10 Greatest Matches From WWE's SmackDown Six
6. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Chris Benoit (Vengeance 2003)
This match is a great example of what happens when you put two great technical wrestlers who enjoy working with one another in the ring, and give them a good long while to put on a show. Tazz says on commentary early on that this is a purist’s dream, and that’s precisely what we get.
Guerrero and Benoit are both on the rise here, and the two longtime pals make every effort to put one another over. They’re yet to break free of the midcard, but the performance they put on ensures they’re on their way to the top. Guerrero especially is just starting to get to grips with his lying, cheating, and stealing gimmick (one of the best of the era), and while he’s still cast in the heel role, it’s clear he has something magic here. He’s pure charisma: Benoit ends up getting wiped out by his own tag team partner Rhyno in a fit of jealousy, and Eddie, confused, looks straight into the camera and shrugs.
The ring work is as great as you’d expect, but a match like this is hard to watch without a twinge of sadness: for reasons all too obvious, we’ll never see these two lock up again.