WrestleMania's Ladder Match Is a Great Way to Showcase WWE's Talents

What do you do when you have seven guys with no plans and a hole on the card to fill?  Throw them in a Ladder match, of course.  But this time, the guys in question are immensely talented, and the card happens to be the most important one of the year for WWE.

The Ladder match at WrestleMania 31 is the best way to showcase these Superstars.  Luke Harper, R-Truth, Stardust, Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose, Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett will all be stepping up to the plate at Mania, and all deserve to be there.

The fact they're getting to work together in the same match is just a bonus.  

Any combination of these seven workers could potentially bring the house down in any environment. Each man has earned his stripes, and each man is fully capable of entertaining on a high level.  But put all of them together in the same ring at the same time, and fireworks will definitely ensue.

And to think it all began with Ambrose stealing the Intercontinental Championship at Fastlane.

credit: wwe.com

It seems like such a silly premise to build a storyline on, especially one that is to culminate at WrestleMania.  But it has worked in every way; it has not only kept fans interested but has also kept them guessing.  Which man will end up with the belt this week?  How many times will Barrett chase it down?  And why the sudden fascination with the title in the first place?

The answer to that last question is simple.  This is the kind of match that WWE's midcard championship deserves.

Fans have spent countless hours debating the reasons why WWE's secondary titles seem to have fallen by the wayside.  The Intercontinental Championship always seems to be the one discussed the most; it was considered to be the most prestigious belt in the company behind the top title.

But over the past several years, many felt the strap had lost some of its luster.  It was not the fault of the men that held it as much as it was the demand that was on it. 

When a belt sits on a guy's waist for a month or so then flips to the next man then back again, fans are usually less than impressed.  The IC title is not the WWE title after all; it does not automatically generate the respect and undivided attention it should.

The only way to truly rebuild the belt from the ground up is to throw some serious Superstars at it, talents who want the belt so badly they're willing to steal it.  It looks funny and makes people smile, but it's also a message that the Intercontinental Championship is extremely valuable.

And that point will be driven home at Mania.

The men booked are the ones to make it happen. They're the ones who will be showing off on March 29. This match has "fun" written all over it, and for any fan wondering which bout could be the highlight of the night at Mania, this is it.

This is entertainment at its finest.  This is about seven guys all committed to working hard in the ring, all dedicated to their craft and to getting the match over.  The belt will mean more after this one is done, and the men who put in the work will surely walk away looking better than when they went in.

That includes Bryan, who headlined in the main event of WrestleMania 30.  Bryan won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship just one year ago, and he's now seemingly fallen down to midcard status.  But instead of allowing that perception to become reality, WWE has built this match up to an intense level.  The hype around the IC title is now on par with that of Bryan as a main event talent.

And on any other night, this match could be the main event.

Instead, it will likely provide an amazing start to Mania, the perfect way to get the night rolling and warm the crowd up for the card that is to come.  Each man in this bout has been a champion in WWE, and each man has coveted the Intercontinental Championship for quite some time now.

Now, they will get to show exactly how much the belt means to them.  The high spots alone will be worth the price of admission, and on the WrestleMania stage, there is no doubt the intensity will be at a fever pitch.  

Seven men put in the same ring at the same time, all vying for the same trophy; this is what championship matches are all about.  This is the best way to showcase WWE's best and brightest, and it will all be done in the same bout.  That means each man will get a spot on the company's biggest event of the year, and it guarantees there will be something for everyone in this match.