The WORST Wrestling Moment Every Year (1989 - 2025)

20. 2006 | Rey Mysterio Loses To Finlay

Terri Runnels
WWE.com

Eddie Guerrero tragically passed away on November 13, 2005. The cause of death was a heart attack. He was just 38 years old. 

This did not prevent Vince McMahon from promoting him posthumously; after all, it was WrestleMania season, and all the big stars are needed for the biggest show of the year! 

This entire saga, in which Rey Mysterio vowed to win the World title in Eddie’s honour, was horrendous. Randy Orton told Rey that Eddie went to hell, in perhaps its most infamous moment. Also: Vince didn’t even really want Rey to win the World title!

Until Vince was convinced otherwise, Orton was going to take the shot Rey had earned at the Royal Rumble at No Way Out. This entire gross episode was even worse than cheap exploitation; as originally intended, it was a vehicle with which to push Orton as the top heel. Rey did actually win the World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 22 - but while he carried the belt around, he was no World champion. Rey’s poor form was possibly the biggest insult of all.  

In an ideal world, the big champion should only rarely lose non-title matches, and the loss should always result in a big title match. On SmackDown in 2006, Rey lost almost every time he stepped into the ring. With no hyperbolic snark, it was as if Vince had belted up the Brooklyn Brawler. Rey lost to the Great Khali and Mark Henry, possibly because Vince was so appalled by being persuaded into booking such an ankle-biter of a champion. But Finlay? 

It wasn’t clean, but Finlay? 

He was an 80 year-old midcarder who wasn’t that much bigger than Rey. 

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!