The Greatest Ladder Match Ever?!

Hell Storm takes on Crazy Crusher in the most hellacious ladder match that you will probably ever witness in Professional Wrestling history.

Credit to Elite Wrestling Revolution

"Do not try this at home," is the one statement that comes to mind when watching this Ladder Match between Hell Storm and Crazy Crusher. All dramatics aside, this is the kind of stuff you love to see in a ladder match. Two elite performers leave it all over the venue, creating an atmosphere of pure suspense, forcing the audience to catch their breath just as much as the wrestlers in the ring. If you have not seen this match, go bless yourself, get a cocktail, and prepare to enthusiastically traumatized. There are too many highlights and spots in this match to just pick one, so let's do a full rundown of the match.

At EWR Brutal Carnage 2004, two dedicated and talented professional wrestlers put on a clinic of a Ladder match for the Elite Wrestling Revolution Championship. Or at least they might have wound up at the clinic by the time the final bell rang. To start off the match, both Hell Storm and Crazy Crusher lock up and eventually plummet to the outside of the ring, refusing to let go of each other. Hell Storm drives Crazy Crusher head first into the ladder, being the first to make contact with the ladder in the lengthy battle. Storm goes for an Irish Whip, Crusher reverses and instead whips Storm into the side of the elevated ramp wall. Storm uses the ropes to slowly rise to his feet. Unfortunately, he does not make it into the ring fast enough, because while he is gathering his footing, Crusher has grabbed ahold of a ladder and rams Storm in the head, knocking him into the ring. If that wasn't enough to get the party started, Crazy Crusher sets up the same ladder, climbs to the very top, and gives Hell Storm a massive Diving Crossbody from the outside to the ring. This was apparently only the appetizer, because both Hell Storm and Crazy Crusher still had a full course meal to serve the audience.

Both Crusher and Storm have now found themselves in the ring, but they still have over 20 minutes of twists and turns in store. Our next gut wrenching moment comes shortly after Crusher leans a closed ladder in the corner. While Crusher sets up the ladder, he likely was not expecting to fly back first into it by way of Hell Storm giving him a Wheelbarrow Suplex. OUCH. Next comes the first ladder climb of the night by Hell Storm in attempt to grab the championship gold sitting at the top. His dreams quickly come crashing down as Crazy Crusher shoves the ladder, sending Storm into the ring ropes and knocking him off the ladder. Having the same idea in mind, Crusher takes his climb towards the gold and also has the same fate as Storm shoves the ladder, sending him into the ropes. It is safe to say, neither opponent is weak enough to let the other climb to the top of ladder and win at this point in time. That being said, you might need a few drinks and a Benadryl to mentally cope with the rest of the match.

Back to the outside of the ring, both Storm and Crusher go back and forth with various attacks to wear their opponent down. A ladder is leaned against the ringpost on the outside. Crusher Irish Whips Storm into the ladder, however Hell Storm gives a Shelton Benjamin-like run up the ladder, followed by a Springboard to catapult himself onto the ladder set up in the middle of the ring to make his climb towards the EWR Championship gold once again. Not letting things end, Crusher rushes into the ring and knocks both Storm and the ladder down, also knocking himself out with the ladder in the process. Almost 6 minutes in, and we have already received the first "Holy sh*t" chant of the night. Luckily for the audience, there would be a plethora of opportunities to chant this over and over again in the coming moments.

Only one minute later, Hell Storm decides it is time to nearly commit murder off the ladder. Crazy Crusher makes his way up the ladder towards the EWR Championship hanging above the ring and is stopped by Hell Storm. Storm makes his way up the ladder, both men exchanging fists at the top. After gaining leverage, Hell Storm positions Crazy Crusher for a Powerbomb?? Impossible. A Piledriver??? ABSOLUTELY! Storms gets Crusher into a Piledriver position, jumps backwards and nails the Piledriver off the ladder onto the top turnbuckle. Both men tumble out of the ring, and the crowd erupts once again with a rightful "Holy sh*t!" chant in disbelief of what they have witnessed. Like we said, attempted murder.

Crazy Crusher decides to show the audience why he has "crazy" at the start of his name. He positions himself through the ladder rungs, holding it around his waist as he climbs another ladder. Before he can make any further decisions, Hell Storm shoves Crazy Crusher off one ladder while the other ladder still sits around Crushers waist. The ladder around Crusher's waist goes into the mat, driving Crusher's body in a rib crushing fashion, and creating a whiplash-like bump upon landing. 9 and a half minutes in, and once again, "Holy sh*t" erupts from the astonished audience. Just when you think things cannot get anymore violent, Storm uses Crusher's idea to put the ladder around his waist against him. Storm places the ladder back around Crusher and stands the ladder on its feet with Crusher looking up at the lights. Storm climbs the ladder with Crusher in between rungs, grabs another nearby ladder, and gives the ladder a Brainbuster onto Crushers face. Does it really need to be said again? The audience thinks it does. Once more..."HOLY SH*T!"

We are only about halfway through the match and Storm makes his way up the ladder to end things and grab the championship gold. Unfortunately for him, Crusher has made his way back to his feet and sends Storm crotch first onto the top rope from the ladder. Shortly after, both men make their way up the ladder and Crusher nails a Sunset Flip Powerbomb onto the mat, leaving both men laying in pain, likely both questioning why the hell their opponent is still standing. Leaving the ring, both men make their way to the barricades. Crazy Crusher stands on top of the barricade and gives Hell Storm a painful looking elevated Suplex onto a gathering of hard plastic and metal school chairs. You would think the audience has grown tired of chanting "Holy sh*t," at this point. But they haven't.

"Please don't die," is the next theme the audience decides to stick with. Whenever wrestlers make contraptions of tables, ladders, or chairs, one can only hope that career ending injuries are not on the other side of the not-so-green grass. One ladder is set up, and then another ladder is placed in between the rungs on the first ladder bridging over to the top turnbuckle. Next, ANOTHER ladder is stood on top of the bridge. Two referees had to get involved to even help Crazy Crusher set up this contraption that is undoubtedly going to come falling down at some point. Both men make their way up the elevated ladder that stands on the bridged ladder. Hell Storm gets Crazy Crusher into a Suplex position, and Superplexes Crusher onto the other standing ladder back first, completely breaking this man in half.

During the closing moments of the match, it is hard to think of anything else these men could do to top what they have already done. That certainly did not stop either of them from trying. A ladder is bridged diagonally across the top ropes and turnbuckle. Both men go up the ladder that is standing in the middle of the ring, exchanging strikes and punches that echo throughout the venue. Just when it looks like Hell Storm is going to Powerbomb Crazy Crusher onto the bridged ladder, Crusher gains the upper hand and lifts Storm onto his shoulders and stands on the ladder. Next, down goes Hell Storm onto the bridged ladder with a Samoan Driver and both men fly out of the ring taking the scariest bump of the night.

To end this monstrous battle between two warriors, both men grab a ladder, and make the final climb in attempt to win the match. Crusher pushes Storm and his ladder, but using the rope as leverage, Storm lands the ladder back on its feet. Trying to do the same, Storm pushes Crusher and his ladder, but Crusher also uses the rope as leverage to stand the ladder back up on its feet. Both men go back and forth with kicks and strikes until finally Hell Storm's leg is trapped in the ladder, allowing Crazy Crusher to climb the last few rungs to stand on both ladders and capture the Elite Wrestling Revolution Championship.

There are not enough words to describe how great this match is. Violence, storytelling, and passion were all on display to captivate the audience from start to finish, leaving all jaws on the floor at various points. Were these spots dangerous and downright alarming? Absolutely. But that is part of what makes Professional Wrestling so great. When performers can come together and create something so magical that the audience forgets they are watching something with a predetermined winner, that is how you know you have something special on your hands. 10 out of 10, do recommend, to your mother, father, and friends.