Eddie Guerrero: What if it never happened?

[Rusty]

Anyway in November 2005, WWE superstar Eddie Guerrero passed away from what was believed to be an overdose on drugs. His death shocked the wrestling world to say the least. Nobody saw it coming. Eddie was one of those guys that was always consistant in the WWE and was even slated to win the World Heavyweight Title just days before he died. He was the heel you love to hate. He was always entertaining both in the wrestling ring and on the mic. He was one of my personal favourites.

When he passed away he was a Smackdown superstar at the time and had been with the brand for a number of years. But what if Eddie Guerrero was still alive today? Would he still be with the WWE? If so, what type of role would he have? What brand would he be apart of?

I think if he was still alive and well today, he would be a babyface on Monday Night Raw as well as being a former 4 time World Champion. His role would be to put others over like CM Punk or Kofi Kingston. I couldn't see him staying on Smackdown for another 3 years. He would have been even more over with the WWE audience and could have been one of the WWE's top elite superstars for a number of years.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Please give detailed responses.

 

[Dead Kennedy]

I really think Eddie was going to be pushed to the main event once more after the feud with Batista. And that would have been great, had it happened. Like what he did with his life or not, he was one of the most charismatic and gifted wrestlers ever in WWE.

As for if Eddie did not die...well, for one, Rey Mysterio would have never held the World Heavyweight Championship. Say what you want, but isn't it common knowledge that there were no plans for a title run for Rey before Eddie's death? Eddie would probably be still going strong and working the upper-midcard for SmackDown, 'cause a man of his talent should not be lower on the card unless there's a good reason. And seeing how the roster is now, Eddie is still a better performer than a majority of the workers employed by WWE as of now.

Yeah, I'm not getting emotional here, but I believe the appeal of WWE programming would have been marginally better if Eddie had not died.

 

[OIL]

Well, if he was still alive he would have won the World Heavyweight Championship which he was slated to win a few days later. He deserved that belt as he was a consistent performer, and the crowd loved him.

Looking forward a year or two and I agree with you, with him being on RAW as a babyface. He suited that role very well, he knew how to get the crowd to love him and there was just something about him that made him the ultimate babyface.

He would have won the WWE Championship by now, and perhaps even twice. He deserved the biggest belt in the industry for all he's done in the ring and out of it. Loved by all, and a great wrestler. One of the best technically, not the best but right up there. He loved his trade, worked hard at it and came back from a dark time in his life to propell himself up amongst the legends of this industry.

 

[Fizzy]

Well I think Eddie would still be on Smackdown. I think he would be a 4 time champ there, and having feuds with main event people much like Shawn Micheals is doing now. I think Eddie was the most entertaining person on Smackdown, and really deserved more then he got on there.

So if Eddie were still alive I see him feuding with main event stars while still being a multiple time world champion.

 

[Miko]

I dont know how many World Title runs he would have had (if any) so I cant really comment on that.

What I will say is I think he would be the Shawn Michaels of Smackdown! He would be upper-midcard putting over the the stars of tommorow or whatever. He would be the guy that everyone talks about as legendary but just couldnt win the big one again for some reason (i.e he gets screwed out of it, much like HBK's character).

Yep! In my opinion just like Shawn Michaels on RAW, Eddie Guerrero would be the final stepping stone to becoming a true main-eventer and World Title Contender.

 

[Shocky]

Well the rumor floating around was Eddie was going to take the title off of Batista. This was supposed to set up a heel Eddie Guerrero vs. a face Chris Benoit at Wrestlemania 22, something I truly feel robbed of. The thought of Guerrero vs. Benoit in a Mania main event for a world title sends chills up my spine. Would have been awesome.

The obvious things, Mysterio, the world title reign that shouldn't have been in my opinion. That title reign essentially killed any love Mysterio received from anyone over teh age of 12. Mysterio winning the rumble and winning at Wrestlemania was one of the worst things I've ever witnessed as a fan, and it's a shame that it happened to mysterio. He is the definitive paper champion in my opinion. A guy that should have been considered for the belt, but received it simply so the company could exploit the legacy of Eddie Guerrero.

Now, where would Eddie be, I'm not sure. He would have been an aging star, and I simply don't think there would have been too much room. Sure, potential feuds with guys like Taker, HHH, and Shawn Michaels are enough to salivate over, but other then that, what? Maybe another feud with Jericho.

Also, the giant pink elephant in the room, Chris Benoit. If the death of Eddie Guerrero was the turning point that started Benoit down the spiral that led to the last few days of his life, t hen all of that would/could have been avoided. Take that for what you will.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

If Eddie Guerrero were still alive today, WWE would be effected in a number of ways, good and bad. First off, I would like to say that it's a damn shame how Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Owen Hart all died very shortly before they were slated to win a championship. Eddie Guerrero would have defeated Randy Orton and Batista in a ''Triple Threat'' match to win the World Heavyweight Championship. I can't say I know how long he would have been champ nor can I say I know how many title reigns he would have had by now, but one thing is for certain, Eddie Guerrero would still be here to do what he loved to do.

I just don't see Eddie Guerrero as a babyface on RAW as the top champion. Smackdown is a show where more of a variety of people are champions whereas on RAW all the champs are a little obvious and aren't necessarily ''underdogs''. I think it's safe to say that Eddie Guerrero would not be on SD! now, as I think he would get drafted to E.C.W. in 2007 along with Chris Benoit to help out the younger talent. While Guerrero and Benoit were both on E.C.W. helping the younger guys, at the same time please up with the wonderful matches that these to men are always capable of.

 

[LigerBomb]

Let us also remember that the events that surrounded Eddie and Chris -if you choose to believe it was Eddies death that sent him over the edge- also sparked the current wellness policy of which many current superstars er... entertainers have fallen victim to. Perhaps Kennedy would be McMahon's son, or Jeff Hardy would've been world champ, or Regal the evil Raw GM. Not to mention the releases both on the main roster and in developmental FCW. The speculation could go on for quite a while. In fact years from now we may see Guerrero's death as a true watershed moment in the history of pro wrestling...
Ah well, quello che sarà che sarà and all that.

 

[The Reaction]

I think he would be in TNA by now and in ECW around the time Benoit arrived to make it more of a Wrestling show. I kinda wish Benoit would've gone there instead of returning to WWE in late 2006. Imagine the roster TNA would have if they were to acquire those two talents?

 

[Crush]

I remember reading spoilers of the smackdown after Eddie died and Stephanie announced in an interview that she and the booking team were going to give the world title to Eddie after Survivor Series making him beat Batista.

Man I wish he was still around there just will never be anyone like him and no one will ever be close to bringing so much love and latino heat to the ring every week he loved what he did and did it better then anyone.

 

[Tim]

Well as has been said already, he would have been the next world champion. I feel he would've had a semi long reign, losing the world title possibly at Wrestlemania, but still staying in the main event. He would've still put on a few good matches in the main event, and maybe would've evenually become like a living legend sort of person, not as big as a guy like Taker or Michaels, but still one in his own right.

But we wouldn't have had many things. We wouldn't have had the Rey Mysterio reign/push, Booker probably wouldn't have become champion, and everything would be completely different. He migt've even helped keep ECW alive and it might actually be on par with the other two brands. But we can never know what would've happened, but I feel that the WWE would be better off if Eddie was still in it.

 

[Sparky]

I Personally dont think he would of changed to much then what he was. IMO he wasnt the greatest or even the closest to it. the only reason he is as popular as he is now is becouse he died. Hell If Brian Kendrick died tommorow he would be built up to sound better this time next year.

Dont get me wrong he was a good wrestler but he isnt as good as everybody says. I think he would of had maybe one world title maybe a tag team and for the rest of it been in pointless fueds breaking out of the bottom of the deck every couple of months or so.

 

[klunderbunker]

If it never happened, then like has already been said he would have won the world title from Batista. From there, I could have seen him losing likely at No Way Out or the Rumble, but not at Mania. I'm not a big Eddie fan and likely never will be. He's overrated in my eyes, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a good wrestler and a worthy world champion. He would likely have had a feud with Rey, then moved on to lose the title to probably Orton or Batista again to lead up to WM. Either way he would have been in the main event scene, and likely still would be today. he had just hit his true peak as a wrestler as far as his success went, and it's a shame he didn't get to see where his career would have ended up.