CHAVO GUERRERO Sr.

　　MAGAZINE　ARTICLES　18　　

CHAVO GUERRERO : CONTENDER !

( from Aug. 1977 issue of VSS "Wrestler" magazine )

Too many experts feared Chavo Guerrero crippled himself with impatience

and ambition.　A series of failures haunted the man and his efforts.

However,　it took only one great match to once again restore him to the top.

A glamorous rookie who fizzles out in his second year is about as exciting as yesterday's tuna fish.　No one 　

really cares about him.　His spectacular rise to glory is no longer important.　Substance, not style, is what　　

counts. If the young man can't hold his own as a veteran, no one cares about him any more.　It has happened

time and time again.　And for a while, it looked like this is what was going to happen to Chavo Guerrero.　　　　

His rookie year had been spectacular.　Fans fell in love with him everywhere he wrestled.　A world chapmion-

ship was defenitely in his future.　He was the rising star to which everyone tried to attach his wagon. 　　　　　

If his luck had held out,　Chavo would have now been a champion. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

In many instances,　a rookie is sometimes rushed too fast and too hard to the ultimate goal.　He bypasses all

the hard times most seasoned veterans have had and goes straight to the big time. But in doing so, he misses

a very important part of his training. He has not learned the agonies inherent in the sport, and therefore does

not know how to deal with them when they do happen.　To a man who has always won, the first defeat can be

a catastrophe.　This is what happened to young Chavo.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Well into his rookie year,　a promoter decided to give Guerrero a shot at the NWA title,　then held by Terry　　

Funk.　What followed was a spectacular match, with Chavo coming within moments of winning the belt,　only to

have Funk disqualify himself in the last possible second.　Many people thought it was a robbery,　and that　　　

Guerrero should have been given the title anyway.　However,　that was not to be.　And that match became a　

very important milestone in young Chavo's career.　He would never forget it.　He relinquished his rookie status.

In many ways, a rookie has things lucky.　Many veterans are willing to give him a little help now and then,　to　　

bolster his confidence and teach him the tricks of the trade.　But these indulgences stop when the rookie year

is over. Then the young man is just another veteran, and is treated accordingly.　It is at this point many glamo-

rous rookies fizzle out and are forced to leave the sport.　They just can't cut it when put on even terms with 　

their fellow wrestlers. Without the indulgences they are used to, wrestling becomes a very dangerous profession

for them.　They either learn to get better very quickly, or leave the sport entirely.　It is the way of the world.　

After his first year, Chavo thought things would be easy.　They weren't.　When he lost that title match to Terry

Funk, he began to lose his confidence.　He began to think he just did not have the abilities he needed to win.　　

He began to make mistakes like he had never done before.　No one who knew him could understand what was　

wrong.　But everyone could see the difference.　It was just too quick for Chavo :　The sudden rise to glory, the

shot at the title, the decline and fall.　But he learned - the hard way.　He learned how to accept defeat.　He　　

learned how to pick himself up and start again.　He learned a veteran's ways.　He once again became a leading　

contender.　The NWA title once again came within his grasp.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

But things were dfferent this time. He no longer would be battling Terry Funk for the honors.　This time it would

be Harley Race.　And Chavo knew little about his opornent.　Inversely, Race knew just as little about Chavo　　

Guerrero. Their paths had never crossed. He had heard stories about the "million dollar rookie", but he had also

heard tales of Chavo's quick downfall and his slow rise back to glory.　He was unsure how to handle the young 　

man.　He was only sure he would win the match.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Chavo was equally confident and confused.　" I've had a lot of ups and downs in the past few months,"　he said.

"But now I know what I'm doing,　I'm better now than I was before. I have learned a little about humility and a lot

about wrestling.　I don't need to rush. Though some people think my taking a title match now might be rushing it,

it isn't. I know what I am doing. I am ready now. I wasn't before.　I have spent a lot of time studying Harley Race.

Of course,　I won't know for sure how he wrestles until I face him in the ring.　But for now,　I'm confident."　　　

" I don't know much about this Chavo Guerrero," said Race, "but I am not particularly impressed with what I've

heard.　He must have the best public relations guy in the business working for him.　He is all style.　There is no　

talent behind him.　He couldn't wrestle his way out of a paper bag.　And you can quote me on that.　　　　　　　　

"He is the result of media hype.　He caught the fancy of some editor somewhere, and now they say he is one of

the best in the business.　Well, I don't believe it.　He still has a lot to learn. But he's lucky in one sense.　His hype

has paid off.　It got him a match against me.　I guess it will just be up to yours truly to destroy the myth and　　

reveal the scared little runt hiding beneath.　It won't be very difficult." ..... But Harley was wrong.　It was very　　

difficult for him.　And he did not destroy any myths.　Indeed, he may have helped create a legend.　　　　　　　　　

The battle between Harley Race and Chavo Guerrero was a furious brawl, with neither man really proving much

of anything in the end.　The first fall went to Race.　But then the champion became overconfident during the　

second fall, and he lost that round to Chavo.　Yet the most vicious and bloodiest action happened during the　

third fall.　With only 15 minutes left to win, both men gave every effort to defeat the other.　With five minutes

left to go, a deep cut opened on Race's forhead.　Within seconds, his entire face was a mask of blood.　　　　　

Now Chavo was facing not only his opponent, but also the clock. He knew he could win.　He only needed a little

more time.　But he didn't get it.　Chavo had Race in a figure-four leglock.　He was about to go in for the win.　

Then the bell sounded ending the match.　That was it.　No more.　Tha match had proved nothing.　Harley was　

still champion - barely.　Chavo was still a contender.　Yet young Guerrero did do a lot for himself that night.　　

He showed he had not fizzled out.　He showed he was ready for veteran wrestling.　He displayed his talents 　　

admirably.　Maybe he did prove something.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

One thing is for sure :　Chavo Guerrero will be on the wrestling scene for a long time. 　　　　　　　

He has shown himself to be worthy.　He has entered the best years of his life.