10 Most Influential WWE Matches Ever
4. Edge & Christian Vs. The Dudley Boyz Vs. The Hardy Boyz - WrestleMania 2000
WWE had never presented a multi-man Ladder match on this scale before WrestleMania 2000. Though the Terri Invitational at No Mercy 1999 deserves considerable credit, it was this match which truly marked the second golden age of tag team wrestling.
There is little in the way of psychology - or logic - present; these concepts are instead substituted for daredevil thrills. At the onset of the finishing sequence, Bubba Ray Dudley sets up a ladder at the halfway point of the entrance ramp and places a table in front of it - despite having no discernible aerial arsenal. Obviously, the ladder is situated there to facilitate Jeff Hardy's Senton Bomb spot, but the question remains: what would Bubba Ray have even done up there?
This spot was the demarkation between using the ladder as a weapon and using it for a contrived spot - a decision which compromised intelligence in favour of intoxication in almost every Ladder match thereafter.
The popularisation of the multi-man Ladder tag match - the seed from which the Money In The Bank match germinated - enabled WWE to unimaginatively book several uninspiring matches in ensuing years, not least of which the Intercontinental Title Ladder matches we've seen at the last two WrestleMania events.
The bulletproof format practically guarantees a thrilling match - so much so that, rather than craft fascinating stories with which to best showcase their myriad midcard talent, WWE are often compelled to simply toss them together in spotfests for the sole purpose of short-term excitement.