WWE Leap Year: Shawn Michaels, and the 10 Most Memorable Leaps in WWE History

With today being such a rare occasion, a celebration of sorts is almost mandatory.  February 29th marks the one time every four years where an extra day is added to the calendar, and in celebration of this year's leap year, why not recount some of the WWE's most memorable all-time leaps. 

The top rope is pro wrestling's three point line, as maneuvers from this destination are of the high risk variety, and when successful, turn out a high reward. 

However throughout the evolution of the WWE, increasingly jaded fans grew complacent with the top rope maneuver.  Through the years, bold superstars have used everything from cages, to ladders, to scaffolds in order to perform death-defying stunts while pleasing audiences.

 

10. Evan Bourne's Shooting Star Leap from a Ladder at Money in the Bank

In what was widely regarded as the best pay-per-view of 2011, the RAW Money in the Bank match served as one of many highlights on a memorable pay-per-view from Chicago. 

Early on, Bourne set the tone for a frenetic ladder match with a breathtaking Air Bourne shooting star press from atop a ladder.  

Bourne took out the entire field with a modified, more impressive version of his finisher further adding to his voluminous highlight reel. 

9. Jeff Hardy Leaps from Atop a Ladder onto CM Punk at SummerSlam 2009

Jeff Hardy's final pay-per-view match with the WWE was one of his finest as the long-time babyface star put forth a strong Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match against CM Punk.

The match was befitting of a Jeff Hardy sendoff on pay-per-view, and fans knew Hardy wasn't going to leave them without one last, big, daredevil spot. 

That spot came at the match's climax a Hardy successfully connected on a Swanton Bomb from atop a 20-foot ladder on CM Punk albeit in a losing effort. 

8. Shelton Benjamin Leaps into a Mouthful of Sweet Chin Music

In one of the best TV matches in WWE history, Shelton Benjamin and Shawn Michaels showcased their athletic prowess in what became an instant classic.  

The match was a back-and-forth contest as part of a "Gold Rush" tournament for a chance to win the World Heavyweight Championship, however, the match will forever be remembered for its finish. 

After holding on to the top rope to keep from falling outside of the ring, Benjamin tried to follow up with a springboard maneuver but instead was met with a high-impact super kick from Michaels as HBK picked up the victory.

7. Kurt Angle Leaps from Atop a Ladder for a Moonsault on Chris Benoit

Anytime Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit got together for a wrestling match, it never disappointed. 

The two had arguable the best chemistry with one another of any two wrestlers in history, and it showed in a main event cage match on RAW in 2001. 

As the drama of the match built, Angle scaled the steel cage looking to put Benoit away. 

Angle would perform a Moonsault from the top of the cage—a move unique to a WWE TV match—and while he did miss the high-risk maneuver, few would soon forget the athletic stunt that Angle had pulled off. 

6. Brock Lesnar Leaps from the Top Rope for a Shooting Star Press on Kurt Angle

One of the most memorable, yet potentially horrific, WrestleMania moments ever came at WrestleMania XIX in one of Brock Lesnar's defining moments. 

As an incredible main event against Kurt Angle reached its peak, Lesnar puzzled the crowd as he began to climb the top rope for what was supposed to be the match's improvised finish. 

A near-300 pound Lesnar would attempt a Shooting Star Press, a move which he was able to pull off effortlessly as a developmental wrestler, however, he did not see the same success as he had seen early in his career. 

Lesnar nearly broke his neck as Angle moved out of the way at the last minute, causing Lesnar to concuss before an audible was called for a third F-5 that lead to a Lesnar WWE title win.

5. Shawn Michaels Leaps from Atop a Ladder on Vince McMahon

In yet another critically acclaimed WrestleMania match featuring Shawn Michaels, the WWE Hall of Famer took on Vince McMahon and carried the chairman to what was by far his best in-ring WrestleMania match ever.

As a highly emotional storyline culminated in a street fight between McMahon and Michaels, a 60-year-old McMahon took an insane elbow drop from the top rope while laying on a table with half his body covered in a trash can.

The subsequent loss gave McMahon an 0-3 record at WrestleMania. 

4. Shane McMahon Leaps from a Scaffold onto the Big Show

Like his father, Shane McMahon was chock-full of testosterone and always felt an unnecessary need to prove his toughness to the boys in the back. 

One of many examples of this alphamale-driven desire saw Shane-O-Mac leap approximately 50-feet from a scaffold onto the Big Show in the finish to their very physical hardcore brawl at WWE Backlash 2001. 

This wasn't the first time McMahon had plummeted from a large scaffolding structure, as the year before, he fell off a similar structure during a hardcore match against Steve Blackman.

Two years later, he would perform an elbow drop similar to the the one on the Big Show.  Unfortunately, Shane missed this particular stunt as Kane moved out of the way. 

3. Shawn Michaels Leaps from Atop a Ladder onto Razor Ramon

Given all the crazy spots that have been performed in terms of "leaping," Shawn Michaels' ladder-match splash on Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X is tame in comparison. 

However it remains one of the most iconic images of WrestleMania history, as Michaels transcended both his career and the pay-per-view franchise with a classic ladder match against Razor Ramon .

In one of the match's pinnacle moments, Shawn Michaels climbed to the top of the ladder and connected on a Cross Body Splash on his fellow Kliq member.

Michaels would go on to lose the match, but few remember this contest as a matter of wins and losses given its show-stealing nature. 

2. Edge Leaps from a Ladder to Spear Jeff Hardy During TLC II at WrestleMania

One of a handful of reasons WrestleMania X-Seven is widely considered the greatest of all time, was the Tables, Ladders and Chairs match dubbed "TLC II." 

This highly entertaining match was filled with high spots and didn't include a single dull moment. 

As Jeff Hardy attempted to win the match for his team and bring down the tag team championships, he was met with a very memorable spear from Edge, who had dove from a ladder in order to pull off the unique maneuver.

1. Jimmy Snuka Leaps 15 Feet from Atop the Ladder for the Original "High Spot"

Talk about iconic. 

"Superfly" Jimmy Snuka's Cross Body Splash from the top of a steel cage transcended the high spot as we know it today. 

In a moment that went on to inspire the likes of future WWE hardcore legend Mick Foley, Jimmy Snuka defeated Don Muraco with a much higher version of his signature Superfly Splash. 

What made this moment even more magical was that it occurred inside the legendary Madison Square Garden.

Want to turn your girlfriend into a pro wrestling fan?  Head over to B/R Video for Big Nasty's latest piece, then follow Big Nasty on Twitter @ThisIsNasty and thank him later!