Ranking EVERY WWE Champion From Worst To Best

26. Eddie Guerrero

WWE Champions Ranked
WWE.com

Eddie Guerrero himself later admitted that he wasn't quite up to the standard he'd set for himself as WWE Champion during his one and only reign at the top of the mountain, but much of that might have been the undue pressure 'Latino Heat' put on himself as a man with wrestling in his blood.

The biggest breakout star of his illustrious family, Eddie became undeniable as the company's next top babyface in late-2003, and his dethroning of Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 remains one of the most profoundly moving coronations of any Champions ever. It took on greater reverence in the years that followed when he passed away, and was even more prominent when WWE were no longer able to use the emotional embrace between Guerrero and Chris Benoit at the climax of WrestleMania XX.

Even his mass bloodletting during the programme with JBL designed to get the new heel titleholder as over as possible carries an uneasy tone when watched with the vast shadow his death left behind. The whole run is as much about the tragedy as the triumph - not only did Eddie not realise just how worthy he was of the spot, but he passed away far too soon to get more quality time with the title.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 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 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, 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