View Part 1 Hello again and welcome to the Eddie Guerrero saga. Last month I told you all about Eddie Guerrero's career before the WWF/E and this week I will right about his first run back when it was still the WWF, his release and his subsequent appearances in the independents.

The wrestling world was shocked when on the January 31st 2000 edition of RAW. Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn showed up sitting in the front row. And when Road Dogg mouthed off to the soon to be Radicalz. Benoit stood up and shoved him to the ground completely disrespecting not only Road Dogg, but the New Age Outlaws and D-Generation X as well. On the next edition of SmackDown! Triple H offered the Radicalz a chance at a WWF contract if they won 2 out of 3 matches that night. However X-Pac defeated Dean Malenko, Triple H beat Chris Benoit and The New Age Outlaws defeated Eddie and Perry Saturn, during his match Eddie severely injured his arm after a botched Frog Splash on Road Dogg. Eddie and rest of the Radicalz turned on Mick Foley who had brought them to the WWF for a WWF contract on the next Raw.

Even though he could not compete with his injured arm Eddie still played a major part in the goings on with the Radicalz helping them win a six man tag team match against Too Cool and Rikishi at No Way Out 2000.

In March 2000, Guerrero began pursuing the affections of Chyna, referring to her as his Mamacita. Chyna was initially repelled, but eventually aliened herself with him, declaring that she "couldn't resist his Latino Heat".

The night Chyna joined Eddie she turned on and helped him defeat Chris Jericho for the European Championship, Eddie held onto the title for just under three months. He and Chyna began a feud with Essa Rios and Lita almost immediately after winning the title, which culminated in a title defense on April 30th at Backlash. Guerrero defeated Rios with the Frog Splash and Chyna and Lita ended up in a catfight. Guerrero successfully retained the title in several more matches with former partners Saturn and Malenko before finally losing the title to Saturn at Fully Loaded on July 23rd.

Over the next few months, friction began to build between the couple. Chyna was upset when Eddie pinned her to advance in the King of the Ring Tournament, but forgave him when he presented her with a puppy a few days after. On August 27th, Chyna pinned Trish Stratus in an inter-gender tag match between Chyna and Eddie and Trish and Val Venis, winning Venis' Intercontinental Championship as a result. Eddie claimed not to mind, and on September 4th he begged Commissioner Mick Foley to let him take part in a title defense between Chyna and Kurt Angle, because he was afraid that Angle would injure Chyna. After Angle levelled Chyna with a belt shot to the head, Eddie "accidentally" pinned her while trying to revive her. Chyna became visibly uncomfortable as Eddie began to cheat in order to retain his title, while he was upset that Chyna was posing for Playboy Magazine, even trying to invade the Playboy Mansion to stop the photo shoot. But just when it appeared that Chyna would leave him, Eddie proposed to her and she accepted, much to the dismay of her fans. The engagement was however called off when in the middle of a tag team match on RAW against the Right To Censor when the titantron showed Eddie showering with two of The Godfather's hos, Mandy and Victoria, and proclaiming, "Two Mamacitas are better than one!" He turned heel once again, and was later defeated for the Intercontinental Championship on the November 23rd SmackDown! by Chyna's friend Billy Gunn.

The Radicalz reunited in late 2000, assisting Triple H in his match at Survivor Series with rival Stone Cold Steve Austin. In early 2001, Eddie feuded with Test, winning the European Championship for a second time at WrestleMania X-Seven with help from Saturn and Malenko. Eddie eventually left the Radicalz, siding with The Hardy Boyz and Lita. It was at this point, that Eddie developed his well known addiction to pain medication stemming from his 1997 car accident, and in May 2001 he was send to rehabilitation. After what appeared to be a great recovery Eddie started wrestling again at House Shows and in Les Thatcher's Heartland Wrestling Association, but sadly on November 9th, 2001 he was arrested for drunk driving, and was subsequently released by the WWF three days later.

After his release from the WWF, Eddie started competing in several independent promotions including World Wrestling All-Stars where he won the Cruiserweight Title in a Triple Threat with Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera, Ring of Honor and IWA Mid-South winning several titles and re-earning a great deal of what appeared to be lost respect from a lot of people, especially those high in the WWE who eventually resigned him.

That's it for this week but next time I will write about his return to the WWE including the partnership with his nephew Chavo, Winning the WWE title and many other countless moments right up to his sad death just a few weeks ago.

by Daniel "Flash" Williams..