Eddie Guerrero’s Death Rumor Debunked Ahead of 20th Anniversary

As the 20-year anniversary of Eddie Guerrero’s passing approaches, WWE legend John “Bradshaw” Layfield is speaking out to end speculation once and for all.

Eddie Guerrero passed away on November 13, 2005, just hours before a scheduled WWE event. His final match, a victory over Mr. Kennedy at a SmackDown taping, sparked years of rumors online—particularly surrounding whether a chair shot in that match had something to do with his sudden death.

On Something to Wrestle, JBL made it clear: that rumor is completely false.

“No, yeah, never. Not one time, no. And I think I’ve heard that over the years. I think it kind of sounds familiar, but nobody thought that. You know, guys have gotten 1000s of chair shots over the years, and guys don’t die from chair shots, you know?”

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He said it’s easy to understand why people jump to conclusions, but the truth doesn’t match the theory.

“I get why the conspiracy gets put together. Hard chair shot, you die however long later it was. And I get why people could put, you know, two and two together like that, and get that. But nobody at the time thought that, and I certainly don’t believe that.”

JBL added that Eddie seemed fine leading up to his passing and didn’t appear to be dealing with any health issues.

“Apparently, his heart just stopped. You know, I talked to, you know, Chavo’s told the story about finding him in his bathroom. You know, he got up in the morning, brushed his teeth, and just died. You know, his heart just quit. His life was over.”

“There wasn’t anything in ring, you know, it’s just something that—it wasn’t like a deteriorating condition. You know, unfortunately, his heart was just giving out on him, and he didn’t know it, and all of a sudden it just stopped one morning.”

The official autopsy later confirmed that Eddie died of acute heart failure caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a condition that had gone unnoticed. JBL’s comments add to the painful clarity to a loss that still cuts deep for fans and wrestlers alike. Guerrero was one of the most beloved performers in WWE history—a rare talent who left it all in the ring but never let fame change who he was outside of it.

What’s your favorite memory of Eddie Guerrero? Do you think WWE has done enough to honor his legacy over the years? Drop your thoughts and stories in the comments below.