In 2006, Rey Mysterio captured the World Heavyweight Championship, a huge win for the masked icon, though one that came with a big asterisk. Rey’s victory, and the months prior to it, saw heavy references to Eddie Guerrero, who had tragically passed away in November the previous year at the age of 38.
Speaking on the No Contest Wrestling podcast, Mysterio reflected on his emotional rise to champion and his relationship with Guerrero. The WWE Hall of Famer acknowledged that the push he received to the top likely never would have materialized had Guerrero not died so young.
“I truly believe in my heart that that moment wouldn’t have happened if Eddie hadn’t passed. Because the connection that Eddie and I had—even though we were feuding at the end… But that connection that we had, you know, everything that we did together was so unique, so real, so organic.”
Shortly after Eddie’s passing, WWE would push Rey, who dedicated his 2006 Royal Rumble win to his late friend. On the podcast, Mysterio recalled how the talk of making him a World Champion began.
“When Eddie passed, I believe Pat Patterson was the one that mentioned to Vince at the time, ‘You got to put the title on him’… it happened so fast and it was so surreal.”
WWE’s use of Guerrero’s death on-screen earned a backlash among several fans at the time, even being dubbed ‘Eddiesploitation’ online. WWE would use Eddie’s death during storylines involving Rey and Randy Orton, and later for Mysterio’s feud with Chavo and Vickie Guerrero.
Close to two decades after Eddie Guerrero’s passing, Rey Mysterio and countless others remember Latino Heat and honor his legacy. For Rey, Eddie wasn’t just a friend and in-ring adversary, but a driving factor in his own World Championship win.
