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#4 Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit
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Eddie Guerrero's story will forever be deeply connected to the story of Chris Benoit. The two best friends met each other while working in Japan with matches against each other that caught the attention of fans. Although the two performers didn't like each other at first, they quickly realized their similarities and created a bond that had them follow one another across multiple promotions.
Their critically acclaimed matches for NJPW during their Best of Super Juniors tournament in 1993, 94 and 95 helped both men get the attention of American promotions. Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit would make their way to ECW at around the same time.
They would then use the success of the small-based promotion to land big money deals with WCW to help launch their Cruiserweight division. Eddie and Chris would put on banger sprints on WCW Nitro television. Each would reach new heights of popularity in the company with Eddie Guerrero winning the United States and Cruiserweight Championships, while Benoit would win their top title.
Because of how Kevin Sullivan booked stars of a smaller stature and the glass ceiling on several fledging competitors, Eddie and Chris along with Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn would make the jump to the WWE as "The Radicalz" in early 2000. After Eddie's time away from the company in 2001-2002, they would later reunite their partnership and head from Raw to the SmackDown brand together.
Despite their friendship, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit found themselves on opposing teams in the WWE Tag Team Championship tournament, with Benoit teaming up with his rival Kurt Angle and Eddie teaming with his nephew Chavo Guerrero. The two performers would have several good TV matches in singles and tag teams during the SmackDown Six era.
Their next famed confrontation would come at Vengeance 2003 when Eddie Guerrero faces Chris Benoit to decide the first WWE United States Champion with Eddie pulling out the victory. Their careers hit their peak at the same time when Eddie Guerrero became the WWE Champion at No Way Out 2004 and Chris Benoit won the World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania XX.
Their closing shot at the end of the show was immortalized for years up until the untimely Benoit tragedy of 2007. Despite all the controversy surrounding both men's deaths, it can't be quantified just how important they were to each other's careers and lives. They will be eternally connected in wrestling history.
