Eddie Guerrero

###

El Paso, Texas, U.S

###

Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S

**Eduardo Gory** "**Eddie**" **Guerrero Llanes** (October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005), was a Mexican-American professional wrestler and a member of the Guerrero wrestling family.

Guerrero performed in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions, and in the United States, performed for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and most notably World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/WWE). Guerrero's gimmick was that of "Latino Heat," a crafty, resourceful wrestler who would do anything to win a match. His catchphrase became "I Lie! I Cheat! I Steal!" and was used in one of his entrance themes; he partly used this phrase in the title of his 2005 autobiography, *Cheating Death, Stealing Life*. Despite being a villain for most of his career, he was popular in and out of the ring and was at the peak of his career as a fan favorite during 2003–2005, becoming the top wrestler on the SmackDown brand in 2004. He experienced various substance abuse problems, including alcoholism and an addiction to painkillers; these real-life issues were sometimes incorporated into his storylines.

Guerrero won 23 titles during his career, including 16 between WWE, WCW, ECW, and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), encompassing the WWE Grand Slam Championship. He was also a posthumous inductee into the WWE, AAA, *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* and Hardcore halls of fame.

## Early life

Guerrero was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School (El Jeff) in 1985. He attended the University of New Mexico as New Mexico Highlands University on an athletic scholarship. It was there that Guerrero entered collegiate wrestling before moving to Mexico to train as a professional wrestler. He followed in the footsteps of his brothers and father, who also wrestled in Mexico. As a boy, he would attend the wrestling promotions held by his father Gory Guerrero at the El Paso County Coliseum. Guerrero's father allowed him and his nephew Chavo to wrestle each other during intermissions.

## Professional wrestling career

### 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 became more successful upon his return when he won the Best of the Super Juniors 1996 tournament of junior heavyweights. He received a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke at Skydiving J, but lost the match. During his time with WCW, at Starrcade: World Cup of Wrestling in December 1995, Guerrero represented WCW in a WCW vs. NJPW World Cup tournament, which saw him losing to Shinjiro Otani in the match, but WCW would go on to win the series at 4–3.

## Personal life

Guerrero was survived by his widow Vickie Guerrero. They were married on April 24, 1990, and had two daughters: Shaul Marie Guerrero and Sherilyn Amber Guerrero. Guerrero also has a third daughter named Kaylie Marie Guerrero. During his two-year separation from Vickie, he had a relationship with a woman named Tara Mahoney. After the two broke up, he reconciled with Vickie. Eddie and Tara remained close friends until his death in 2005. Guerrero was close friends with fellow wrestlers Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and Batista.

Guerrero was a born-again Christian.

## Death

On November 13, 2005, Guerrero was found unconscious in his hotel room at The Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by his nephew, Chavo, who attempted CPR. However, Guerrero was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at the scene. He was 38 years old. An autopsy revealed that Guerrero died as a result of acute heart failure due to underlying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Guerrero's wife Vickie Guerrero claimed that he had been unwell in the week preceding his death. On the November 30 episode of *WWE Byte This!*, Chavo said that Guerrero had been working hard and was at peak physical fitness as a result, doing cardio and weight training exercises every day.

The episodes of *Raw* on November 14, 2005 and *SmackDown!* on November 18, 2005 each aired as tributes to Guerrero all storylines were put on hold.

Many of the wrestlers there wore arm bands with "E.G." on them. Eventually, other wrestlers, primarily his nephew Chavo and friends Mysterio and Christian, paid tribute to him in their matches by using the Frog Splash, Guerrero's finisher. Wrestlers CM Punk and Rey Mysterio dedicated some of their matches to Guerrero. The 3 Doors Down song "Here Without You" was used as a tribute song for Guerrero, as was Johnny Cash's cover of the Nine Inch Nails song, "Hurt'.

## Legacy

Guerrero was regarded as one of the great in-ring performers. In a poll of the WWE roster, he was ranked the 11th greatest professional wrestler of all time. Ric Flair named Guerrero one of his top 10 opponents, while Chris Jericho said he was the best performer in the world when he was "on".

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ **As Eddie Guerrero**
		- Frog splash
		- *Lasso from El Paso* (Cloverleaf while kneeling on the opponent's back or an Inverted figure-four ankle lock)
	+ **As Black Tiger (II)**
		- *Black Tiger Bomb* (Sitout crucifix powerbomb)
		- Kneeling belly to belly piledriver
* **Signature moves**
	+ Abdominal stretch, sometimes followed with elbow strikes
	+ Airplane spin
	+ Arm drag, into a cradle
	+ Back body drop, sometimes to the outside of the ring
	+ Back elbow
	+ Brainbuster
	+ Camel clutch
	+ Canadian backbreaker rack drop
	+ Catapult, to the outside of the ring
	+ Cradle backbreaker
	+ Cloverleaf
	+ Cross armbreaker
	+ Diving armbreaker
	+ Diving headbutt
	+ Diving hurricanrana, sometimes into a pin
	+ Diving splash
	+ Double chickenwing, transitioned into a pin
	+ Dropkick, sometimes from the top rope or to the opponent's knees
	+ Drop toe hold, followed up with a dropkick to the opponent's head
	+ Electric chair drop
	+ Enzuigiri
	+ European uppercut
	+ Eye poke
	+ Fallaway slam
	+ Falling DDT
	+ Flapjack
	+ Frankensteiner
	+ Figure-four leglock, sometimes while standing
	+ Frog splash crossbody
	+ Gory special, transitioned into a pin or a slam, sometimes inverted, and while doing a drop – adopted from his father
	+ *Gory Special 2000* (Spinning crucifix toss, dropped into a neckbreaker)
	+ Grounded armbreaker
	+ Half nelson cradle
	+ Hammerlock, sometimes elevated or while bridging
	+ Hangman's neckbreaker
	+ Headbutt
	+ Headscissors takedown, sometimes from the top rope
	+ Heel hook
	+ *Hilo* (Slingshot somersault senton)
	+ Hip toss
	+ Hooking arm drag
	+ Hurricanrana, sometimes into a pin
	+ Inverted Achilles lock
	+ Inverted atomic drop
	+ Inverted DDT, while springboarding
	+ Jumping back elbow
	+ Knife edge chop, sometimes while doing a discus
	+ *La Casita* (La magistral)
	+ Leglock, while bridging
	+ Low blow
	+ Missile dropkick, to the opponent's knees
	+ Monkey flip, to a cornered opponent
	+ Multiple powerbomb variations
		- Folding
		- Regular
		- *Splash Mountain* (Sitout crucifix, sometimes from the second rope)
		- Sitout
		- Sunset flip
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Belly to back
		- Exploder
		- Float-over fisherman
		- German, while releasing, rolling, or bridging
		- Northern Lights, while bridging
		- Overhead belly to belly, sometimes spinning
		- Saito
		- Super
		- Table top
		- *T-Bone* (Modified exploder)
		- *Three Amigos* (Triple rolling verticals)
		- Vertical
	+ Multiple tilt-a-whirl variations
		- Backbreaker
		- Headscissors takedown
		- Slam
	+ Multiple turnbuckle thrusts
	+ Near side cradle
	+ O'Connor roll
	+ Plancha
	+ Pop-up dropkick
	+ Pumphandle backbreaker
	+ Rib breaker
	+ *Romero Special* (Surfboard, with chinlock combination)
	+ Rope run springboard arm drag
	+ Running fireman's carry, into the corner
	+ Running forearm smash
	+ Small package
	+ Slingshot arm drag
	+ Slingshot axe handle, to the opponent's leg or back of the opponent's neck
	+ Slingshot hangman
	+ Slingshot plancha
	+ Spinning crucifix toss
	+ Spinning facewash, to a face up opponent
	+ Springboard arm drag, with a springboard dropkick or a headscissors takedown combination
	+ Springboard headlock takeover
	+ Springboard headscissors takedown, with wristlock
	+ Springboard rear mat slam
	+ Swinging neckbreaker
	+ Somersault headscissors takedown, from the top rope
	+ Somersault neckbreaker
	+ Somersault senton, preceded with a vertical suplex
	+ *Scorpion Deathlock* (Sharpshooter)
	+ Shoulderbreaker
	+ Schoolboy, sometimes grabbing the tights
	+ STF
	+ Super frankensteiner
	+ *Stun Gun* (Flapjack, into the ropes)
	+ Twisting handstand headscissors takedown
	+ Twisting springboard crossbody
	+ Tornado DDT, sometimes while diving, springboarding, or with a headscissors takedown combination
	+ Uranage - adopted from Hiroshi Hase
	+ Wheelbarrow victory roll
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Latino Heat"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Smell Yourself" by Los Lobotomys (NJPW)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ Best of the Super Juniors III (1996)
	+ Junior Heavyweight Super Grade Tag League (1996) – with The Great Sasuke
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Comeback of the Year (1999)
	+ Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2002, 2004)
	+ Stanley Weston Award (2005)
	+ Ranked No. 2 of the top 500 wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004
	+ Ranked No. 81 of the top 500 wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
	+ Ranked No. 18 of the top 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Art Barr in 2003
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ 5 Star Match (1994) with Art Barr vs. El Hijo del Santo and Octagón on November 6
	+ Best on Interviews (2005)
	+ Feud of the Year (1994) Los Gringos Locos vs. AAA
	+ Feud of the Year (1995) vs. Dean Malenko
	+ Most Charismatic (2004, 2005)
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1994) with Art Barr as La Pareja del Terror
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2002) with Chavo Guerrero as Los Guerreros
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)

## References

1. ↑ Guerrero, Eddie (2005). *Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story*. London: Pocket, 10. ISBN 0-7434-9353-2.
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Eddie Guerrero Profile . Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `WCW`
4. ↑ 6 Superstars who have won every active title: Photos . WWE. Retrieved on 2015-04-04.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `WWESupers`
6. ↑  (2006) *The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling*. mon and Schuster, 71. ISBN 1-4165-1058-3.
7. ↑ Eddie Guerrero's WCW Career (1996) . Accelerator's Wrestling Rollercoaster.
8. ↑ VITAL RECORDS – EL PASO COUNTY, TX – MARRIAGE 1990 – Eduardo G. Guerrero, 22, married Vickie L. Lara, 22, on April 24, 1990
9. ↑ Guerrero, Eddie. *Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story*, p. 67.
10. ↑ http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingFeatures/dec23\_religion.html
11. ↑ http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/RayNRon/misc/tributeshows.html
12. ↑ Ten-year anniversary of wrestling great Eddie Guerrero's death . Fox Sports (2015-11-13).
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Leighty Jr, Robert 2011-02-02. From the Bowery: WWE Top 50 Superstars of All Time (Disc 1) .
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Nitro report on June 21, 1999 .
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Thunder report on June 24, 1999 .
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 The Great American Bash report on June 14, 1998 .
17. ↑ Thunder report on March 12, 1998 .
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Thunder report on March 5, 1998 .
19. ↑ Slamboree report on May 19, 1996 .
20. ↑ Fall Brawl report on September 12, 1999 .
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Thunder report on November 5, 1998 .
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Nitro report on November 9, 1998 .
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 Nitro report on December 21, 1998 .
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Bash at the Beach report on July 12, 1998 .
25. ↑ Nitro report on July 19, 1999 .
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Uncensored report on March 24, 1996 .
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Nitro report on June 24, 1996 .
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Slamboree report on May 17, 1998 .
29. ↑ Nitro report on December 28, 1998 .
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Wrestlingdata Proflie . Wrestlingdata.com (2013-09-01). Retrieved on 2013-09-01.
31. ↑ Uncensored report on March 15, 1998 .
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Saturday Night report .
33. ↑ Nitro report on September 20, 1999 .
34. ↑ Nitro report on November 1, 1999 .
35. ↑ Entrance themes .
36. ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Japan; Top of the Super Junior Heavyweight Champions", *Wrestling Title Histories*. Archeus Communications, 375. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
37. ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). *Wrestling Title Histories*. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
38. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners — Comeback of the Year . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
39. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners — Inspirational Wrestler of the Year . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
40. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners — Editor's Award . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
41. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2004 . *Pro Wrestling Illustrated*. The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved on 2015-05-08.
42. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years . Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved on 2010-09-15.
43. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2011-07-20.
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 44.4 44.5 Meltzer, Dave (January 26, 2011). "Biggest issue of the year: The 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Issue". *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Campbell, CA: 1–40. ISSN 1083-9593.