“The heart-stopping, career-defining best ladder matches in WWE history and why they still matter.”
For over 30 years, the ladder match has been WWE’s most exciting sport, where risk meets reward and chaos becomes art. What started as a bizarre idea has become one of wrestling’s most exciting matches.
These matches weren’t just about wild crashes and broken tables; they were about determination, heart, and special moments. Every climb meant something. Every fall had consequences. The best ladder matches in WWE didn’t just wow the crowd; they built legends, changed careers, and showed just how far someone would go to win. Let’s rewind the clock and look at the matches that changed the game, and why they still hit just as hard today.
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Ladder matches are among WWE’s most thrilling sensations. They combine high-risk stunts with raw drama, often producing moments that live in wrestling lore.
This article explores the best ladder matches in WWE, explaining why they still resonate, filled with shocking moves, memorable chaos, and why the genre endures.
The Birth of the Best Ladder Matches in WWE
Before the multi-man spotfest and Money in the Bank, the ladder match was an untested gamble. Its potential exploded onto the global stage at WrestleMania X (1994). Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon weren’t just fighting for the Intercontinental Title; they were battling for legitimacy.
With two title belts hanging high, the ladder became the ultimate arbitrator. Michaels, the flamboyant showstopper, and Ramon, the calculating bad guy, turned brutality into ballet. The iconic image of Michaels tangled in the ropes, helpless as Ramon claimed gold, wasn’t just a finish; it was a revolution.
As Michaels later admitted, “We weren’t aware, at that time, of what we were creating. We wanted to tear the house down. But we never thought it would stand the test of time”. This match proved the ladder wasn’t a prop; it was a co-star.
Their SummerSlam 1995 rematch cranked the danger higher. Two ladders entered play, escalating the creativity and violence. The climax superkick that sent Ramon flying wasn’t just a move; it was a declaration that ladder matches could evolve. Ramon’s post-match handshake with Michaels added emotional weight, showing these clashes could build respect, not just wreck bodies.
Now, let’s see the best ladder matches ever in WWE history:
#1: Razor Ramon Vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE WrestleMania 10, 1994)
It was the first ladder match in WWE history, and this innovative concept stunned the fans. The match pitted the calculating Razor Ramon against the showboating Shawn Michaels. Razor’s leap off the ladder was a sight no crowd had seen, and Shawn Michaels’ elbow drop from the top was a precursor to his high-risk style. Shawn stripped the title belt mixture from above the ring and dropped it on Razor to win.
This match launched the ladder race in wrestling and set Shawn Michaels on a path to legendary status.
#2: TLC II — Edge & Christian Vs. The Hardy Boyz Vs. The Dudley Boyz (SummerSlam 2000)
This was the SummerSlam’s main event triple-threat tag team TLC (tables, ladders, and chairs) match between Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz.
In the first official TLC, while Ladder Matches and Tables Matches were already prevalent, SummerSlam 2000 brought together Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, creating a brutal mix-up.
Each team brought distinct styles, high-flying Hardys, power-bombing Dudleys, and crafty Edge & Christian.
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Edge’s spear through a ladder was breathtaking, while Jeff Hardy’s Swanton Bomb off a 15‑foot ladder was jaw‑dropping.
Bubba Ray Dudley’s powerbomb through a table on the announcers’ desk shocked the audience. Finally, Edge & Christian captured the belts after both Jeff Hardy and Bubba Ray Dudley crashed mid‑air.
This match spawned numerous TLC matches, influencing WWE storytelling and ushering in the Attitude Era’s ladder revolution.
#3. Edge & Christian Vs. The Hardy Boyz (WWE No Mercy 1999)
If Michaels and Ramon built the ladder match’s foundation, tag teams turned it into a demolition derby. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian at No Mercy 1999 was the spark.
Fighting for $100,000 and Terri Runnels’ managerial services (yes, really!), these young teams risked it all. Matt Hardy’s neckbreaker off the ladder and Jeff’s leg drop onto Christian weren’t just spots; they were star-making moments. This match proved that tag teams could thrive in the gimmick, blending speed, teamwork, and reckless innovation.
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Both teams showed their all-out efforts to win the match, but finally, The Hardy Boyz captured the moment.
#4. TLC III — Edge Vs. John Cena (Unforgiven 2006)
The 2006 Unforgiven was the 9th annual Unforgiven professional wrestling PPV event of WWE.
This was the main event match of TLC between Edge and John Cena for the WWE Championship, which Cena won after retrieving the belt hanging above the ring.
Their rematch in 2007 kept the TLC flame alive and signaled that legends could still deliver top-tier table-ladder-chair action.
#5. Cesaro & Sheamus Vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson Vs. Enzo & Big Cass Vs. Matt and Jeff Hardy — Fatal Four-Way (WrestleMania 33)
This match was a Fatal Four-Way Raw tag team title ladder match at WrestleMania 33, 2017. In this match, The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff Hardy) made a comeback and surprised the crowd.
They retained their Raw Tag Team Championship against Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Cesaro & Sheamus, and Enzo Amore & Big Cass.
Matt and Jeff Hardy became seven-time tag team champions after winning the Raw Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 33.
Matt dropped Anderson with a brutal Twist of Fate right off the top of the ladder, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
At the same time, Jeff launched himself through the air with a wild Swanton Bomb, crashing down on Sheamus and Cesaro as they lay stretched out on two ladders bridging the ring apron and the barricade. The impact was pure chaos, bodies flying, ladders snapping, and fans losing their minds.
This was one of the best ladder matches in WWE history.
#6. Edge Vs. Jeff Hardy — World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match (Extreme Rules 2009)
At Extreme Rules 2009, Edge and Jeff Hardy renewed their war, this time for the World Heavyweight Title. Personal hatred fueled every slam into steel.
The finish, Hardy yanking Edge off the ladder by his trapped leg, was both brutal and poetic. Hardy’s triumph, immediately shattered by CM Punk’s Money in the Bank cash-in, added Shakespearean tragedy.
This match tapped into the deep history between the rivals and built on their ongoing storyline, while also giving fans the kind of wild, high-risk action they expect from a ladder match. Sure, there were a few slower spots and not every move landed perfectly, but overall, it delivered in a big way.
#7. Christian Vs. Alberto Del Rio (WWE Extreme Rules 2011)
Then there’s Christian’s career peak at Extreme Rules 2011. After Edge’s forced retirement, Christian battled Alberto Del Rio for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship title.
The emotion was palpable. Christian’s victory wasn’t just a title win; it was catharsis for every underdog. As he tearfully held the belt, this match proved ladder bouts could deliver a profound emotional payoff.
With this win, Christian became the Heavyweight Champion for the first time in his WWE career.
#8. The Undertaker Vs. Jeff Hardy on Raw (2002)
Back in 2002, The Undertaker put his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against Jeff Hardy in a Ladder Match on Raw, a showdown that’s still talked about today. It wasn’t just a title defense; it was a gritty battle between power and heart.
Jeff Hardy, the ultimate underdog, took an unbelievable beating but kept getting back up. That relentless spirit, mixed with the raw emotion in the match, made it one of the most unforgettable moments in Raw history. Watch it once, and you’ll see exactly why it still hits hard.
His Swanton Bomb off a ladder onto Taker, who promptly sat up, was terrifying. Taker’s post-match respect, raising Hardy’s arm, transcended kayfabe. Hardy reflected, “For Taker to do that… it did wonders for me. It was a miracle”.
#9. New Day Vs. The Usos Vs. Lucha Dragons (WWE TLC 2015)
The New Day vs. The Usos vs. The Lucha Dragons (TLC 2015) paid homage to past tag classics with Kalisto’s Salida Del Sol off a ladder, a move so dangerous he admitted, “It felt like forever falling down”.
The New Day’s Big E & Kofi Kingston defend the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Usos and The Lucha Dragons in a high-flying Ladder Match.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Money in the Bank match, featuring Big E’s emotional win before a roaring post-pandemic crowd, proved the formula’s enduring power.
The Final Climb: An Enduring Legacy
When people search for the best ladder matches in WWE, they look for more than airborne dives and brutal table crashes. They want moments that shaped legends, decided titles, and challenged gravity.
The matches above represent peak ladder competition, innovative, emotional, high-risk, and legacy-built. The key moments, dropkicks off 15‑foot ladders, powerbombs through announcer tables, bloodied edges of pure grit, remain seared into wrestling memory.
From Razor Ramon’s gritty triumph in 1994 to the daredevils of today, ladder matches remain WWE’s most brutally beautiful innovation. They blend athleticism, storytelling, and raw courage like no other stipulation.
Ladder matches still matter because they combine extreme drama with real suspense. You can feel the ladder’s rungs burn at your hands as you climb, eyes locked on the prize above… and that’s WWE storytelling at its most visceral and memorable.