WrestleMania has always been the time to pull out all the stops, and that means gimmick matches galore. It is the easiest way for the company to cram as many wrestlers into a contest as possible. It’s also a great way to add a special attraction to the card and draw more viewers in.
Of all the gimmick matches at WrestleMania, the ladder match has to be the most popular. The ladder match is always a sure thing at WrestleMania. It is an instant hit with the fans and provides the excitement worthy of a WrestleMania.
There have been various ladder matches at WrestleMania. Some have been instant classics, and some have been just ok. With another match ready to join the pantheon at WrestleMania, now seems the perfect time to rank these matches.
No. 13 – Money in the Bank Ladder Match – WrestleMania XXVI
Money in the Bank is a concept that has always been a hit. Even the weakest of matches was still pretty good, but there had to be one to fall on the sword, and WrestleMania XXVI edition is that victim.
This was the weakest lineup of the Money in the Bank matches at WrestleMania. No wrestler in the match was thought to win or have a convincing run with a main championship. There was one cool spot, but that was about it. It was an underwhelming exit from WrestleMania.
No. 12 – WWE Tag Team Championship Match – WrestleMania 33
The tag title match at WrestleMania 33 was a thrown-together mess. The company didn’t have much for the three teams to do, so why not put them in a multi-man match? Sure, the surprise addition of The Hardy Boys was a great surprise, but that was about it.
There were some cool spots during the contest, Jeff and Matt Hardy showed that they hadn’t lost much since their last WWE tenure. Outside of that, the action was boring, for a ladder match, and the winning team was telegraphed from the start. Not much going on here.
No. 11 – WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – WrestleMania 32
The ladder match from WrestleMania 32 had an impressive lineup of wrestlers. There were several former Intercontinental Champions in the contest, and many of the participants had a realistic shot of walking away from the winner. It was filled with great action and some brutal-looking spots.
The highlight of the match was easily the finish. Zack Ryder upended The Miz and took home the championship in a shocking finish. It was a nice way to add a little spice to WrestleMania.
No. 10 – Money in the Bank Ladder Match – WrestleMania 25
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the Money in the Bank match from WrestleMania 25. It was a highly entertaining match that included some great spots from Money in the Bank mainstay, Shelton Benjamin. On top of that, there were some great showings from the likes of Mark Henry and Kofi Kingston.
The match could have gone in several directions but having CM Punk go back-to-back was a good choice. He was a man on the rise and the win soon led to a heel turn that changed his career.
No. 9 – SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match – WrestleMania 36
The pandemic changed a lot of plans heading into WrestleMania. Luckily, WWE was still able to salvage WrestleMania with some pretty good matches. The tag ladder match is one of them.
John Morrison, Kofi Kingston, and Jimmy Uso put on a show. Without their partners, they were able to open up the match and pull off some get spots. There was a ton of high-flying action during the contest that made it more entertaining than it had any business being.
No. 8 – Money in the Bank Match – WrestleMania 22
This was only the second time that a Money in the Bank match took place, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t incredibly entertaining. With men like Rob Van Dam, Shelton Benjamin, and Matt Hardy in the match it’s a guarantee that there were going to be some great spots to wow the crowd.
Ric Flair delivered an inspired performance in this match, making us believe that he might walk home the winner. Of course, this didn’t happen and RVD, the clear favourite, walked away with the briefcase. It was the right call and one that got a great pop from the crowd.
No. 7 – WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – WrestleMania 31
This multi-man match was one of the highlights of WrestleMania 31. The match was stacked with incredible talent who all could have won the IC strap. There aren’t many multi-man matches that could boast this impressive roster of wrestlers.
All the men put on a great bout in the 13 minutes given. There were amazing spots throughout the match, with Dean Ambrose’s horrific ladder bump being one of the highlights. In the end, Daniel Bryan emerged victorious in a feel-good way to start the night.
No. 6 – Money in the Bank Match – WrestleMania XIV
CM Punk’s first briefcase win has to land ahead of his second on this list. The significance of the win gets lost when looking at his first World Heavyweight Championship run, but that shouldn’t take away from how good the match was.
The match had a great all-star lineup. A newly returned Chris Jericho was a great addition to the match, and the surprise return of Matt Hardy was perfect. It was one of the best-told Money in the Bank matches.
No. 5 – Money in the Bank Match – WrestleMania 23
In what was a criminally underrated WrestleMania, WWE put on one heck of a Money in the Bank match. This is, by far, the most stacked match in WrestleMania history. The contest was full of future world champions and Hall of Famers. It was a match that could conceivably see every man walk away the winner, an oddity for Money in the Bank.
This was a long match for a ladder match. At 24 minutes long it was an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride from start to finish. Hardy, of course, provided insane stunts for everyone’s entertainment, heck even Hornswoggle got in on the action. It was a great match that should be on everyone’s rewatch list.
No. 4 – WWE World Tag Team Championship Match – WrestleMania 2000
Edge & Christian, The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz defined tag team wrestling during the ‘Attitude Era.’ They revitalized the division and made it an important part of the product. People flocked to see their iconic matches, including their groundbreaking WrestleMania 2000 tag title match.
This match was unlike any that had come before it. It created the multi-man ladder match. It was the reason that the matches gained so much popularity as we saw what could be accomplished in that confine. The action was hectic and the spots were creative.
No. 3 – Money in the Bank Match – WrestleMania 21
The history of everything surrounding Money in the Bank can be traced to this match. It was the match that started as an idea and grew into what we see today. As creative as the idea was, there was no way it would have gained traction if the match was not as good as it was.
No one knew what the match was supposed to be. That allowed the wrestlers to explore what could be done within the match. We got to see things done with ladders that hadn’t been done before. Plus, Shelton Benjamin was an absolute stud during the match. It was a night of greatness that started a movement.
No. 2 – WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – WrestleMania X
This was the match that started it all. Sure, there was a trial run between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, but it was Razor Ramon and HBK that set the bar. This was the first time that we had seen anything like a ladder match, and these were the two best men to bring that to us.
The psychology throughout their match was second to none. The ladder was just not a prop but a tool for them to settle their dispute over who was the real IC champion. It was brilliant how the match was laid out and the finish was perfect. This match was what made us fall in love with ladders.
No. 1 – WWE World Tag Team Championship Match – WrestleMania X-Seven
Of all the ladder matches at WrestleMania, this one has to be at the top of the list. Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz, and The Dudley Boyz worked their butts off at WrestleMania. This was a spot fest from start to finish but it was easily the best way to present a spot fest.
It also works when every spot is a highlight reel. From crashing through tables to intense chair shots everything was awesome. Not to mention the infamous Edge and Jeff Hardy spear brought all of Reliant Stadium out of their seats. This match was the closest to perfect a ladder match has ever gotten.
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