Dave Meltzer, a renowned journalist for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, has gained both praise and criticism for his highly influential star rating system.
With his five-star rating being the highest honour bestowed upon a professional wrestling match, Meltzer’s ratings have sparked debates and controversies within the wrestling community. In this feature, we take a look at 5 of his controversial 5-star ratings.
Anarchy In The Arena 2022
At AEW Double Or Nothing 2022, the Anarchy In The Arena match was comprised of The Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, Angelo Parker, and Matt Menard) against The Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley), Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz.
From John Moxley’s music playing on repeat throughout the match to barbed wire tables and baseball bats, to blood and more blood, this match had everything.
At one point in the match, in the midst of the mayhem, a heavily bloodied and almost zombified Eddie Kingston made his way to the ring with a gasoline can, which he poured on Chris Jericho and Brian Danielson, seemingly with the intention of setting Jericho ablaze.
Despite this match receiving high praise from wrestlers and fans alike due to the high level of violence on offer, the controversy surrounding it receiving 5 stars was due to the fact it was little more than that: violence, blood and weapons, with little in the way of psychology or long-term significance.
A-Kid vs. Zack Sabre JR.
The bout between A-Kid and Zack Sabre JR. which took place in Spanish independent promotion White Wolf Wrestling in 2018, was given 5 stars by Dave Meltzer, despite its relatively modest setting.
The New Japan submission specialist took on WWW’s champion A-Kid in a title match, which was heavily praised by those who witnessed it. However, the rating sparked controversy due to the nature of a relatively small-time bout that lacked storyline or long-term significance, sitting alongside all-time legendary bouts.
Some fans also pointed to matches that many consider to be all-time classics that did not receive the 5-star treatment, arguing that if those great bouts were not worthy of the coveted 5-star award, then this bout certainly wasn’t either, regardless of how good the action between the ropes might have been.
Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada Trilogy
Meltzer awarded the rare distinction of six stars to three matches in the trilogy between Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada. These bouts, taking place in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, captivated audiences worldwide. However, controversy arose when some questioned whether it was appropriate to break the rating scale by giving these matches above the maximum rating of five stars.
Critics argued that it undermined the integrity of Meltzer’s rating system, stating that giving matches 6 stars ultimately makes past 5-star matches less significant.
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers at All Out 2019
Another controversial five-star rating was given to the tag team match between The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) and The Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr. and Fenix) at All Out 2019. While many fans and experts praised the high-risk manoeuvres and fast-paced action, detractors argued that the match prioritised spots over coherent storytelling.
Some felt the excessive number of superkicks and high spots diminished the match’s overall quality, leading to disagreements regarding its rating.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 12
The highly anticipated encounter between Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in 2018 received a five-star rating from Meltzer. However, controversy ensued when critics argued that the match’s slow start and lack of a cohesive narrative prevented it from reaching the level of a perfect five-star rating. Despite the division in opinion and pacing of the match, it remains highly regarded by many as a showcase of technical proficiency and in-ring storytelling.