Guest bravesfan Report post Posted May 19, 2003 credit: wwe.com Eddie, Tajiri win Tag Titles in pressure-filled match by Phil Speer CHARLOTTE – May 18, 2003 – Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin have only been a team for about six months now. Neither of them had ever been in a Ladder Match. And if that wasn’t enough pressure, one of the Superstars who was supposed to be on the opposing team tonight, Chavo Guerrero, was injured last Tuesday night, so they had to prepare for a last-minute replacement, Tajiri. It’s understandable that Haas was nervous beforehand. “We were concerned about making sure everyone came out healthy, that no one got hurt,” he said. “We already lost Chavo. And (we hoped to) just give people what they wanted.” Said Benjamin, “We’re mat wrestlers. To say, ‘There’s a ladder in there, and you’ve got to climb it,’ that’s completely out of our element. But that’s what makes this job fun.” After the match, all four participants said they were sore, but not seriously injured, and they would be competing tomorrow night at the SmackDown! event in Johnson City, Tenn. Haas and Benjamin said it was too early for them to evaluate the match; they wanted to see a tape of it first. But Eddie Guerrero, one-half of the new WWE Tag Team Champions, said he was thrilled with the match, and the fact that everyone stepped up under difficult circumstances. Eddie’s nephew and tag team partner, Chavo, tore his left biceps last week early in a match that was taped for Velocity. Eddie said Chavo had surgery earlier this week, performed by Dr. James Andrews, and will miss at least three months. Eddie said he has talked to Chavo since the surgery. “He was a little bummed out,” Eddie said, “but now he’s in good spirits. I know my heart goes out to Chavo. We’ve been busting our asses for three or four months now. We would have liked to have Chavo out there, not taking anything away from Tajiri.” Eddie and both members of Team Angle were “bummed out” that Chavo was hurt as well. According to Benjamin, the rivalry between Team Angle and Los Guerreros started out on a “rocky road.” The two teams had worked hard to improve their chemistry, and tonight was supposed to be the night that it finally all came together. “For Chavo to get hurt, it really dampened the mood for everybody,” Benjamin said. “I can’t wait for his return so we can do it again.” Eddie said that Tajiri was the perfect Superstar to fill in, and he took his hat off to the Japanese Buzzsaw for taking part in the match on such short notice. “They didn’t tell him about this until last night,” Eddie said. “You can imagine the pressure on him, and the nerves and everything. That goes to show you the professionalism of him.” A little-known fact about Tajiri: he’s fluent in Spanish. Will we be seeing his Spanish-speaking ability on WWE telecasts? “I’m sure that’ll happen sooner or later,” Eddie said. “I’ll make him a Mexican whether he likes it or not.” Discuss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest webmasterofwrestlegame Report post Posted May 19, 2003 Well I am not going to bash WWE for not telling before they did. Ultimately I imagine it came down to disturbing and sacraficing whatever plans they had for Rey or Benoit, or looking for a different superstar to fill in. I think they made a good choice, as now Tajiri has a program and I would laugh a lot at Eddie teaching Tajiri how to lie, cheat, and steal in the coming weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B. Brian Brunzell 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2003 "I'll make him a Mexican whether he likes it or not." And some people question the deity of Eddie Guerrero. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted May 19, 2003 I'd like to see the old ECW gimmick where Tajiri can speak every language except English. Hilarity ensues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted May 19, 2003 I question who started the rumor that they would actually use Ultimo Dragon...they sign him weeks earlier and Chavo goes down adn Automatically people assume its Ultimo? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted May 19, 2003 A little-known fact about Tajiri: he’s fluent in Spanish. So if he's fluent in Spanish, most likely he's fluent in English, so if he's fluent in English why does he always act as he can barely speak English? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted May 19, 2003 A little-known fact about Tajiri: he’s fluent in Spanish. So if he's fluent in Spanish, most likely he's fluent in English, so if he's fluent in English why does he always act as he can barely speak English? um...because he can? maybe thats how they chose to represent his character Haku never seem to speak good english on camera but was fluent in it as well Buh Buh Dudley started his careers both in ECW and WWF pretending he Stuttered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest notJames Report post Posted May 19, 2003 Because Vince thinks ethnic stereotypes are the cat's meow, and because he controls all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted May 19, 2003 I read (and this was a few years ago) that Tajiri really doesn't speak english. Super Crazy would tell him what Heyman wanted in spanish. And if he spoke english, it wouldn't be as funny when he mispronounced words or bowed to everyone. Look at his slanty eyes! Ha Ha! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NoCalMike Report post Posted May 19, 2003 Los Gurerros vs. Tajiri/Ultimo Dragon(when he gets here) Damn I am salivating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Showstoppa Icon Report post Posted May 19, 2003 id love to see Eddie v. Rey v. Ultimo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted May 19, 2003 fuck that I want TBS/Dragon... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted May 19, 2003 fuck that I want TBS/Dragon... Revokes your Smart Card and takes your key to the Smark private entertainment center. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest evilhomer Report post Posted May 20, 2003 Oh come on, you don't want to see that match of "oh wow, he's really big and he's umm.... okay, he's just standing there while the little guy bounces off of him, but wow, he's really big"??? I mean it worked so well with Rey vs TBS/A-Trocious didn't it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2003 I've got a feeling Chavo's gonna come back and feud with Eddie. I hope not, but I think it will happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted May 20, 2003 I hoping that when Chavo comes back...Eddy preoccupied with Kurt, Chris, Cena and Brock in the main event... However...I have a feeling Eddy is sticking in the tag rungs and having revolving partners... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maztinho 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2003 The pairing of Eddie and Tajiri will be classic and they will mix well together. Thus says the Great Dalmuti. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites