10 Incredible Matches That Make No Mercy WWE’s Best Ever B-Show

9. Batista Vs. Eddie Guerrero (2005)

chris jericho shawn michaels no mercy 2008
WWE.com

Eddie Guerrero's last ever WWE pay-per-view performance was one of his very best, and paid tribute to a redemptive road professionally that almost matched the one he had followed in his tumultuous personal life.

Battling and defeating his recreational drug and alcohol demons that plagued his late-90s/early 2000s runs in WCW and WWE, Guerrero's 2002 rehiring began a gradual rise to the summit of the organisation.

Many felt this culminated in February 2004 when he dethroned WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, but history will instead reflect that his untimely November 2005 demise halted a true ascendence to the company's upper echelon.

Despite the bilious distaste from the fanbase at large at the time, WWE's decision to pass the title over to John Bradshaw Layfield a year prior was made at Eddie's behest due to his struggles to cope with the pressures that came atop the pile.

No such weight appeared present at No Mercy 2005, as 'Latino Heat' masterfully portrayed a snake waiting for the exact moment to compromise a much bigger 'Animal' as his prey. Eddie had turned heel on Rey Mysterio earlier that year, but had tried desperately to earn Batista's trust amidst certainty that eventually, his dark side would again emerge.

Toying with fan emotion anticipating the snap, Guerrero never acquiesced, instead wrestling - and losing - a largely clean match against the dominant champion. It was clearly part of a bigger series that ultimately never materialised. Less a scintilating opening chapter, it instead became a beguiling prologue.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett