crowd.

Bradshaw goes on the immediate assault on a woozy Guerrero, complete with shots with the steel steps. JBL hit the champion with a big Clothesline from Hell, but couldn't get the referee roused for the count. Guerrero was able to kick out by the time another referee slid in the ring, but JBL knocked down that referee. With the first official now awake, Guerrero kicked out twice following a power bomb, and was a gruesome sight when JBL put him in a sleeper hold. In the end, it was JBL to win via disqualification when he pushed the champion too far, and Guerrero hit him over the head with the championship belt after JBL brought it in the ring. 

Following the now, for better or worse, iconic blade job, then-WWE chairman Vince McMahon was furious, as he deemed the blood "way too much" and said it took away from the match. Fans, however, could argue it added to the intensity of the feud that was only just getting started.

WWE doesn't have their Judgment Day bout posted to its YouTube channel or website, likely due to its graphic nature, but it can still be found on Peacock for those in the United States. The company does feature, however, the next two big matches in Guerrero and JBL's feud, including their Great American Bash 2004 Texas Bull Rope Match and their "WWE SmackDown" steel cage match. All are great watches, but their Judgment Day match sets the tone for just how brutal and personal things got between the men.

Written by Daisy Ruth