#3 Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels
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There had been countless great matches prior to the ladder match at WrestleMania X, but the added dynamic of a weapon and prop to the story told by Razor and HBK would grow the potential of great matches significantly.
It is now commonplace for events to carry some elements of extra-curricular violence if only to mix up the pacing and styles of contests that the fans get to see. On the downside, the classic elements of distinctive wrestling styles or crowd manipulation, not to mention the kayfabe effectiveness of a lot of moves, were all diminished.
For an example, see Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts’ in-ring work from his DDT finisher to engaging with the audience, all the way down to the manner he carried himself to play up the character.
On the upside, kayfabe had been well and truly lifted and everyone knew wrestling was fake, so the ladder match and other gimmicks added very necessary innovations and bigger ‘big spots’ than had ever been seen before.
Naturally, with the highest standard of a performer, as these two were, the capacity of the match to deliver the moments and story still required from pro wrestling, comes easily.
For others, being a crash test dummy sadly is a modern requirement for many entering the business today, as it seems largely built towards delivering the next ‘Holy S***’ moment, regardless of how few people may be there to appreciate it.
The emotional connection and suspension of belief remain crucial for an effective product.
