Worst in the World: Hornswoggle vs Chavo Guerrero-WWE Monday Night Raw (7/20/2009)

 Special thanks to camilo jaramillo for suggesting this match. If you'd like to see a match covered on the Worst in the World, leave a comment down below.

Throughout the history of wrestling, there has been no shortage of feuds & storylines that hurt the wrestlers involved rather the help them. Bad creative is very much a thing, and even a good booker can spit out a bad idea every now and then. However, what's less common than that is writing that is so bad and so harmful, it destroys a wrestler's career in the company. In WWE, there are two wrestlers whose careers got tanked by one storyline that have become the go-to names to bring up on the topic; Diamond Dallas Page after he was decimated throughout his feud with the Undertaker in 2001, and Zack Ryder after he got roped into being Kane's punching bag in the "Embrace the Hate" feud between him & John Cena. However, if there's one wrestler whose stock got dropped significantly thanks to one bad feud that doesn't get talked about enough, it's Chavo Guerrero.

A talented & charismatic wrestler, Chavo might not have been main event/world champion material like his uncle Eddie (and no, the ECW Championship does not count), but given his talents, he probably should've been working higher than the Cruiserweight division in WWE, a division few would argue the company really cared about. Maybe it's just because I've seen his work in Lucha Underground and how good he was there, but I really think more could've been done with the third-generation wrestler. And on that topic, after seeing how good he was in Lucha Underground, going back and seeing him feud with Hornswoggle is just depressing.

Chavo had quite a few bad moments in WWE (most notably Kerwin White) but if you want to find the storyline that ethered any chance of him being taken remotely seriously in the company, it's this one. The basis of this feud is that Chavo & Hornswoggle face-off in bad stipulation matches booked by RAW's various celebrity guest hosts, usually with Chavo at a disadvantage in some way, and it's funny because Hornswoggle is short. As if feuding with the leprechaun wasn't bad enough, Chavo spent the entirety of this feud getting jobbed out. Chavo & Swoggle wrestled six times on Monday Night Raw, with Chavo on the losing end every time. The worst part of it was how pointless it all was. Hornswoggle was never meant to be taken seriously, so him beating Chavo didn't elevate him, it only harmed Chavo. After this feud, Chavo did pretty much nothing of note before he requested & received his release in 2011. Over the course of two months, these two would have a Falls Count Anywhere match, a Texas Bullrope match, a Boxing match, a match where Chavo was blindfolded, a match where Chavo had one arm tied behind his back, and the match I'll be looking at, a "Sharp Dressed Man" Tuxedo match, as chosen by guest hosts ZZ Top, and none of them were ever funny. Let's get into this.

Hornswoggle is out first followed by Chavo, which is where we see that Chavo's tuxedo pants the legs sewn together.

Chavo struggles to get into the ring before the bell rings, despite Chavo's protests. Hornswoggle chases a waddling Chavo around the ring before Chavo trips, allowing Hornswoggle to easily remove his jacket & tie. Hornswoggle throws a kick that very blatantly doesn't connect, allowing him to take Chavo's shirt off. Chavo finally mounts some offense when he clotheslines Hornswoggle and takes off his jacket, whipping him with it afterward. Chavo follows up by removing both of Hornswoggle's shoes and pelting him with them, only for Hornswoggle to trip him up and remove Chavo's shoes & pants for the win. Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler proceed to make fun of Chavo's choice of boxers with peppers on them, even though it is the least embarrassing part of this match.

The Verdict

Just bad comedy all the way through. There is not a single thing to enjoy in this match, and all it did was hurt Chavo in the end. The only saving grace is that the match is short, so it won't go too far down on the list.

The Rankings (Best to Worst)

1. Tommy Dreamer vs Bully Ray-Victory Road 2011
2. Triple H vs Kevin Nash-TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs 2011
3. Rick Rude vs Jake Roberts-WrestleMania IV
4. Too Much vs Al Snow & Head-King of the Ring 1998
5. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns-Greatest Royal Rumble
6. Ernest Miller vs Norman Smiley-Fall Brawl 1998
7. Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff-SummerSlam 2003
8. The Tag Team Gauntlet-Extreme Rules 2010
9. Hernandez vs Matt Morgan-Victory Road 2011
10. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
11. Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
12. T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
13. The Women's Tag Team Turmoil-WrestleMania 37 (Night 1)
14. Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
15. Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
16. Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
17. Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
18. Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
19. Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
20. Lars Sullivan vs Lucha House Party-Super Showdown 2019
21. Alexa Bliss vs Bayley-Extreme Rules 2017
22. The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
23. The Barbed Wire Christmas Tree Match-TNA iMPACT (12/20/2007)
24. Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
25. The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
26. The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
27. Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
28. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
29. Kazushi Sakuraba & Yuji Nagata vs Daniel & Rolles Gracie-Wrestle Kingdom 8
30. Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
31. Giant Baba vs Bulldog Bob Brown-WrestleRock
32. The Reverse Battle Royal-Impact! (10/26/2006)
33. Jerry Blackwell vs Boris Zhukov-SuperClash II
34. Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
35. Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
36. The Great Khali vs Kane-WrestleMania 23
37. Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
38. The Shockmaster vs Awesome/King Kong-Starrcade 1993
39. Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
40. The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
41. Team RAW vs Team SmackDown Men's Elimination Match-Survivor Series 2017
42. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
43. Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
44. Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
45. Konnan vs Scott Hall-Fall Brawl 1998
46. Damian Priest vs The Miz-WrestleMania Backlash
47. Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
48. Kane vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2009
49. Rick Steiner vs Scott Steiner-Fall Brawl 1998
50. The Extreme Elimination Chamber-December to Dismember 2006
51. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
52. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
53. Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
54. Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
55. Mr. Anderson vs Rob Van Dam-Victory Road 2011
56. Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
57. El Gigante vs Nailz-G1 Climax 1994 (Day 1)
58. Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
59. Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
60. Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
61. The Hurt Business vs RETRIBUTION-WWE Monday Night RAW (10/26/2020)
62. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
63. Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
64. Vince Russo vs Ric Flair-WCW Monday Nitro (6/5/2000)
65. Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
66. Antonio Inoki vs The Great Antonio-NJPW Sumo Hall Show (12/8/1977)
67. Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
68. The Big Show vs Erick Rowan-TLC: Tables, Ladders, Chairs 2014
69. British Bulldog & Jim Neidhart vs The Dancing Fools-Fall Brawl 1998
70. Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
71. Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
72. Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
73. Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
74. Big Swole vs Penelope Ford, Rebel, and Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.-AEW Dynamite (8/27/2020)
75. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
76. Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton-Battleground 2017
77. Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
78. Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
79. The New Blood Gauntlet-WCW Monday Nitro (6/5/2000)
80. Chris Jericho vs "Goldberg"-Fall Brawl 1998
81. Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker-WrestleMania 33
82. The Undertaker vs Goldberg-Super ShowDown 2019
83. Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
84. Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
85. Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
86. Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
87. The Golden Truth vs Breezango-Money in the Bank 2016
88. The Undertaker vs Giant González-WrestleMania IX
89. Sting vs Tony Palmore-Battle 7
90. D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
91. Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
92. Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar-WrestleMania XX
93. Hornswoggle vs Chavo Guerrero-WWE Monday Night Raw (7/20/2009)
94. Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
95. Rosita & Sarita vs Angelina Love & Winter-Victory Road 2011
96. Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
97. Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
98. Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
99. Boris Zhukov vs Paul Samson-Beach Brawl
100. Roddy Piper vs Hollywood Hogan-Halloween Havoc 1997
101. Kane vs The Great Khali-Breaking Point
102. Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman vs Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone-Bash at the Beach 1998
103. PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
104. Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
105. Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
106. Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
107. Sting vs Hollywood Hogan-Starrcade 1997
108.  Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
109. Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
110. Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez-Crown Jewel 2019
111. King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
112. Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
113. The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
114. The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
115. The Knockouts Gauntlet-One Night Only: Live! 2016
116. AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008
117. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
118. Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
119. Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
120. Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
121. The Miss WrestleMania Battle Royal-WrestleMania 25
122. Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
123. Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
124. David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
125. The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
126. Daffney vs Miss Hancock-Bash at the Beach 2000
127. The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
128. Randy Orton vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 37 (Night 2)
129. The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
130. Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
131. Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
132. Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
133. Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
134. Vince Russo vs Booker T-WCW Monday Nitro (9/25/2000)
135. Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-WWE Monday Night RAW (7/8/2002)
136. Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
137. Goldberg vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Super ShowDown 2020
138. Santina Marella vs Vickie & Chavo Guerrero-Extreme Rules 2009
139. Kevin Nash vs Scott Steiner vs Goldberg-New Blood Rising
140. Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
141. Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
142. The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
143. The House of Horrors Match-Payback 2017
144. The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
145. Team Dos Caras vs Team El Canek-Leyendas Mexicanas 2017
146. Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
147. The Wyatt Swamp Fight-The Horror Show at Extreme Rules
148. The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
149. Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
150. Bret Hart vs Mr. McMahon-WrestleMania XVI
151. WarGames 2000: Russo's Revenge-WCW Monday Nitro (9/4/2000)
152. Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
153. Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman-Crown Jewel 2018
154. Brock Lesnar vs Ricochet-Super ShowDown 2020
155. The Mighty Maccabee vs The Iron Sheik-Maccabiah Mania II: Shekel Slam
156. Van Hammer vs Doug Somers-Halloween Havoc 1991
157. Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
158. Jeff Jarrett vs Sting-Halloween Havoc 2000
159. The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
160. Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
161. Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
162. Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/2010)
163. Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
164. Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Hell in a Cell 2019
165. Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler-WrestleMania XXVII
166. The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
167. James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
168. John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
169. Hulk Hogan vs The Giant-Halloween Havoc 1995
170. Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
171. Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
172. Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009
173. Akira Maeda vs Andre the Giant-NJPW Big Fighter Series 1986 (Day 15)

Thanks for reading! Be sure to share if you enjoy and leave any suggestions for matches you'd like to see covered in the Worst in the World in the comments. Next time, since it's Royal Rumble season, I'll be taking a look at arguably the worst edition of the titular match. Until then...