10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 2002

3. The Ladder Match Problem Started Earlier Than You Think

Triple H Shawn Michaels
WWE.com

A special attraction should not be promoted to an excessive degree. The clue is in the name.

The ladder match is a bit boring now, and while people do pop when they come around, nobody does cartwheels at the prospect. Star power and charisma supersedes any drawing attraction, but a great example of both working in collaboration was the Rock Vs. Triple H Ladder match from SummerSlam 1998. The WWF rarely promoted the gimmick match at the time. It felt like a real, last-resort event, and Rock's performance was so great and committed that it ignited his babyface run (even if it was delayed). He was going to get over massively anyway, but the match helped to a not inconsiderable level.

It is impossible to get over with the help of a ladder match in 2023, and while WWE only started to take the absolute piss with a dangerous stip that even Jon Moxley is wary of in the 2010s, the rot had set in long before that.

As an example - and bear in mind how much these matches are a cumulative bump card killer - does anybody even remember the 06:45 ladder match between Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy that opened the July 22 Raw?

When you can't remember the special attraction, the attraction is no longer special.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!