A ladder match is a professional wrestling match type where two or more opponents (or teams) compete in an attempt to be the first to retrieve an object suspended above the ring. Since the object is suspended beyond jumping height, ladders are provided by the promotion hosting the match. Ladders will typically be used to retrieve the object, as well as be used as weapons and as setups for spectacular bumps.
The object suspended above the ring will vary according to the story line of the match. Most common objects include championship belts or briefcases. The match typically ends once a wrestler retrieves the objects and returns to the canvas, but some iterations of the match involve having to then using the object in some manner (unlocking a cage, using against an opponent, etc.)
The first ladder matches took place in 1972 in Stampede Wrestling where booker Dan Kroffat is credited as originating the idea.
Ladder matches in the WWF/E[]
No | Match | Stipulations | Event | Date and Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
I | Bret Hart defeated Shawn Michaels | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | House show | July 21 1992 Portland, Maine |
II | Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | WrestleMania X | March 20 1994 New York City, New York |
III | Jeff Jarrett defeated Razor Ramon | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | Monday Night Raw | June 5 1995 Struthers, Ohio |
IV | Shawn Michaels defeated Razor Ramon | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | SummerSlam | August 27 1995 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
V | Triple H defeated The Rock | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | SummerSlam | August 30 1998 New York, New York |
VI | The Big Boss Man defeated Mankind | Ladder match for the WWF Hardcore Championship | RAW is WAR | November 30 1998 Baltimore, Maryland |
VII | The Rock defeated Mankind | Ladder match for the WWF Championship | RAW is WAR | February 15 1999 Birmingham, Alabama |
VIII | Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon defeated Steve Austin | Handicap ladder match for 100% WWF ownership | King of the Ring | June 27 1999 Greensboro, North Carolina |
IX | New Brood (Matt and Jeff Hardy) defeated Edge & Christian | Tag Team ladder match in the final of Terri Invitational Tournament to win Terri Runnels' managerial services and $100,000 | No Mercy | October 17 1999 Cleveland, Ohio |
X | Edge & Christian defeated The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz | Triangle ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | WrestleMania 2000 | April 2 2000 Anaheim, California |
XII | The Hardy Boyz defeated Edge & Christian | Tag Team ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | RAW is WAR | September 25, 2000 State College, Pennsylvania |
XIII | Chris Jericho defeated Chris Benoit | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | Royal Rumble | January 21 2001 New Orleans, Louisiana |
XV | Kurt Angle defeated Chris Benoit | Third fall in a Three Stages of Hell match | Judgment Day | May 20, 2001 Sacramento, California |
XVII | Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy | Ladder match for the WWF Hardcore Championship | SummerSlam | August 19, 2001 San Jose, California |
XVIII | Edge defeated Christian | Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | No Mercy | October 21, 2001 St. Louis, Missouri |
XIX | Rob Van Dam defeated Eddie Guerrero | Ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship | WWE Raw | May 27, 2002 Edmonton, Alberta |
XX | The Undertaker defeated Jeff Hardy | Ladder match for the WWE Undisputed Championship | WWE Raw | July 1, 2002 Manchester, New Hampshire |
XXI | Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy | Ladder match to unify the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the WWE European Championship | WWE Raw | July 22, 2002 Grand Rapids, Michigan |
XXIII | Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels | Third fall in a Three Stages of Hell match for the World Heavyweight Championship | Armageddon | December 15, 2002 Sunrise, Florida |
XXIV | Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri defeated Team Angle | Tag Team ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship | Judgment Day | May 18, 2003 Charlotte, North Carolina |
XXV | Rob Van Dam defeated Christian | Ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship | WWE Raw | September 29, 2003 Chicago, Illinois |
XXVI | Chris Jericho defeated Christian | Ladder match for the vacant WWE Intercontinental Championship | Unforgiven | September 12, 2004 Portland, Oregon |
XXVII | Kurt Angle defeated Mike Haywood | Angle Invitational ladder match | SmackDown! | March 10, 2005 Roanoke, Virginia |
XXVIII | Edge defeated Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit, Christian (w/Tyson Tomko), and Kane | Money in the Bank ladder match | WrestleMania 21 | April 3 2005 Los Angeles, California |
XXIX | Rey Mysterio defeated Eddie Guerrero | Ladder match for the custody of Dominick | SummerSlam | August 21, 2005 Washington, D.C. |
XXX | Edge (w/ Lita) defeated Matt Hardy | Loser Leaves Raw Money in the Bank ladder match | WWE Homecoming | October 3, 2005 Dallas, Texas |
XXXII | Rob Van Dam defeated Matt Hardy, Finlay, Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and Ric Flair | Money in the Bank II | WrestleMania 22 | April 2, 2006 Chicago, Illinois |
XXXIII | Sabu defeated Rob Van Dam | To become the No. 1 Contender for the ECW World Championship | ECW on Sci-Fi | August 15, 2006 Washington, D.C. |
XXXV | Rob Van Dam defeated The Big Show | To become the No. 1 Contender for the ECW World Championship | ECW on Sci-Fi | October 24, 2006 St. Louis, Missouri |
XXXVI | Jeff Hardy defeated Johnny Nitro | Ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship | WWE Raw | November 20, 2006 Baltimore, Maryland |
XXXVII | Paul London and Brian Kendrick defeated William Regal & Dave Taylor, MNM, and The Hardys | Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship | Armageddon | December 17, 2006 Richmond, Virgina |
XXXVIII | Mr. Kennedy defeated Edge, CM Punk, King Booker, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Finlay and Randy Orton | Money in the Bank III | WrestleMania 23 | April 1, 2007 Detroit, Michigan |
XXXIX | The Hardys defeated the World's Greatest Tag Team | Tag Team ladder match for the World Tag Team Championship | One Night Stand | June 3, 2007 Jacksonville, Florida |
XL | Jeff Hardy defeated Carlito | Ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship | WWE Raw's 15th Anniversary | December 10, 2007 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
XLI | CM Punk defeated Carlito, Montel Vontavious Porter, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Mr. Kennedy and John Morrison | Money in the Bank IV | WrestleMania XXIV | March 30, 2008 Orlando, Florida |
XLII | Chris Jericho defeated Shawn Michaels | Ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship | No Mercy | October 5, 2008 Portland, Oregon |
XLIII | CM Punk defeated Kane, Montel Vontavious Porter, Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry, Christian and Finley | Money in the Bank Ladder match | WrestleMania 25 | April 5, 2009 Houston, Texas |
XLIV | Jeff Hardy defeated Edge | Ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship | Extreme Rules | June 7, 2009 New Orleans Arena |
XLV | CM Punk defeated Jeff Hardy | Tables, Ladders & Chairs match for the World Heavyweight Championship | SummerSlam | August 23, 2009 Los Angeles, California |
XLVI | Christian defeated Shelton Benjamin | Ladder match for the ECW Championship | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 13, 2009 San Antonio, Texas |
XLVII | D-Generation-X defeated Jeri-Show | Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship | TLC:Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 13, 2009 San Antonio, Texas |
XLVIII | Jack Swagger defeated Christian, Matt Hardy, Kane, Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Montel Vontavious Porter and Evan Bourne | Money in the Bank Ladder match | WrestleMania XXVI | March 28, 2010 Glendale, Arizona |
XLIX | Kane defeated Big Show, Matt Hardy, Christian, Kofi Kingston, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler | SmackDown Money in the Bank Ladder match | Money in the Bank | July 18, 2010 Kansas City, Missouri |
L | The Miz defeated Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Edge, Evan Bourne, John Morrison, Mark Henry and Ted Dibiase | Raw Money in the Bank Ladder match | Money in the Bank | July 18, 2010 Kansas City, Missouri |
LI | John Morrison defeated King Sheamus | Ladder match to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 19, 2010 Houston, Texas |
LII | Edge defeated Kane, Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio | Four Way Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the World Heavyweight Championship | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 19, 2010 Houston, Texas |
LIII | Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio | Ladder match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship | Extreme Rules | May 1, 2011 St. Pete Times Forum |
LIV | Daniel Bryan defeated Kane, Sin Cara, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater and Sheamus | SmackDown Money in the Bank Ladder Match | Money in the Bank |
July 17, 2011 Allstate Arena |
LV | Alberto Del Rio defeated Rey Mysterio, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Alex Riley, The Miz, Evan Bourne and Jack Swagger | Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match | Money in the Bank | July 17, 2011 Allstate Arena |
LVI | CM Punk defeated The Miz and Alberto Del Rio | Triple Threat Tables, Ladders & Chairs match for the WWE Championship | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 16, 2011 1st Mariner Arena |
LVII | Dolph Ziggler defeated Damien Sandow, Tyson Kidd, Christian, Santino Marella, Tensai, Cody Rhodes and Sin cara | Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a World heavyweight Championship match | Money in the Bank | July 15, 2012 U.S. Airways Center |
LVIII | John Cena defeated Kane, Chris Jericho, Big Show and The Miz | Money in the Bank Ladder match for a WWE Championship match | Money in the Bank | July 15, 2012 U.S. Airways Center |
LIX | Dolph Ziggler defeated John Cena | Ladder match for Ziggler's Money in the Bank Contract | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | December 16, 2012 Barclays Center |
LX | Danien Snadow defeated Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Dean Ambrose, Fandango, Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro | Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a World Heavyweight Championship match | Money in the Bank | July 13, 2013 Wells Fargo Center |
LXI | Randy Orton defeated Rob van Dam, CMp Punk, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus and Christian | Money in the Bank Ladder Match for a WWE Championship match | Money in the Bank | July 13, 2013 Wells Fargo Center |
LXII | WWE Champion Randy Orton defeated World Heavyweight Champion John Cena | Tables, Ladders & Chairs match to unify the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs |
December 15, 2013 Toyota Center |