The Ladder Match
A spotlight shines on gold and leather hanging twenty feet above the ring. This will be the toughest fight of your career. It's difficult to hear above the roar of the crowd, but it's not necessary. You only have one thing on your mind, the man standing across from you and the knowledge that both of you will do whatever it takes to secure the prize that waits atop that ladder.
But how can you assure your victory? It's a long way up there and the other guy is going to try his best to get there before you. Today we take a look at the ladder match. We will go over the best ways to go about reaching the belt and gaining that victory, as well as different variations on the ladder match and tips to succeed in those matches as well.
Basics
There is only one way to win a ladder match. Climb the ladder and pull down the object hanging above the ring. To accomplish this you must remember one thing. There are no rules. No disqualifications, no pin falls, no submissions. The methods you employ to win are completely up to you. Just keep your goal in mind. To that end, there are a few basics that must be touched on before we delve to deep into strategies necessary for victory. First and foremost is ladder placement. It does you no good to climb the ladder if you are nowhere near your goal. So make sure that you place the ladder as close to center ring as possible to allow you the best chance of grabbing the prize. If it's not dead center that is fine, as you may still be able to grab the belt with one hand, but this takes longer to pull it down than if you can grab the belt with two hands. Another useful trick in placing ladders is using a second ladder as a ramp. To do this simply place the first ladder close to center ring, and grab a second ladder and place it against the steps of the first, this will create a ramp which you can run up and grab the belt with two hands. The down side to this is that both ladders will be knocked over leaving you dangling above the ring and an easy target for your opponent.
Keep in mind also that the ladder is not a mere tool for reaching your prize but can be utilized in other ways as well. A tag team partner it has been called, as when it is used as a weapon can be as devastating as having to face two men instead of just one. Feel free to swing away when the ladder is in your hand. The damage it can dish out is high, and can easily turn the tide of battle. If you have the weapons grapple ability, more options are available to you. Initiate a grapple with your opponent to lay him on top of the ladder and hit him with some leg drops or a body slam on the ladder. Place the ladder in the corner and Irish whip the bad guy into it to deal out some extra damage, then close in and drop kick it in his face, or toss him into it. Don't be afraid to use the ladder as more than just what it is, the only rule in the ladder match is to get the prize above the ring.
There are two main elements to victory, strategy and tactics. We will look at both and determine how they can help benefit you in winning a ladder match. I will then give a few examples of each and ways to put those plans into action.
Strategy and Tactics
International Chess Grand Master Yasser Seirawan describes Strategy as “the purposeful pursuit of a simple goal: to gain an advantage of some sort over your opponent.” With an advantage over your opponent, your quest for the gold becomes much easier. One cannot just race up the ladder and hope to win the match just after the bell sounds. You must set your victory up via small advantages.
The best, and easiest, advantage you can gain over your opponent is health. The more damage your opponent has taken than you, the better your chances of victory. A wounded opponent also moves slower than one in good health. Whether it be through grapples and attacks, or through the use of weapons, make sure you beat the crap out of the other guy before attempting to climb the ladder. The last thing you want is to get to the top of the ladder just to have the other guy suplex you off the top of it.
Those that control the high ground are at a great advantage over their opponent, so make sure you control it. Heavy Irish whips can send your opponent outside the ring, doing damage to them and giving you a positional advantage over them. As your opponent tries to re-enter the ring attack him quickly to drop him and give yourself another advantage. This is a simple and effective method of controlling the pace of the action and late game can give you he extra time necessary to climb the ladder and retrieve the belt.
If your enemy can't get to you he can't stop you from reaching your goal. So obstructing his path can be an effective although difficult method of ensuring victory. Placing foreign objects in the way can be time consuming but when done properly will give you the time necessary to reach the prize above the ring. Smaller weapons prove little distraction and merely waste your time, but tables and ladders placed between you and your opponent lengthwise will force your opponent to either go around or pick them up becoming a slight distraction.
Timing is very important in ladder matches. While climbing the ladder and pulling down the belt you leave yourself very vulnerable to attack. Make sure you have a clear advantage before making your way up the ladder. Finishers will wipe out a wounded opponent and give you plenty of time. Irish whip your opponent and they will have to spend time making their way back to you.
Variations
There are several variants to the ladder match and each has it's own challenges to overcome and exploit. The simplest of these is the tag team ladder match, which pits two teams of two against one another. For success here, simply designate one person as the defense and one as the ladder climber and stick to the strategies listed above. One man can Irish whip the opposing team outside the ring or try grappling them while the other heads for the prize. If you find yourself overwhelmed by your opponents try sticking together to back each other up and look for openings when your opponents are vulnerable.
Triple threats and fatal four ways feature three to four wrestlers in a winner take all ladder match. Only one man can come out on top so it is very important to watch your back and exploit any weaknesses you see. Try to go for the belt when all your opponents are outside the ring. Alternatively, you can try waiting for your opponents to work the belt loose before going for it yourself. By waiting this way, you are vulnerable less often but run the risk of allowing your enemies to win the match if you are not careful.
The money in the bank ladder match places a briefcase above the ring inside of which is a contract for a guaranteed title shot. In this match six men face off in a free for all to secure the briefcase. This is an extremely difficult match to come out on top in as there is almost always someone in the ring and it will last so long everyone will be damaged severely. A lot of luck is necessary, and the ability to make the best of every opportunity that comes your way. Good luck with this match.
Next time we will look at cage matches and discuss how best to survive within them.
