5 Best first-time ladder match performances in WWE history

#1 Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon (WWE Wrestlemania X)

Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WWE WrestleMania X

It's impossible to separate the performances of these legends and term one better than the other. While today's ladder matches and WWE Superstars have several reference points to work around, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon only had their past experience with chairs as a reference.

Celebrate the 25h anniversary of @ShawnMichaels & @SCOTTHALLNWO's famous #WrestleMania #LadderMatch by watching along WITH them on #WWEPlayback! pic.twitter.com/qxfR1uzIMa

— WWE (@WWE) March 20, 2019

It took unbelievable amounts of creativity to manage what these Superstars did in this match. Crafting a match with a gimmick that had virtually no track record, the two relied on their gameplan and went on to have an encounter for the ages.

25 years ago today ...March 20, 1994 ...Madison Square Garden ...#WWE #WrestleMania X!!!Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon for the #ICTitle!!!The DEFINITIVE ladder match and MY favorite match of all time!!!REPLY with a GIF of #HBK or #RazorRamon!!!#WrestlingWednesday pic.twitter.com/3vvibSZPOO

— #WrestlingGifFriday (@WrestlingGifFri) March 20, 2019

Spots like Michaels bouncing off the ladder and being trapped between the ropes after falling off another ladder were quite innovative at the time. The match left the live crowd in a collective gasp as they had never seen something like this. While Razor Ramon walked out of the match as the new WWE Intercontinental Champion, Michaels solidified his standing as one of WWE's top stars.

More than anything else, the match set the template for future ladder matches, and it continues to be a reference points for Superstars across the world.