Not a “Ladder match” per se, but rather a great match that involved a ladder, it speaks to how good Razor Ramon was that his early, propulsive over-the-top clothesline drew just as big a wince as any collision with the metal. What a bump Michaels took, too. He was perfectly in sync with his opponent, even by his G.O.A.T. standards.
That metal was only ever introduced if it promised a tactical advantage. Razor learned of the inherent danger in doing that after Shawn drilled it into his stomach with a baseball slide. This winded Razor; if you can’t breathe, you can’t climb. Meticulous in logic and spectacular in its high spots, the first (pay-per-view) ladder match remains a classic. Don’t buy the “dated” narrative.
The next ladder match you watch will not live as long in the memory as this.
