Ranking The 10 Best Ladder Matches in WWE History

The Ladder match has been one of WWE's most celebrated stipulations for decades, dating back to the very first installment between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels on a non-televised live event in 1992.

It's since become a staple in WWE and has primarily been used in the apex of a program between two heated rivals. It's next to impossible for the matches to be anything less than exciting.

There's always been something special about Superstars climbing ladders—both literal and proverbial—to attain success. Certain stars have made names for themselves in Ladder matches, regardless of whether they've won or lost.

The simplicity of the gimmick spawned several other iterations, most notably the annual Money in the Bank Ladder match and Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches. Even NXT has hosted its fair share of thrilling Ladder bouts, including an instant classic for the NXT North American Championship in 2018.

Let's look back and attempt the rank the top 10 best standard Ladder matches in the history of WWE's main roster.

10. Jeff Hardy vs. Edge (Extreme Rules 2019)

No two Superstars have benefited more from taking part in grueling Ladder matches over the course of their careers than Jeff Hardy and Edge.

The renewal of their rivalry over the World Heavyweight Championship in the spring of 2009 culminated in an environment they're exceptionally familiar with at the Extreme Rules event, and saw them take every risk imaginable in order to walk away with the prestigious prize.

Hardy has never ceased to put his body in harm's way if it means electrifying the audience, while Edge being so willing to take every shortcut he could find made for a fantastic dynamic. It was a total car crash of a contest, but in the end, Hardy managed to outsmart The Ultimate Opportunist by trapping him in the ladder to clinch the title.

Hardy's finest moments have almost always been short-lived and this one was no different. Within minutes of emerging victorious, he was successfully cashed in by Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk, kicking off another must-see storyline for the summer season.

9. The New Day vs. The Usos vs. The Lucha Dragons (TLC 2015)

All of the major wrestling companies hold Ladder matches ad nauseam these days, which makes it that much harder for each one to stand out as anything out of the ordinary.

In the modern era, there are only an elite few Ladder matches that have earned the right of being considered all-timers. An often forgotten-about installment that is indeed epic enough to be included in that conversation came at TLC 2015.

The New Day had been defending their WWE Tag Team Championship left and right when they were tasked with putting their tag titles on the line in a Triple Threat Ladder match. In the decade since, WWE has booked more multi-person Ladder matches, specifically on the bigger stages, but such a situation wasn't exactly ideal at the time.

New Day being as over with the audience as they are made this match infinitely more fun, but The Usos and The Lucha Dragons (the high-flying duo of Sin Cara and Kalisto) also played their roles remarkably well. The innovative offense from all three teams left the audience in awe.

At a time when tag team wrestling was hardly a priority, this match served a reminder of how thrilling it could be when the talent were allowed to let loose and have the barn burners they had the potential to produce.

8. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble 2001)

Chris Benoit was barely a year into his run with WWE when he and Chris Jericho met in an outstanding Ladder match at the Royal Rumble in 2001.

The Intercontinental Championship was up for grabs in this one. Having two of WWE's finest competitors battle back and forth it in such a high-stakes situation added to the prestige the title already had.

The 2001 Rumble event is best known for its star-studded Royal Rumble match in the main event, but take nothing away from the awesomeness of this match in the midcard. It was a hard-hitting affair where they made full use of the stipulation and battered each other with ladders and steel chairs.

The outcome was virtually irrelevant. All that mattered was that these two went above and beyond to prove to not only the fans but also each other that they were worthy of the big blow-off. Jericho escaped with the title in tow, but this was only the beginning of their bad blood going into WrestleMania 17.

7. Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens (Royal Rumble 2025)

Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens feuded for so long in the closing months of 2024 that some sort of a stipulation match between them was inevitable. Sure enough, they were announced for a Ladder match for Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2025.

Both men grew up idolizing the men that made the original famous, so the pressure to deliver something that was anywhere near that stratosphere was on. Rhodes and Owens didn't take that lightly and proceeded to destroy each other in what was a brutal and barbaric affair.

Rhodes' title never once felt like it was truly in jeopardy of changing hands, but it didn't make much of a difference. The spectacular showing Owens had alone should have sidelined him infinitely, but although he did end up having to take time off for injury-related issues, Owens did establish his resilience through all the pain and punishment he endured.

The one spot in particular that will be remembered forever saw Rhodes send Owens crashing through a ladder set up at ringside. It was a devastating sequence that earned The American Nightmare the victory.

6. The New Brood vs. Edge and Christian (No Mercy 1999)

Edge and Christian made an immediate impact in WWE by aligning with the enigmatic Gangrel upon their debut in 1998 and looked to be the future of tag team wrestling.

The Brood was of the coolest factions in the entire business, yet their success was short-lived with Gangrel turning on the up-and-comers in the summer of 1999. Shortly thereafter, he recruited the likes of Matt and Jeff Hardy into The Blood to replace his previous partners.

Gangrel was very much a non-factor in the feud as it progressed with the focus slowly shifting to just the teams involved. The Hardys became known as The New Brood and fought for Gangrel's managerial services along with $100,000 at No Mercy 1999 in an incredible tag team match with Edge and Christian.

Tag team Ladder matches weren't commonplace in the slightest at that point in WWE, yet they exceeded all expectations with the exhilarating outing they had. It was filled with falls, dives and just the general sense that they were doing whatever necessary to put themselves on the map.

The New Brood went over in the end, planting the seeds for what would turn into one of the most memorable tag team rivalries of all-time.

5. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (SummerSlam 1995)

Equally as amazing as their ability to pull off a five-star classic with WWE's inaugural Ladder match was Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon having a sequel that arguably came close in quality.

WWE was in dire straits creatively in the summer of 1995, and even the once-stacked roster was now depleted. On paper, the card for SummerSlam that year looked abysmal and lacked attractions, at least until the highly-anticipated rematch between Michaels and Ramon was added at the very last minute.

Despite its lack of buildup, the bout had a big fight feel because of the babyface vs. babyface dynamic. They once again fought tooth and nail with just one title belt hanging in the balance this time, playing off some of the spots from their previous encounter and establishing that they were no strangers with one another.

Michaels avenged his loss to Ramon from the last time and ultimately earned his respect. A basic one-on-one rematch would have sufficed, but making this another Ladder match made their exemplary effort even more impressive.

4. Triple H vs The Rock (SummerSlam 1998)

Triple H and The Rock consistently brought the best out of each other throughout the Attitude Era, particularly when they were battling over the WWE Championship in 2000. Before then, though, they were arch-rivals in 1998 and at the forefront of faction warfare when D-Generation X made enemies out of The Nation of Domination.

That played a pivotal role in making the Ladder match between the two for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam so chaotic and fun. It featured interference from multiple members of both groups, ensuring that it was exciting from start to finish with Rock and HHH never once taking their foot off the gas.

The Game's hard-fought victory put him in prime position to be spotlighted as Intercontinental champion from that point forward. It also sent the message that Rock was a star on the rise in his own right, and that he wouldn't be long for his own faction with a hot singles run on the horizon.

Truly great matches weren't always easy to come by during the Attitude Era, but greatness was guaranteed whenever Rock and HHH shared the squared circle.

3. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz (WrestleMania 2000)

Technically, it wasn't until SummerSlam 2000 that the TLC match was officially born. Thus, as far as traditional Ladder matches go, there can be no doubt that this one ranks high up there as being one of the very best.

Edge and Christian had already been trading wins with The Hardy Boyz as well as The Dudley Boyz for months, but all three teams were still relatively new to the tag team title scene. Their Triple Threat match at 'Mania in 2000 afforded them the opportunity to showcase their skills as well as elevate the entire division to the next level.

On a show bogged down by unnecessary stipulations, this succeeded in being a spectacle. Simultaneously, it served as a masterclass in tag team wrestling, also while inching each of the six stars closer to legendary status simply by partaking in such a trailblazing bout.

As noted, a whole other stipulation in TLC had to be created because of the carnage and destruction this Ladder match caused. These elite tandems had a certain chemistry that made their matches magical, becoming the benchmark for what all future tag team matches and rivalries would be compared to.

2. Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (No Mercy 2008)

It was evident when they waged war at WrestleMania 19 that Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho were capable of putting on a wrestling clinic together. Matters became much more personal between them when they rekindled their rivalry five years later, however.

Jericho accusing Michaels of being a liar turned into him brutally beating him down, attempting to blind him and even accidentally striking his wife. Michaels got his revenge in the form of an unsanctioned win over Jericho at Unforgiven, only for Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship that same night.

Their final face-off went down at No Mercy in a Ladder match. The Heartbreak Kid's history with the stipulation shockingly didn't give him the advantage in this one, as Jericho was just a bit more ruthless and desperate to solidify his superiority.

Jericho lost a tooth en route to retaining his title and barely got the better of Michaels. It was a fight to the finish, and Michaels coming up short in what should have been his specialty match was a beautiful conclusion to their epic story.

1. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X)

In the many instances, the original can't be topped. Not only is that true with both Ladder matches Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon had, but it can also be applied to every Ladder match in WWE history.

As far as televised Ladder matchups go, Michaels and Ramon set the bar with their WrestleMania match in 1994. They actually set it so high that nothing has quite matched its excellence since.

The story was simple enough with Michaels returning to television feeling he was unjustly stripped of the Intercontinental Championship and claiming to be the real title holder. Ramon won the title in his absence and so both belts were hung high above the ring in the history-making Ladder match.

The spots pale in comparison to much of the insanity seen today in Ladder matches, but the psychology is so strong and the execution of everything they did was so flawless, right down to Michaels leaping from the ladder and connecting with an emphatic splash on The Bad Guy.

Ramon reigned supreme, but all the loss did for Michaels was propel him higher up the card. Having laid the groundwork for future Ladder matches, this one remains at the top of the list even three decades on.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.