WWE SmackDown: 10 Things You Might Have Missed (Nov 22)

2. Mauro Ranallo's Tongue-In-Cheek Ladder Match Comparison

Dean Ambrose James Ellsworth
WWE.com

Sitting in the main event slot on SmackDown Live, James Ellsworth faced AJ Styles in a Ladder Match. Ellsworth's brand new WWE contract was the prize on offer, and the underdog could even secure himself another shot at the WWE Title by beating AJ outright.

A real tongue-in-cheek moment occurred mere minutes into the match. Trying to put over the importance of Ellsworth's need to win, Mauro Ranallo actually compared Styles vs. Ellsworth to one of the greatest ladder-based bouts of all time. In the process, he was able to reel JBL in. The big Texan couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Ranallo was obviously having a little fun when he compared SmackDown's main event to the match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X. That 1994 collision was an instant classic, the kind of match that has since become timeless amongst fans.

JBL fell for Mauro's prank instantly, jumping down his throat and acting incredulous that such a parallel would be made between one of WWE's greatest moments and a James Ellsworth match.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.