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CALDWELL'S MEDIA CLUB: Eddie Guerrero DVD review Day 20 - Eddie as a True Champion Dec 13, 2008 - 4:24:21 PM
On the Eddie Guerrero DVD, we pick up Disc 3 with Eddie Guerrero as the new WWE champion in March 2004. Eddie was red-hot as a top main eventer, but there was tremendous pressure on him to be champion on Smackdown.
"The responsibility is enormous," Eddie wrote in his autobiography. "Everything you do is for the greater good - of the match, of the show, of the company. It's a huge honor, to be the focal point of a promotion, to have everything ride on you."
One of the easiest nights of his championship run, though, was his match against Rey Mysterio on the March 18, 2004 Smackdown where Eddie and Rey battled for the WWE Title a few days after WrestleMania 20 when Eddie successfully defended against Kurt Angle.
The match storyline started as a battle for respect, then Eddie became defensive when Mysterio started to gain an advantage, setting up Eddie's attempt at mat work that led to Rey going back to his faster aerial attack that peaked with a majestic springboard moonsault before a TV commercial break.
Back from break, Eddie remained in jeopardy of losing the title to build for the dramatic finish when Rey hit the 619, but missed with a springboard leg drop, allowing Eddie to roll him up for the win.
The key was Eddie needing to make his opponent look strong - doing what was best for the match, show, and company - rather than logically squashing Rey, who had previously wrestled two matches on the Smackdown broadcast.
Having to set aside his own desires and wants for the benefit of the company as WWE champion was tough for Eddie.
"That's a hell of a lot of pressure to live up to," Eddie wrote. "In the old days, I'd have gotten drunk and numbed myself up. Without that option, I had to work through the stress and anxiety by focusing on my Bible and savoring every moment that I wore the belt."
Commenting on the DVD, former World Hvt. champion Rey Mysterio took a rosy outlook on Eddie's accomplishments, saying he lived up to expectations and did his best as champion.
"You would always see him running back and forth in the locker room getting ready or doing interviews or media or Make a Wish," Rey says on the DVD. "Always, always a true champion."
On the DVD, Rey became emotional reminiscing about his time with Eddie and how Chris Jericho and himself try to keep Eddie's memory alive backstage by exchanging Eddie's saying in Spanish.
"I wish you were still here, Eddie," Rey said on the DVD.
MONDAY: Pressure mounts for Eddie as champion; first match vs. JBL
Over the course of 25 days, I will be reviewing the "Viva La Raza" Eddie Guerrero DVD recently put out by WWE. I'll be looking at the significance of each of the 25 matches on the DVD as well as establishing the context of events that were occurring at the time of each match.
[Eddie Guerrero photo by Joe Borzotta (c) PWTorch]
Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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