10 WWE Midcarders Who Broke The Glass Ceiling

Eddie Guerrero was already a fourteen-year veteran of the ring wars when he showed up in Titan in January 2000, but he'd never been considered a 'main eventer' anywhere other than in New Japan, where the spectacular Junior Heavyweights were often given top billing.

It's been said that when WWE signed Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko that they were most interested in Benoit but that, once they saw just how charismatic 'Latino Heat' could be that they realised he was a star.

Eddie's first run would end in November 2001 due to substance abuse issues, but when he came back in April the following year he was like a man possessed, wrestling with an intensity hitherto unseen from him. He was wrestling the matches of his life, but he still wasn't considered a main eventer like Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Undertaker and Big Show were. Those guys were taking the top spots on the blue brand.

He was US Title kind of guy, in WWE's eyes. But the cheers just wouldn't go away and in fact got louder. He'd struck a chord with the Latino demographic who saw him as their guy. Eventually, Eddie's high performance level coupled with his burgeoning popularity forced WWE to take another look at a guy they never would have made champion even a couple of years ago.

At No Way Out in February 2004, Eddie did the unthinkable and downed Brock Lesnar to capture the WWE Title. He'd broke through despite his undersized frame, height and heritage. He was a made man from then on, until the day he died.