21 WWE Matches That Almost Got 5 Stars

Alrighty then, so in addition to Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit was quite the factory of almost-5-star classics. With that being said, I don't begrudge you if you gloss over the next few pages, as, well, you know.

With that said, the ladder match at the 2001 Royal Rumble between Chrises Benoit and Jericho is simply outstanding. Since arriving in WWE the year prior, Benoit had been feuding on and off with Jericho, delivering hard-hitting, technically outstanding matches. To blow off their feud, the two had an encounter at the Rumble that set a new standard for one-on-one ladder matches. In an era where the Hardyz, Dudleyz, and Edge & Christian were setting the bar for multi-man spotfests full of acrobatics, Benoit and Jericho brought things back to basics, focusing on one ladder at a time and using it as a weapon with which to kill each other.

Granted, parts of this match haven't aged well, including a particularly nasty chairshot Benoit takes to the head while diving outside. Nevertheless, this match is still a must-watch for any ladder aficianados.