IC Title Ladder Match: Hart Hart (c) vs. Michaels Michaels w/ Sensational Sherri This was the first actual ladder match in the WWF (had been done elsewhere though). It was held during a Prime Time Wrestling taping. This match was supposed to be a precursor to a Summerslam match up. If held in the U.S. (Hershey, Pennsylvania I believe), Michaels was supposed to beat Hart in the ladder match re-match. However, it was held in England and we all know how that went down. This was during a period when the WWF had that female, Mike (yes really a woman), as a ring announcer. Michaels comes down to his original Heartbreak theme where Sherri sings instead of him. Joey Marella is ref. There's some brief issues with placing the belt on the hook to begin with. Tie up to begin with, Michaels with some punches in the corner. Irish whip, stopped into a back flip by Michaels, which is countered by Hart with a hard clothesline. Another one. Punches by Hart. Whips Hart into the ropes, and hits a baaaaaack body drop. Hart kicks Michaels in the gut. Headbutt and then a European uppercut by Hart. Hart goes for the ladder but Michaels stops him and pounds away. Kicks to the back on Hart. Hart goes into the corner head first while Gorilla and Hayes discuss a tatoo on Sherri's breast (Monsoon's own words). Kitchen sink by Michaels takes down Hart. Michaels goes for the ladder, and begins to bring it back to the ring. Hart gets up and knocks it out of Michaels's hands. Throws Michaels into the ring post. Back in the ring, and another headbutt. Drops a standing elbow on Michaels. Hart goes for the belt. Sherri stops him. She distracts Hart while Michaels grabs the ladder and sets it up. He gets close, but Hart yanks him down. Punches to the gut on Michaels, but Michaels gives Hart a thumb to the eye. Hart heads up, but Michaels stops him and the ladder falls. Michaels grabs the ladders and uses it as a ram-rod into Hart's gut. Then does it again...and tries again, but Hart moves. The ladder is placed into the corner. Michaels lowers his head tooe arly and gets kicked hard in the face. Michaels reverses an Irish whip and launches Hart shoulder first into the ladder. Michaels heads up for the belt, but Hart was grabbing his leg. He touched the belt, but falls off and the ladder falls straight onto his chest! Hart is up, but he's one rung short. Michaels takes him down. They trade punches and fight over the ladder. Michaels slams Hart's head into the upright ladder and knocks him down. Ladder is again set up in the corner. Hart whipped into the corner. Hart reverses a charge and hits a clothesline off the second rope which Michaels oversells with a flip. This sets up the fakest move in wrestling, the catpault. Hart catapaults Michaels directly into the ladder and Michaels, once again, oversells it with a flip. Hart is wobbly, Michaels is down. Backbreaker on Michaels. Hart sets up the ladder again. He climbs...touches, but no, Michaels again takes him down. Back to punching. Irish whip sequence ends up in a double KO. Michaels gets up first, and climbs the ladder...Hart on the other side. They topple the belt over with them on it! Both hit the rops and go down. Michaels back to the eyes. Double Irish whip reversal leads to Sherri tripping up Hart, and as Hart turns around he gets hit with the Superkick...which is not his finisher at this time, so Hart does not stay down too long. Michaels stalls. He picks up Hart and hits him with his finisher, the Tear Drop suplex. Hart is down. Michaels crawls to the ladder. Gets it up, Hart is still down. Michaels climbs. Hart is stirring. Michaels is almost there, he touches it, but NO Hart dropkicks the ladder from underneath Michaels. Michaels is sent flying, getting crotched on the top rope and then falling tot he outside. Hart is all alone. Sherri tries reviving Michaels. Hart sets it up, and climbs. He touches it and gets it. Falls to the mat and wins. ****
Didn't have the drama of the Wrestlemania X ladder match, but for it's time it was very innovative. At the time, though there were not many bumps, the bumps they did have were significant.
OverpusHHHed...Patterson was right...
"Win if you can, lose if you must, but in the end, always cheat..." - Jesse "the Body" Ventura
I'd always heard of this match, I'd never been able to find a copy of it though. Considering all we've seen outta ladder matches since WMX is it worth checking out?
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Originally posted by mercerI'd always heard of this match, I'd never been able to find a copy of it though. Considering all we've seen outta ladder matches since WMX is it worth checking out?
Its definitely different and more of a prototype for the future ones. Its shorter than most and there aren't really any "HOLY SHIT" type bumps. Its more about psychology and wearing your opponent down to get the belt. I think its a pretty damn good match and I enjoy it.
I think it was released on 2 WWF tape collections, WWF Smack 'Em Whack 'Em as well as Weirdest (?) Matches Ever.
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