Rey Mysterio has shared a deeply personal and emotional letter to his late friend, Eddie Guerrero, on the 20th anniversary of his passing. Guerrero, one of the most beloved and respected performers in wrestling history, passed away on November 13, 2005. In the letter, published via The Players Tribune, Mysterio reflects on their unique friendship, Eddie’s genius, and a pivotal moment in WCW where Guerrero went to bat for him, a selfless act that Mysterio says saved his career.
Mysterio recalled their early days in Mexico and how their friendship was forged in the ring through their craft, noting that he viewed Eddie as “perfect.” He also praised Guerrero’s often-overlooked toughness, coming from a “lineage of ‘shooters,'” but choosing to be a “genius” who pushed the art form forward.
The most poignant part of the letter details their classic match at Halloween Havoc 1997. Mysterio, who was only 22 at the time, was booked to lose his mask to Guerrero, a move he felt would be a “death sentence” for his career.
“Man, I remember being so upset when I heard that. I was panicking!!! …to lose it so early in my career, I knew that could be a death sentence. But what choice did I have?? I was a 22-year-old kid. I had no power, I had no leverage, I had no pull with the office.”
Mysterio revealed that Eddie, his “big brother,” took control of the situation and fought for him.
“Thankfully, though, I had you. I had my friend, my big brother… 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… We either get over as a community… or we risk getting buried as one. For me, that lesson, it all started with you.”
H/T to Fightful for the transcription. Thanks for checking out this article. Make sure to follow Jeff Jarrett and all things GFE on Facebook.