5. Chris Jericho Vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble '01)
The Top 5 separates itself from the pack. Though the last few entries were all great matches, they have not left the sort of impression that did this match and the next four. Frankly, they could be considered interchangeable at the top. Jericho vs. Benoit is, for instance, one of the greatest iterations of the original intention for the Ladder match that there has ever been. Only the original (HBK vs. Razor) and another Jericho edition (HBK vs. Y2J in 2008) are in its league, as story-driven Ladder matches go. Basically there are two different types in the gimmick, from a fundamental standpoint. The first uses the Ladder as a prop to tell a story. The second makes the Ladder the actual story. One is heavily predicated on creatively weaving the Ladder into a greater context, while the other involves the most creative use of creating memories by virtue of spots off of the Ladder. In rare instances, the two formats blend together (such as the most recent Money in the Bank Ladder match in 2014). Benoit and Jericho had been feuding for nearly a year, with pauses in between, leading to their Royal Rumble '01 Ladder match for the IC title. Their Ladder match fell into category A. It was personal and it was about winning at the expense of your opponent. Any innovation we saw that night came within the context of their rivalry. It is not a perfect match, as some might argue that the two other best in category A Ladder matches were. The finish, featuring Benoit a little too slowly trying to get back into the ring to stop Jericho from winning the title, pales in comparison to the others in its class. That was the primary reason why it was listed at #5. It was, nonetheless, phenomenal.