It’s exactly 20 years to the day when WWE star Eddie Guerrero was found dead from a heart attack in his hotel room on Nov. 13, 2005. He was only 38-years-old and likely headed for a return to the world
title scene on SmackDown when tragedy struck. The legend of Eddie has only grown since that day, as he is now often recognized as one of the all-time greats in the ring. Many of today’s stars like Mercedes Mone credit Guerrero for inspiring them to become wrestlers in the first place.
Rey Mysterio paid tribute to Eddie today by writing a letter to him in The Players’ Tribune. Most of Rey’s letter is about celebrating Eddie’s life and the impact he continues to have on the wrestling industry today. You should go read the full letter there, but I’ll just highlight a few excerpts that stood out to me, or put a smile on my face.
First, Rey’s love for Eddie shines through as he describes him like a big brother.
“When I publish this letter on Thursday, it will be 20 years to the day since you passed. November 13th, 2005. It’s hard to believe. And it feels so unfair sometimes, just knowing how much life I’ve gotten to live in those years. You didn’t get to see 40 … that’s still painful to think about. Me, on the other hand, I turned 50 last December. Nahhhh I can already see the evil grin on your face, hearing that. “50?!? 50?!? Oh Rey, no…….. You OLD.” I know, WeeWeeto. It’s true. But I’m writing this to you now, and I swear: I could live another 50 years — and when it comes to our friendship, I’d still be Little Bro. I’m forever your little bro.
And you’re forever my big brother.”
Rey goes on to explain how Eddie saved his wrestling career in 1996 when WCW planned to take away his mask at just 22-years-old. The idea was for Eddie to beat Rey in a mask-for-title match at Halloween Havoc. Mysterio was in a panic about what he saw as a “death sentence” to his career just as he was starting to get over in the USA. Eddie must have pulled some strings behind the scenes, because the result was changed.
“Thankfully, though, I had you. I had my friend, my big brother. That whole day leading up to the match, my head was spinning. I couldn’t even think straight. But you just kept telling me, “Don’t worry, Rey!!!! Don’t worry!!!! Keep your head up, brother. We’re going to make this right.” And I’ll never know what those exact conversations were that went down behind closed doors. But I know you talked to the office, explained why it was a bad decision for me to lose, and convinced them to let you put me over. Honestly … I still get chills when I think of what you did for me that night. Not just sticking your neck out for me, but doing it at your own expense — and offering to lose your title, so I could keep my mask, and my identity, and the momentum in my career. It’s a gift I’ve never forgotten, and have tried to pay forward over the years as I’ve grown from New Kid into OG: the idea that success for Latinos in this business — in this life — doesn’t have to be zero-sum. We either get over as a community…… or we risk getting buried as one. For me, that lesson, it all started with you.”
Rey talked about the major impact Eddie had paving the way for wrestlers who “aren’t giants” to gain credibility in WWE as main event level talent, citing names like CM Punk, AJ Styles, and Jey Uso. And of course Rey had to mention the infamous storyline from SummerSlam 2005 where custody papers for Dominik were on the line in a ladder match.
“And then last but not least … and I’ll admit I’m being selfish here … I wish you were around to see Dom. Your very own son!!!! No, I’m just kidding. But I know that line will pop some people. The thing of it is — it’s unreal, all the different ways that the story we told at SummerSlam in 2005 has stayed meaningful. I laugh anytime I think back to us first bringing the idea to little Dominik. So what do you think about being part of this feud between me and Tio Eddie, where it’s about who gets custody over you??? He was eight at the time, so he obviously had two important questions. One, “Am I getting paid?” And two, “Can I miss school?” Once we answered yes to both, he was in.”
An important part of the match finish was botched, and Eddie was cursing up a storm in anger backstage as a result. But Rey will always remember what happened when Eddie realized his reaction was scaring 8-year-old Dirty Dom.
“But then — out of the corner of your eye — you saw Dominik standing there. And he was kind of shying away a bit, you know, since he had never been involved in something like this before. So I think he was scared from how angry you were acting. And as soon as you saw that??? It’s like every ounce of anger just instantly drained out of you, and you filled back up with love. You went right over to him, hung your big-ass sweaty arm around his shoulder, and were like, “You OK, mi hijo??? You OK??? Everything good, man, I promise. You did GREAT out there!!!!” I’ve never seen Dom so happy. No lie — that might be my favorite memory of you, from all our years together.
Three months later you were gone.”
You should definitely read Rey’s full letter to Eddie over at The Players’ Tribune, and please share your favorite Eddie Guerrero stories, matches, and moments in the comments below.
