Why the addition of a ladder match to WrestleMania was the right decision
WrestleMania 33 was without a ladder match until this most recent edition of Monday Night Raw. Sheamus and Cesaro were attacked with a ladder backstage and took their frustrations out on The Club in a revenge attack later on in the night.
This set the stage for the current triple threat tag team match to become a triangle ladder match. Enzo and Cass, The Club and Sheamus and Cesaro will all compete for the Raw Tag Team Championships at the Showcase of the Immortals, and I couldn’t be more excited. Expect high-risk manoeuvres, brutal ladder shots and a match that has the potential to steal the show.
Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon redefined what WrestleMania is all about when they fought for the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at WrestleMania X. They put their bodies on the line and had one of the best matches in WrestleMania history. A ladder match was pretty much an unheard concept at the time, so to take it straight to WrestleMania was massive.
It would not be until WrestleMania 2000 that we would see a ladder match at the Grandest Stage of them all again. The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian all fought in a triangle ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championships. It was the first of its kind, and it impressed on every level. They set a high bar for ladder matches, and WrestleMania tag team matches too.
WM X-Seven is arguably the greatest WrestleMania of all time, and one of the reasons it is held in such high regard is because of the second ever Tables Ladders and Chairs match that stole the show. At SummerSlam 2000 Edge and Christian, The Dudley Boyz and the Hardy Boyz competed in the first ever TLC match, once again reinventing what can be done with props.
The match was critically acclaimed, and when the sequel was announced for X-Seven, it was hard to see how the match could be better than the first iteration. The three teams left everything in the Houston Astrodome. Edge speared Jeff Hardy from the top of the ladder while the Charismatic Enigma was hanging on the titles and this is possibly one of the most extreme bumps ever seen at WrestleMania.
The clip has indeed become as iconic as Mick Foley flying off Hell in a Cell or Hogan standing up to Andre the Giant. It’s moments like this that give WrestleMania the reputation of being “The Ultimate Thrill Ride”. It shows the lengths Superstars are willing to go to make a name for themselves at the Granddaddy of them all. Edge and Jeff Hardy are etched in history from that one move.
Also read: 5 shocking moments from post-WrestleMania episodes of Raw
From WrestleMania 21 to WrestleMania XXVI, the Money in the Bank ladder match was a staple at the event. 6-8 men would compete for the opportunity to win a contract for a World Championship or WWE Championship match. The stakes seemed higher than if an actual title was on the line, making the matches all that more exciting.
The talent involved really helped the match become so popular, with superstars like Shelton Benjamin creating a modified climbing frame out of the ladders and traversing them with relative ease to execute impressive high-flying moves.
WrestleMania continues to reinvent what can be done with a ladder during these matches, and they remain impressive to this day. With the Money in the Bank ladder match becoming so popular that it now has its own pay-per-view, WWE has to be more creative to fit a ladder match into the program.
The past two WrestleManias have included multiple people competing for the Intercontinental Championship. Both have been memorable because at WrestleMania 31, Daniel Bryan won his last ever championship in his active wrestling career and most recently at WrestleMania 32, Zach Ryder got his WrestleMania moment by capturing the Intercontinental Championship.
I do expect the match this year to outshine these outings, but it may not live up to the TLC II match or even some of the earlier Money in the Bank matches. However, we are guaranteed excitement as the Superstars scratch and claw their way up the ladders to the championships that are hanging in the Citrus Bowl.
The one thing that might hamper the match is the fact that Enzo is pretty much the only high-flyer in the match. Since the stipulation has been added, speculation has been high that the Broken Hardyz will be making an appearance in the match. This would immediately elevate the match as Jeff Hardy would be likely to execute some impressive spots.
Ladder matches make WrestleMania feel special to me. When this kind of match is absent from the card, it feels as though something is missing. I’m glad to see this was added last minute and with the anticipation of the returning Hardy Boyz, this is set to be one of the more memorable ladder matches.
However, should the Broken duo not debut at the event, the match should still impress. It is no doubt a stacked card this year, but the stipulation adds variety to a card that does not have many matches with special rules this year.
Not to mention the fact that people do not seem really invested in his match. The tag team division seems to have lost some momentum since The New Day lost the tag team championships. The Club have not done much to elevate the status of the belts so this has made the match a little more must-see.
I’m in no doubt that the addition was absolutely the right decision and the triangle ladder match is sure to be a great attraction at the Ultimate Thrill Ride!
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