The Ladder Match DVD Review

The Ladder Match DVD Review

Here , I'm gonna review one of the best and one of my favourite DVD's of all time . This match has helped make superstars like Edge , Jeff Hardy , The Rock and Shawn Michaels .

Let's get started .

Disc 1

Jake Roberts vs Big Daddy Ritter : Ladder Match
This is from stampede wrestling . This match is here to show how far the ladder match has come throughout the years . It's worth watching this one once for its historical value , but as far as quality goes it isn't that good . It might have been great at the time . In fact I don't think I can properly rate this one . All I can say is that it is here for good reason . At least it gets better from here . N/R


Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels : Ladder Match
I think a lot of people used to think that the match at Wrestlemania X was the first ladder match in WWE . They cleared that up with this match which is the first . At the time I don't think they could have picked anyone better than these two amazing athletes . This was probably well received at the time but doesn't hold up as well now . Still a really good match though . Bret grabs the title to retain . ***1/4

Shawn Michaels gives comments on his ladder match with Razor Ramon at Wrestlemania . Their Summerslam match is up next .


Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon : Ladder Match
Obviously this match had high expectations going in , thanks to their match at the previous year's Wrestlemania . Everyone was wondering if it would live up to the anticipation . It did just that . This was an amazing match that even had a lot of leg work involved in it . It's hard to decide which ladder match is better between the two , but I think you've got to go with the first since that took place at Wrestlemania . This was still a show-stealer though . Shawn takes a nasty suplex to the outside and his leg hits the guardrail . Michaels is taking a lot of punishment to that leg . The ending was botched because the belt was too high up and Michaels takes a temper tantrum for that . He finally grabs it and wins the match . ****3/4


The Rock vs Triple H : Ladder Match
Now here is a career making match . Only three months after this , The Rock would go on to win the WWE Title . And we all know how HHH's career went after this . This match certainly stole the show on this night which also included a great match between Austin/Taker . This was another match that involved working on an injured leg . This was just a classic brutal battle for the IC Title . Triple H wins the title . ****1/2


The New Brood vs Edge & Christian : Ladder Match
Now here is another career making match . This gained both teams huge popularity and started their legendary tag feud . If it wasn't for this match , we wouldn't have seen matches like the triangle ladder match or the TLC match . This one was filled with very innovative spots . There were no titles on the line , just money and the managerial services of Terri . At the start the fans weren't into it , but by they end they were on their feet and cheering and applauding all four men . Jeff Hardy grabs the money and wins . Fantastic from start to finish . ****1/2


The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC Match
Here we are , the first ever TLC match and it was in the Hardy Boyz hometown . Still makes me wonder why E&C won the thing . This could be the greatest TLC match ever . It's between this and the TLC at Wrestlemania . I never wanted this match to end . It feels much shorter than 15 minutes . Edge and Christian win after taking out all other competitors . Amazing is the word to describe this . *****

Gregory Helms comes along to give us the only WCW match on the dvd .


3 Count vs Evan Karagias & Jamie Noble vs Jung Dragons
This was for a match for the cruiserweight championship . The weird thing was that it was a tag match but only one man could win it . Just sounds like classic WCW . And what was the point of teams tagging in at the start of the match , when they all ended up in the ring together ?? A lot of nice high spots in the match though . 3 Count wins by bringing down the contract at the same time . ***1/2


Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit : Ladder Match
These two always had great matches against each other and this was probably their best . Benoit's suicide dive into the chair shot was sick . The walls of Jericho on the ladder was absolutely incredible . More of a story told here than in most ladder matches . Benoit with an amazing diving headbutt that he missed . Jericho brings down the title . ****1/2

Disc 2


Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC Match
This is the last great match featuring these only these three teams . Arguably the greatest spotfest ever and probably the best TLC match ever . All these teams put on moves that looked like they would easily cause injury . The run-ins helped the match as well . I would definitely put it as one of my favourite matches ever and for good reason . This match is easy to watch again and again . Edge and Christian pick up their second victory in a row in TLC . ****3/4


Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz vs Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit : TLC Match
This is known as the ' forgotton '  TLC match which is strange as I would say it is the third best of them and arguably the best match in the history of Smackdown . I'm pretty sure that this was the match that Benoit injured himself for almost a year . It has after crashing through a table on the outside of the ring . Later in the match he looked like a trooper coming back out . So much hard action in this match and it was brilliant . Jericho and Benoit retained their titles after Benoit climbed slowly up the ladder to grab the titles . ****3/4


Edge vs Christian : Ladder Match
I feel like this is an underrated match and especially more so on this dvd coming off of two amazing TLC matches . I enjoyed their matches together and this is probably their best one . Very entertaining match as Edge gives Christian a conchairto on the top of a ladder ! Edge grabs and regains his IC Title . ***1/2


Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam : Ladder Match
After watching this match , I'm thinking that if it was released today , it would be the most edited match of all time . They already have to edit out the fan run in and to do that they show Chris Benoit in the audience who is shown quite a lot . Needless to say , I don't think we're going to see this match again . However , this match is definitely one of the best in Raw's history . Eddie and RVD were having great matches at this time and this was probably their best . IC Title was on the line . RVD grabs the title after knocking Eddie to the outside . ****


Undertaker vs Jeff Hardy : Ladder Match
Now this is what wrestling is about . Everyone cheering the underdog taking on the huge obstacle to win the biggest prize there is . This seems to be a love it or hate it match . Some people , like myself , love the story of the whole thing , while others hate the fact that it isn't a spotfest like most other ladder matches . When Raw's 1000th episode comes up and we are remembering Raw's history , this is one match that will spring to my mind . Who can forget Jeff climbing the ladder slowly , with all of us thinking he had it in his grasps but was too late . Taker retains after throwing Jeff off the ladder . ***1/2  After the match Taker gives Jeff respect .


Jeff Hardy & RVD vs Bubba & Spike Dudley vs Chris Jericho & Christian vs Kane : TLC Match
Also known as TLC IV . Kane was supposed to be partnered with The Hurricane , but he was taken out earlier in the night . This match was voted the greatest match in the first decade of Raw . I wouldn't agree with that , but it was damn well close ! This is such a fun spotfest like most TLCs are . Kane retains his tag titles after chokeslamming Jericho . ****1/4


Chris Jericho vs Christian : Ladder Match
I feel that this is another underrated ladder match . Although during the match , Jericho really injured his tailbone after falling off the ladder . Jericho climbs the ladder to win yet another IC Title reign . ***1/2

Disc 3


Money In The Bank : Wrestlemania 21
The first ever MITB match . And we've had so many great ones since this one , but none have had the same impact or have been as good as this one . Can't beat the original . Kane enters but all the other participants come out to attack him . Kane takes out just about everyone with a flying clothesline to the outside . Benoit gives Jericho a german suplex while holding a ladder ! Kane attempts to break Benoit's arm . E&C team up once again . So many great moments in this match . I won't try and list them all . T-Bone off the ladder ! Shelton runs up a ladder and clothelines Jericho ! Absolutely amazing . Benoit diving headbutt from a ladder ! Edge takes advantage of Benoit's injured arm and takes the briefcase . What a classic . ****1/2


Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio : Ladder Match
I always love the matches between these two and this one is no exception . The storyline was stupid but these two were able to make it work . It was for the custody of Eddie's alleged child Dominic ( he was really Rey's ) The spots were great in this match even if Vickie did screw it up a bit . With help from Vickie , Rey climbs the ladder and grabs the briefcase . ***3/4


Edge vs Matt Hardy : Loser Leaves Raw Ladder Match
This was the last match in their infamous rivalry over Lita/Amy Dumas . It was a short match but they managed to get a lot of stuff in there . Edge gets the win and stays on Raw after throwing Matt off the briefcase and onto the ring ropes . ***1/4


Edge vs Ric Flair : TLC Match
This took place in Flair's hometown and everyone wanted to see if he could pick up his amazing seventeenth world title win . At this point , Flair had never been in a ladder match or TLC match for that matter , so people were wondering if he could actually pull it off . Edge rips Flair's dream apart by grabbing his newly won WWE Championship .  ****


John Cena vs Edge : TLC Match
Cena here in his first ever ladder match . This was in Edge's hometown so obviously the fans were crazy for him to win . This was such a fantastic TLC match with a great story and great action . The finish was great . Cena wins back his WWE Championship after giving Edge an F-U off the top of a ladder and through two tables ! ****1/4


Jeff Hardy vs Johnny Nitro : Ladder Match
I think this was the match that made Nitro , now known as John Morrison . Once again this was for the IC Title . Nitro's standing dropkick while he was on the ladder was an amazing feat of athleticism . Hardy's swanton on the ladder was sick . Hardy retains the title after trapping Nitro under the ladder and grabbing the belt . ***3/4


Paul London & Brian Kendrick vs The Hardys vs William Regal & Dave Taylor vs MNM : Ladder Match
The Smackdown tag titles were up for grabs here . This match features what I would consider one of the most gruesome moments in WWE history , Joey Mercury shatters his nose with a ladder and blood pours everywhere . Needless to say , he had to go straight to hospital . This is just such an amazing spotfest of a match and it is never boring . Such a great way to end this dvd , with a modern classic . London & Kendrick retain their titles . ****1/4


9.5/10 .  This is , without a doubt , one of the best ever WWE DVDs . Every match after the first ranges from really good to absolute classic . A lot of replay value with this DVD as well , I can't even tell you how many times I've watched it and it never gets old .