Iconic '90s WrestleMania Event Named Greatest WWE Ladder Match of All-Time
In modern professional wrestling, the ladder match has become an absolute staple of sports entertainment. Fans are regularly treated to high-flying, multi-man spectacles where athletes willingly hurl themselves off twenty-foot structures, breaking tables and shattering bones just to capture a championship belt. (Obviously, right?)
But when it comes to separating the cheap thrill shows from genuine artistic masterpieces, sports analysts consistently look back at the innovators who first laid the groundwork.
The editorial team at Bleacher Report recently waded through decades of sports entertainment history to officially rank the greatest WWE ladder matches of all time. While the list featured plenty of modern, high-octane chaos, the publication ultimately gave the definitive No. 1 spot to an iconic 1990s showcase: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X.
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X
The narrative for this iconic ladder match kicked off when Shawn Michaels returned to television after a lengthy absence. Michaels claimed he had been unjustly stripped of the WWE Intercontinental Championship and insisted that he was still the one, true rightful titleholder.
In his absence, the rugged and charismatic Razor Ramon ("The Bad Guy") won the vacant championship belt.
To settle the dispute over who truly deserved to carry the gold, WWE executives made history by hanging both physical championship belts high above the ring at Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania X. The goal was simple: climb the rungs, unhook both titles, and leave no room for doubt.
#OnThisDay in 1994: Wrestlemania X: The infamous Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon Ladder match occurred. pic.twitter.com/716T7p8dDd
— Allan (@allan_cheapshot) March 20, 2022
If you compare the physical stunts of the 1994 classic to the absolute lunacy seen in modern premium live events, the individual spots actually look quite tame by today's standards. There were no elaborate, multi-ladder structures or death-defying leaps into the crowd.
Instead, Michaels and Ramon leaned heavily on world-class in-ring psychology and flawless athletic execution.
The match was packed with moments that are permanently etched into pop culture history, most notably the iconic visual of a flamboyant Shawn Michaels scaling the ladder and launching into a breathtaking, emphatic diving splash directly onto Razor Ramon.
A Legacy That Transcended the Bell
When the dust finally settled in New York City, it was Razor Ramon who successfully scaled the structure, unhooked both belts, and reigned supreme as the undisputed Intercontinental Champion.
But in the world of professional wrestling, a legendary performance can elevate a loser just as much as a winner. Despite taking the official loss, the groundbreaking performance did nothing but propel Shawn Michaels directly into the main event picture, cementing his reputation as "Mr. WrestleMania".
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 3:00 AM.