Vickie Guerrero Is Wrestling's Most Unexpected & Unlikely Success Story
Vickie Guerrero has been part of the fabric of pro wrestling for the last fifteen years. That’s an unusual circumstance for a non-wrestler, who also wasn’t the traditional fitness model or beauty queen type—not to mention that she didn’t even get started as a regular character until her late 30s. However, as a heel authority figure and manager, Guerrero distinguished herself. She became a noteworthy enough character, involved in enough major storylines that she’s not out of the question to join her late husband Eddie in the WWE Hall of Fame someday (though presumably not until after she finishes with AEW). How did she become a success story?
Even Eddie Guerrero Was An Unlikely Success Story
A part of why Vickie Guerrero wasn’t someone ever pegged for great success in wrestling is that even her then-spouse Eddie wasn’t a shoo-in for major stardom. Despite coming from a wrestling family and having tremendous talent, he was also relatively small in stature at 5’8” and billed at just 220 pounds. Especially in an era when the biggest stars in wrestling were especially prone to big-bodied bodybuilder types, it was hard to see where Guerrero would ever fit in past the mid-card.
Guerrero was an inspiration in overcoming his disadvantages via awesome in ring talent, off the charts charm and charisma, and an ability to connect with wrestling fans. Indeed, after years of going undervalued in WCW, he exceeded every expectation in WWE. His WWE Championship victory over Brock Lesnar capped a short, great feud and offered fans one of the greatest feel-good moments in pro wrestling history. His sudden passing in 2005 transitioned him from one of the most popular wrestlers in the world by that point to an absolute folk hero with devout followers, many of whom go so far as to call him the greatest wrestler of all time. Eddie’s success opened the door for Vickie to become a part of WWE storylines, and ultimately led to WWE signing her as a talent in her own right.
Vickie Guerrero Didn’t Stand Out In Her Limited TV Time Early On
In her early appearances, Vickie Guerrero was a reasonably well-received character in WWE on account of how beloved Eddie was. She particularly stood out in an angle that saw her stand up to Eddie, when he tried to claim custody of young Dominik Mysterio from his legal (and real life biological) father Rey. She played the part of the more morally upright woman opposite her heel spouse well enough in that instance, but was largely forgettable, not demonstrating much obvious charisma or other reason to stand out.
Related: Custody Of Dominick" Ladder Match & 9 More Of The Weirdest Stipulations In Wrestling HistoryFrom there, WWE wound up hiring Vickie full-time after Eddie passed. Her early efforts representing the Guerrero family and appearing alongside Chavo and Rey were fine, but similarly forgettable, until the two men started feuding with each other. Vickie turned heel to back Chavo, and things began to shift.
Vickie Guerrero Found Her Footing As A Heel
Whereas Vickie Guerrero came across as a little flat and uninteresting during her babyface work, something remarkable happened when she turned heel. Particularly after she settled into an authority figure role SmackDown General Manager and espoused her "Excuse me" catchphrase, she emerged as a full-fledged heat magnet.
Guerrero may have had her finest hour as the figurehead atop La Familia. Amidst a kayfabe romantic relationship with Edge—the blue brand’s top heel wrestler of the day--the two reigned atop one of the best factions The Rated R Superstar was ever involved with. Guerrero made an art form out of annoying fans and meddling with babyfaces, not least of all becoming an unlikely antagonist for The Undertaker. Later, she managed the LayCool team of Michelle McCool and Layla El. After that, her partnership with Dolph Ziggler was instrumental in helping him get over at a new level. This trajectory helped shore up her spot as one of the top heel mouthpieces of her generation, which she wound up carrying over to AEW, with successful work backing Nyla Rose (and a bit less success in Andrade El Idolo’s corner).
Vickie Guerrero becoming a major figure in the world of wrestling was extremely unlikely. She, herself, was never a trained wrestler. Her late husband had to beat the odds to become a huge star himself before he could crack the door for Vickie’s career in sports entertainment. Vickie deserves credit, though, for not only riding Latino Heat’s coattails, but distinguishing herself as a unique heel character who drew genuine heat.
