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Eddie Guerrero is the perfect example of an overall package of a professional wrestler. Not only is Eddie Guerrero considered among the most outstanding in-ring performers in WWE but also one of the most charismatic superstars of the new millennium. As Eddie Guerrero hit his prime during the later years of his career, he had a long road to becoming a WWE legend from the very first time he stepped foot in the company in 2000. Furthermore, the story behind Eddie Guerrero's debut match as part of The Radicalz is a unique story regarding how he overcame adversity when the WWE roster wsa loaded with star power. It may surprise many people, but Eddie Guerrero actually decided to lose his debut match on a February 2000 episode of SmackDown.
Related: Eddie Guerrero Vs JBL: The Story Behind One Of The Most Violent WWE Matches Ever
Eddie Guerrero Was A Star In WCW Before Joining WWE
Eddie Guerrero had been in the wrestling business since the 1980s, developing his craft in many promotions long before making his WWE debut. Before the birth of Latino Heat, Eddie Guerrero made a name for himself in the wrestling business, especially during the Monday Night Wars when he was in WCW.
Eddie Guerrero's WCW run is remembered with fondness, but there's a feeling that his time with the company could've been more utilized as his talents were very much noticeable. That's why when coming to WWE in 2000, when the company arguably had one of its best creative years, it was a chance for him to get a rub. It was a chance for him to work with some of the other established stars during the Attitude Era. To WWE's credit, when Eddie Guerrero made his debut on a January 2000 episode of Raw Is War, he was soon pushed as a featured performer, becoming a remembered character during the later years of that exciting era.
Related: 5 Guerrero Family Members Who Had Success In Wrestling (& 3 Who Failed)
Eddie Guerrero Injured Himself During In-Ring Debut
As The Radicalz were looking to make their first impression upon debuting, their abilities got tested to earn WWE contracts. All members of The Radicalz were put in matches on the SmackDown episode the week they debuted on Raw is War. Eddie Guerrero was to team up with a fellow member of The Radicalz, Perry Saturn, to take on Road Dogg and Billy Gunn of The New Age Outlaws in a tag team match.
When the bout occurred, it appeared that Eddie Guerrero and Perry Saturn were going to get the win over The New Age Outlaws, with Eddie Guerrero hitting his signature frog splash maneuver on Billy Gunn. However, after successfully delivering the frog splash, Eddie Guerrero dislocated his elbow upon landing, as it was visible he was in excruciating amount after he hit his maneuver.
Road Dogg broke the count as Eddie Guerrero was pinning Billy Gunn, then the Road Dogg was tagged in and laid on top of Eddie Guerrero for the pinfall victory. Michael Cole, on commentary, acknowledged that Eddie Guerrero looked to be a bad shape from the fall he just took.
Eddie Guerrero Chose To Get Pinned During His Debut Match
It was revealed that Eddie Guerrero and Perry Saturn were initially supposed to win the match against The New Age Outlaws. However, because of Eddie Guerrero's sudden dislocated elbow injury, Eddie Guerrero told Road Dogg at the very end of the bout to quickly pin him for the victory.
WWE executive Bruce Prichard discussed Eddie Guerrero choosing to lose his debut match on an episode of his "Something to Wrestle With" podcast. He responded to Eddie Guerrero's claims that he felt pressured into doing the tag match, with Bruce Prichard stating that he didn't want to pressure anyone into wrestling that night. According to Bruce Prichard, Eddie Guerrero said he was ready to do the tag team bout against The New Age Outlaws, and he wasn't aware of any severe injuries regarding Eddie Guerrero.
It's worth noting that all members of The Radicalz lost their matches in that same episode of SmackDown. Bruce Prichard brought up how The Radicalz losing their debut matches was another obstacle for all members to overcome. However, it's safe to say that The Radicalz did, considering they aligned with Triple H not long after. And regarding Eddie Guerrero's injury, he was only sidelined for a few weeks before getting back into action.
Eddie Guerrero Went On To Have A Legendary WWE Career
Despite the circumstances in his debut match, Eddie Guerrero soon became involved in some of the most comedic parts of WWE TV when he got inserted in a love storyline with Chyna. Before Eddie Guerrero had the run of his career during the Ruthless Aggression Era when he won the WWE Championship in 2004, the signs were already there that his charisma was to launch him into stardom.
Eddie Guerrero's rise to the top of the mountain is one of the most incredible stories ever told in the wrestling business. He's still widely beloved in today's fandom for his contributions to wrestling, and his legacy will always be cherished.
