If you were to ask any fan watching the Ruthless Aggression Era what their favorite moment was, or what moment brought them to tears, they’re more than likely going to tell you about the main event of No Way Out 2004. It was no ordinary match. It was a match that inspired millions of people across the world. It was a match that made an arena full of fans erupt.
It was a match that saw one of the greatest triumphs in WWE history, and a match where future superstar Bayley was in attendance and the very match that made Sasha Banks realize that she wanted to become a professional wrestler. We’re talking about none other than Eddie Guerrero vs Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004.
What was it that led to this unusual contest and what made it so great?
For one, the fact that the feud involved Eddie Guerrero’s personal demons and having to deal with addiction, losing his family and more gave fans more of a reason to support him. But for the few months prior to this, Guerrero and Lesnar were on completely different paths.
Guerrero, for one, started seeing singles success, which prompted jealousy from his partner and nephew Chavo Guerrero. Though they seemed absolutely inseparable, losing the tag team titles to the Bashams would be the final straw for Chavo, who turned on his uncle. They would have wars, and at the Royal Rumble 2004, Guerrero decisively put Chavo away.
Meanwhile, Lesnar was in his third WWE Championship run, having finished an extended feud with Kurt Angle, he would face the likes of Chris Benoit, The Undertaker and Hardcore Holly. He had great wars with The Undertaker, who he managed to put away. Hardcore Holly had a chip on his shoulder because Lesnar had severely injured his neck a year prior. However, at Royal Rumble 2004, Brock Lesnar would decisively put him away as well.
Brock Lesnar did cross paths with Goldberg in the past, and a clash of egos led to Lesnar distracting Goldberg, forcing an elimination at Royal Rumble, despite the former World Champion being the favorite to win. Goldberg, with vengeance on his mind, had a ringside seat for No Way Out.
However, the build of the PPV is what was really notable about the feud. Brock Lesnar, the arrogant heel champion, pulled no punches when it came to mocking Eddie Guerrero. Lesnar would make fun of the smaller man, not only mocking his Mexican heritage, but even mocking his past addiction issues. This prompted Eddie Guerrero to cut one of the most passionate, bone-chilling promos of all time, where he declared “I am an addict”.
But it wasn’t drugs this time. It was a new addiction. An addiction to the high that he got from the WWE Universe, a high that he got from providing his family and a high that he got from proving people like Brock Lesnar wrong. Everything about that promo was absolutely perfect and the emotions that he showed were second to none.
Brock Lesnar may be a physical specimen, but Guerrero, a man who was around 5’7 and much smaller than Lesnar, managed to fluster the champion, with the crowd completely behind him.
The day would come, and fans were tense, hoping that Latino Heat would end up becoming WWE Champion. And what a match it turned out to be. Naturally, Lesnar dominated the match almost throughout, essentially ragdolling Guerrero. In the champion’s mind, there was no way he could lose to a man who he considered inferior.
But through all the punishment that he took, Guerrero never gave up. He showed heart, and Goldberg interfering certainly delayed what felt like an inevitable loss. Despite the interference, it truly felt like Guerrero managed to do it on his own, and he even thwarted Lesnar’s efforts to cheat. When the referee hit the three count, the entire arena exploded, and Guerrero was filled with emotions, celebrating with his family at ringside. But it wasn’t just his mother and father who he celebrated it with, it was with the WWE Universe, who supported him through his journey all along.
When Guerrero won the WWE Championship, it didn’t just feel like any other superstar winning it. It felt as though one of their own had won it, putting aside things such as race and nationality. Because of his size, look and incredible story of coming back through adversity, fans were able to relate to Guerrero and the celebration he had on SmackDown a couple of days later only went to show how much he meant to the WWE Universe.
It’s hard to think of a WWE Championship win that meant as much to fans, but this one was filled with pure emotion and can give people goosebumps just by talking about it.
