• Home
  • Movies
  • Music
  • TV
  • Video Games
  • Wrestling
  • Topics
  • Latest Comments
Search
Cult of Whatever logo
  • Movies
    Featured
    • The Living Daylights: Timothy Dalton as James Bond

      The Living Daylights is still awesome, thirty-five years later

      By Matthew Martin
      | March 28, 2022
      Movie Blogs
    Recent
    • Elvis: Austin Butler

      REVIEW: ELVIS beautifully mythologizes the King of Rock and Roll

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 25, 2022
    • The Black Phone: Ethan Hawke as The Grabber

      REVIEW: THE BLACK PHONE is a flat, dull, rushed non-horror movie

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 25, 2022
    • Jurassic World Dominion Logo

      REVIEW: Jurassic World Dominion – Here we go again…again

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 12, 2022
    • Three Men and a Baby: Tom Selleck and Ted Danson

      Three Men and a Baby is still awesome thirty five years later

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 31, 2022
    • The Bob's Burgers Movie Poster

      REVIEW: Bob’s Burgers The Movie is Bob’s Burgers The Show, which means it’s great

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 28, 2022
    • Top Gun Maverick: Tom Cruise

      REVIEW: Top Gun Maverick is a sequel that soars!

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 27, 2022
  • Music
    Random
    • Fozzy Happenstance Cover

      Fozzy - Happenstance Review

      By Steve Sky
      | August 6, 2003
      Music
    Recent
    • The Beatles: Get Back

      What GET BACK reveals about the Beatles

      By Matthew Martin
      | December 15, 2021
    • Simon And Garfunkel at Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam1982

      The Boxer is a song about being conned

      By Matthew Martin
      | July 4, 2021
    • Lady Gaga: Chromatica Album Cover

      Lady Gaga’s discography is totally out of order

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 3, 2021
    • Michael Jackson Thriller Album Cover

      Thirty years ago music fans said “Nevermind” to Michael Jackson

      By Matthew Martin
      | March 21, 2021
    • Queen II Album Cover

      On Queen’s The Miracle, and the importance of track ordering

      By Matthew Martin
      | February 16, 2021
    • Linda Paul Mccartney 1976

      50 years ago, McCartney dropped “Lennon” and went solo…

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 5, 2020
  • TV
    Featured
    • Nancy Drew S03e01: Kennedy McMann as Nancy

      Nancy Drew S03E01 Review: The Warning of the Frozen Heart - Uh-oh!

      By Salome G
      | October 10, 2021
      TV Blogs
    Recent
    • Roswell, New Mexico S04e03: Sibongile Mlambo, Lily Cowles and Michael Trevino as Anatsa, Isobel and Kyle

      Roswell, New Mexico S04E03 Review: Subterranean Homesick Alien – Treading water?

      By Salome G
      | June 23, 2022
    • Obi-Wan Kenobi Series: Ewan McGregor and Vivien Lyra Blair as Obi-Wan and Leia

      REVIEW: Obi-Wan Kenobi had a good season and little else

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 22, 2022
    • Evil S03e02: Sohina Sidhu and Aasif Mandvi as Karima and Ben Shakir

      Evil S03E02 Review: The Demon of Memes – Delightfully creepy

      By Salome G
      | June 20, 2022
    • Dark Winds S01e02: Jessica Matten as Bernadette Manuelito

      Dark Winds S01E02 Review: The Male Rain Approaches – Loose threads

      By Salome G
      | June 20, 2022
    • Riverdale S06e17: Madelaine Petsch, Camila Mendes and Lili Reinhart as Cheryl, Veronica and Betty

      Riverdale S06E17 Review: American Psychos – Bored

      By Salome G
      | June 18, 2022
    • Star Trek Strange New Worlds S01e06: Ian Ho and Husein Madhavji as First Servant and Elder Gamal

      Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Episodes 6-7 review (the best and the not-so best)

      By Matthew Martin
      | June 18, 2022
  • Video Games
    Featured
    • Arkham Knight

      Batman: Arkham Knight - A fitting end to a trilogy

      By Tom Farr
      | July 18, 2015
      Video Game Reviews
    Recent
    • Legend Of Zelda

      Can a Legend of Zelda movie work?

      By Matthew Martin
      | April 6, 2022
    • Super Mario 64

      Which system had the better launch: A battle of four Nintendo consoles

      By Matthew Martin
      | December 1, 2021
    • Luigi's Mansion

      Happy twentieth to Nintendo’s underrated gem, the Gamecube

      By Matthew Martin
      | November 18, 2021
    • Metroid Dread

      Metroid Dread – Post Game analysis and sequel needs

      By Matthew Martin
      | October 29, 2021
    • Mario Headphones

      The SNES Turns 30: A look at some of the system’s best soundtracks

      By Matthew Martin
      | October 22, 2021
    • Metroid Dread Poster

      REVIEW: Metroid Dread reawakens the old gamer in me

      By Matthew Martin
      | October 11, 2021
  • Wrestling
    Featured
    • Wwe Payback 2017 Poster 2

      Your SO OF COURSE preview of WWE Payback 2017

      By Matthew Martin
      | April 30, 2017
      WWE Blogs
    Recent
    • AEW Double or Nothing 2022: CM Punk vs Adam Page

      REVIEW: AEW Double or Nothing 2022 delivered an up-and-down show

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 30, 2022
    • MJF on AEW Dynamite 17th November 2021

      Getting AEW to the next level…

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 29, 2022
    • Raw 210501: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon

      May 21, 2001 – A (forgotten) date that will live in WWE infamy

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 20, 2022
    • WWE WrestleMania 39 Logo

      Your WAY TOO EARLY predictions for WWE WrestleMania 39!

      By Matthew Martin
      | April 20, 2022
    • WWE WrestleMania 38 Poster

      Your SO OF COURSE preview of WWE WRESTLEMANIA 38!

      By Matthew Martin
      | March 30, 2022
    • Wrestlemania 31 Paige Aj Lee 2

      BOOK REVIEW: The Women of WrestleMania is a balanced take on an under-valued slice of history

      By Matthew Martin
      | March 16, 2022
  • Topics
    • site logo
    Latest
    • REVIEW: ELVIS beautifully mythologizes the King of Rock and Roll
    • REVIEW: THE BLACK PHONE is a flat, dull, rushed non-horror movie
    • Roswell, New Mexico S04E03 Review: Subterranean Homesick Alien - Treading water?
    • REVIEW: Obi-Wan Kenobi had a good season and little else
    • Evil S03E02 Review: The Demon of Memes - Delightfully creepy
    • Dark Winds S01E02 Review: The Male Rain Approaches - Loose threads
    • Latest Comments

    WWE: The Ladder Match 2 – Crash & Burn DVD Review

    By Henry Higgins
    | December 20, 2011
    WWE DVD Reviews
    This page contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Learn more

    Ever since Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon had their stellar outing at WrestleMania X (and repeated the feat in their superior Summerslam ’95 outing), the Ladder Match has had a certain mystique as it evolved from a simple concept through TLC to the Money in the Bank match that stole the show at numerous WrestleManias to the point it was given its own PPV.

    Many men have competed in Ladder Matches, with some even becoming synonymous with the gimmick, but the one thing they’ve all had in common is that they paid the physical price for their efforts and gave us fans a continued run of violent innovation.

    To celebrate this most entertaining of stipulations, WWE bring you the second DVD set devoted to all things rung-related inside the squared-circle. Taking in bouts from Smokey Mountain Wrestling, OVW, WCW and, of course, WWE, it’s time to see who climbs to the top and who is left to Crash & Burn.

    Wwe Ladder Match 2 Dvd Set

    Certificate: 12

    Running Time: 7hrs 10mins

    Discs: 3

    Disc 1

    • The Evolution of the Ladder Match
    • Ladder Match for the Undisputed Intercontinental Championship: Shawn Michaels v Razor Ramon – WrestleMania X (20th March, 1994)
    • Ladder Match for $2,500: Tracy Smothers v Chris Candido – Smoky Mountain Wrestling (March, 1994)
    • Ladder Match for the WCW United States Championship: Eddie Guerrero v Syxx – n.W.o Souled Out (25th January, 1997)
    • Ladder Match for the Hardcore Championship: Mankind v Big Boss Man – Raw (30th November, 1998)
    • Ladder Match for the WWE Championship: The Rock v Mankind – Raw (15th February, 1999)
    • Setting the Bar for Drama
    • Handicap Ladder Match for Control of the WWE: Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon v Stone Cold Steve Austin – King of the Ring (27th June, 1999)
    • Ladder Match for a Gold Record and then a Recording Contract: 3 Count v Jung Dragons – New Blood Rising (13th August, 2000)
    • Amazing Rewards, Serious Consequences
    • Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Edge & Christian v The Hardy Boyz – Raw (25th September, 2000)

    Disc 2

    • A Whole ‘nother Level
    • Ladder Match to Unify the Intercontinental & European Championships: Rob Van Dam v Jeff Hardy – Raw (22nd July, 2002)
    • Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Team Angle v Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri -Judgment Day (18th May, 2003)
    • Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Christian v Rob Van Dam – Raw (29th September, 2003)
    • Different Side of the Divas
    • Ladder Match for the Undisputed OVW Women’s Championship: Katie Lea v Beth Phoenix – OVW (23rd December, 2006)
    • Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Mr. Kennedy v CM Punk v Edge v Finlay v Jeff Hardy v Matt Hardy v King Booker v Randy Orton – WrestleMania 23 (1st April, 2007)
    • The More The Merrier
    • Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: The Hardys v The World’s Greatest Tag Team – One Night Stand (3rd June, 2007)
    • Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Jeff Hardy v Carlito – Raw (10th December, 2007)

    Disc 3

    • “Somebody Else’s Yard”
    • TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Undertaker v Edge – One Night Stand (1st June, 2008)
    • Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Chris Jericho v Shawn Michaels – No Mercy (5th October, 2008)
    • Money in the Bank Ladder Match: CM Punk v Kane v Mark Henry v MVP v Shelton Benjamin v Kofi Kingston v Finlay v Christian – WrestleMania 25 (5th April, 2009)
    • “Brand New Concept”
    • Money in the Bank Ladder Match: The Miz v Randy Orton v Chris Jericho v Evan Bourne v Ted DiBiase v John Morrison v Edge v Mark Henry – Money in the Bank (18th July, 2010)
    • #1 Contender’s Ladder Match for the WWE Championship: John Morrison v Sheamus – TLC (19th December, 2010)
    • Ladder Match for the Vacant World Heavyweight Championship: Christian v Alberto Del Rio – Extreme Rules (1st May, 2011)
    • “Action Packed, Innovative, and Dangerous”

    Even though the Ladder Match existed before the WWE brought it to the masses at WrestleMania X, (it is generally agreed it was a Stampede Wrestling creation that Vince imported from Canada at the behest of Bret Hart), it’s not a stretch to say that it was the classic encounter between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon that was most fans first experience of the gimmick… and what an experience it was.

    With that in mind, it’s only fitting that the set begins with that offering and runs, chronologically, through a series of matches where various objects (titles, contracts, gold discs, money, etc) are hung high above the ring and the only way to win is to climb a ladder and grab said prize (with later matches stating you had to drop to the floor to be considered the winner).

    It’s a credit to WWE (and the wrestlers involved) that there is a lack of obvious repetition as the set progresses. Of course there’s certain spots that are considered staples of the Ladder Match, but watching these bouts one after the other, you can see the evolution involved in what we see today.

    Matches

    There are twenty-one complete matches across the three discs, with the amount of competitors varying depending on the stipulation. There are singles bouts, tag-team matches, a six-man tag, a two-on-one handicap match, a three-way match and three eight-man Money in the Bank matches to enjoy.

    None of the matches are poor, but, as you’d expect, some aren’t as essential viewing as others. The “you must not miss” matches are Shawn v Razor, 3-Count v Jung Dragons, Eddie v Syxx, E&C v The Hardys, Van Dam v Jeff Hardy, Team Angle v Eddie/Tajiri, the three MitB bouts, Jericho v HBK and Morrison v Sheamus.

    In addition, any match that gets Tracy f’n Smothers into a WWE DVD release can only be a good thing and the womens match from OVW shows just exactly what a missed opportunity Katie Lea Burchill was in WWE and is now in TNA.

    Overview

    This is absolutely brilliant and is well worth a spot in your collection, not to mention a stunning follow-up to the first Ladder Match set.

    A few things do annoy, particularly the commentary by Eric Bischoff and Ted DiBiase in the Guerrero/Syxx match an the fact The Dudleys aren’t in any match despite Christian (who does a nice job in his links) mentioning them almost immediately.

    Ignoring that though, the matches themselves are never less than very good and some of the stunts these guys perform are amazingly insane, especially during the TLC and MitB outings (say what you will about Hornswoggle, but the Green Bay Plunge he took from the top of  a ladder was just insane). I still have my jaw drop at Jeff Hardy putting Edge through a ladder with a seated senton at WrestleMania 23. An eclectic mix of talent mean that you aren’t seeing the same faces all the time, although when those who do repeat (Eddie, HBK, Edge, Jeff Hardy) put forth the efforts that they do, you’re actually glad to see them again.

    Other little joys include going back in time and feeling nostalgic for when an arena would come unglued like they just don’t do today. Austin hitting a Stunner on The Rock during the build to WrestleMania XV, the WWE Hardcore Title genuinely meaning something (Bossman was great during this era and his music is simply awesome), seeing The J.O.B. Squad back on my TV, HBK’s heel persona on commentary during the Bossman/Mankind match and when the WWE Tag Team Titles were a main part of the company and the E&C/Hardys/Dudleys three-way feud just lit the promotion on fire.

    There’s also some great lines on commentary; the pick of the bunch being at the conclusion of Smothers v Candido where the announcer states a manager is bringing an outsider in to take care of Smothers. He says, with no hint of irony, that it could be “a boxer, a karate guy or a baseball player.” I laughed hard at that one, even more so than when he became worried someone was going to lose a limb. Also, Tank Abbott dancing to 3-Count, with his rep as a legit tough guy, is just surreal.

    Nick Patrick’s reaction to Eddie Guerrero defeating Syxx (who was called “The One-Man Rock Concert – take that, Heath Slater) at the nWo PPV is something special, but you find yourself rolling your eyes at WCW over-complicating a simple gimmick during the six-man tag. In addition, the bout between Sheamus and John Morrison is the sleeper match of the entire set. Brutal hits from both men, innovative use of the stipulation and a stunningly stiff finish to things all add up to the perfect end to their rivalry.

    Lastly, special mention to Edge v Undertaker which is just vicious.

    If you buy the Blu-Ray version, you get the following additional matches -:

    Blu-ray Exclusive Matches

    • Ladder Match for World Heavyweight Championship: Edge v Jeff Hardy – Extreme Rules (7th June, 2009)
    • Ladder Match for the ECW Championship: Christian v Shelton Benjamin – TLC (13th December, 2009)
    • TLC Match for WWE Championship: The Miz v Jerry “The King” Lawler – Raw (29th November, 2010)
    • Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Dolph Ziggler v Kofi Kingston v Jack Swagger – TLC (19th December, 2010)

    Points: 10/10

    Buy It:

    UK: DVD / Blu-ray

    USA: DVD / Blu-ray

    Canada: DVD / Blu-ray

    Share this article:

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit

    Tags

    gimmick matchesladder match

    COMMENTS

    Please read our Commenting Policy before you join in with the discussion.

    Note: If you have email notifications enabled, please check your email spam folders to ensure emails are not missed.

    Subscribe
    Connect withD
    I allow to create an account
    When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
    DisagreeAgree
    Notify of
    guest
    Connect withD
    I allow to create an account
    When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
    DisagreeAgree
    guest
    0 Comments
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments

    You might also like

    • WWE: The Ladder Match DVD Review

      By TheBigBoot
      | April 9, 2008
    • WWE Hell In A Cell DVD Review

      By Henry Higgins
      | December 26, 2008
    • WWE Iron Will: The Anthology of WWE’s Toughest Match DVD Review

      By Henry Higgins
      | December 12, 2010

    FIND THE TOPICS YOU WANT...

    Wrestling Topics

    Recommended for you

    • REVIEW: AEW Double or Nothing 2022 delivered an up-and-down show

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 30, 2022
    • Getting AEW to the next level…

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 29, 2022
    • May 21, 2001 – A (forgotten) date that will live in WWE infamy

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 20, 2022
    • Your WAY TOO EARLY predictions for WWE WrestleMania 39!

      By Matthew Martin
      | April 20, 2022
    • Money in the Bank and making a main-eventer

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 31, 2017
    • What we want from an AEW video game

      By Matthew Martin
      | May 31, 2021
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Cookie Policy and Settings
    • Terms of Use
    • Photo Credits
    • RSS
    All Cult of Whatever articles, logos, illustrations and graphics are copyright CultOfWhatever.com. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. © 2021 CultOfWhatever. All Rights Reserved.
    • facebook
    • twitter
    wpDiscuz