Eddie Guerrero vs Super Crazy (ROH, 2-23-2002)

ROH The Era of Honor Begins, Philadelphia, PA

This was between WWE stints for Eddie, and he hit a few indies looking to prove he was in shape and could go and that he’d cleaned up, trying to get back to the show. And he did. But here’s his stop in ROH.

Eddie wants to play heel but he gets a thunderous reaction when announced, with people standing, cheering, and chanting for him. He quietly acknowledges it. This match is also for the IWA Puerto Rico Intercontinental title, which is vacant.

Eddie, who is a real professional wrestler, isn’t here for handshakes and this honor crap, so he slaps Crazy in the face. Crazy comes back with it, and they get to the wrestling. Boot twist on Crazy’s face. Fast mat stuff to start, Eddie with a headlock takeover and holds Crazy on the canvas.

Crazy with a right hand, then another. Guerrero dropped on the second. Eddie blocks a punch and fires back with his own, then a European uppercut. Guerrero with a back suplex for two. Chinlock from Eddie.

Guerrero off the ropes, caught with a hiptoss, then an armdrag from Crazy, and another. Crazy to the apron, shoulder to the gut, up top and another armdrag takes Guerrero over. Crazy with the 10-punch in the corner.

Guerrero rolls out to the floor. Crazy signals for a dive, hops to the apron, and gets his face bounced off said apron. Guerrero with a brainbuster on the floor! He’s amused by himself. He should be. He rules. Guerrero back into the ring with a somersault senton, gets a two count.

Guerrero and Crazy out here trying to show these enthusiastic youngsters that you can slow a match down and still have it be exciting. Fallaway slam from Guerrero gets another two, then he goes to a seated abdominal stretch.

Guerrero lets that go, kick to the chest, and another. Basement dropkick, another two count. Chop from Eddie. Crazy off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, swings it back around, Eddie goes for a sunset flip, goes to block a dropkick that doesn’t happen, and gets hit in the back of the head with one he never sees coming.

Scoop slam from Crazy, setting Guerrero up in the corner. Springboard second rope moonsault from Crazy gets two. Missile dropkick gets another two count. Eddie catches Crazy going up again, and hits a top rope frankensteiner. Crazy reverses a whip, Eddie ducks under a boot but catches a spinning heel kick.

Crazy goes for a suplex, Guerrero slides down, knees to the stomach, and then a killer power bomb for two. Guerrero with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Brainbuster follows, Eddie rolls it, hits another. Eddie up top for the frog splash, rolls through when Crazy moves, Crazy gets a cradle and the three count! Guerrero congratulates Crazy after the match, not happy about losing, but respectful.

Rating: 4/5. I used to think of this as a good novelty match of sorts, Eddie and Super Crazy at the first ROH show, but watching within the context of the full show again, it really stands out. There are a lot of young and hungry guys busting ass up and down the card, and then these two go out and put on a Big Two type of action match for 10 minutes, and it slays. It’s a match you like to think everyone else on the card watched and learned from.