Japanese matches dominating the top spots does not necessarily mean a bias. These matches could've failed to meet expectations for a variety of reasons, such as poor preparation, the lack of determination from the wrestlers, or poorly written match scripts. Len Denton's book is a fantastic read through the territory days of professional wrestling, and he's not shy about his personal failures, either. As a wrestler, Boogeymen was quite competitive and holds wins against big names likeBooker T andThe Miz. ", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2019)", "Dave Meltzer on Twitter: "Atlanta War Games was *****", "In Search of Five Star Matches Part Two", "In 1989, Flair & Steamboat did 10.25 stars working an afternoon and evening show in Landover & Philly on house shows", "August 21, 1991 Observer Newsletter More WWF steroid troubles, Billy Graham lawsuit", "Hall of Fame season: The best matches of Akira Taue", "February 25, 1991 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Full Wrestlemania card released", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2019) Page 2 of 6", "Jan. 17 1994 Observer Newsletter: The 1993 Wrestling Observer Reader Awards issue", "May 10, 1993 Observer Newsletter: Konnan retires, Hogan buries WWF, Heyman new promotion, tons more", "August 30, 1993 Observer Newsletter: Wrestling recovery?, Terry Gordy collapses,Gene Okerlund leaves WWE", "April 19, 1993 Observer Newsletter: Von Erich death fallout, Hogan title update, Mania buyrate, more", "March 7, 1994 Observer Newsletter: Lawler case finished, WWE leaks finish that didn't end up the finish", "March 21, 1994 Observer Newsletter: Tonya Harding and wrestling, Hogan/WCW, Mania X preview, more", "Wrestling Observer Radio: Vince McMahon is back, Dana White, Omega vs. Ospreay", "August 8, 1994 Observer Newsletter: Back to business after trial, a huge week for pro-wrestling internationally, new promotion starting up, tons more", "Dec. 19, 1994 Observer Newsletter: Epic Rickson Gracie vs. Yoji Anjoh story which ultimately led to the creation of PRIDE, UFC IV set, Real World Tag League tournament, tons more", "Jan. 30, 1995 Observer Newsletter: 1995 Royal Rumble, angle to bring Ric Flair back to WCW, "Nu Jack" legal issues, business trends of past three years, more", "Oct. 23, 1995 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Bill Watts already gone from WWE after three weeks, New Japan/UWFi update, Ultimate Ultimate tournament pairings, tons more", "Jan. 22, 1996 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Results of the 1995 Observer Newsletter Awards, 1995 Record Book, tons more", "Jan. 13, 1997 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 1997 Annual Awards Issue, a look at all the major shows of the year, tons more", "Nov. 11, 1996 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Infamous angle where Austin broke into Pillman's house, thoughts on Hall of Fame issue, Pancrase PPV, tons more", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2019) Page 3 of 6", "August 3, 1998 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: More on Leno and WCW, WWF Fully Loaded review, death of June Byers, more", "November 15, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: ECW November to Remember review, Dynamite Kid book, more", "JANUARY 1, 2001 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: CANDIDATES FOR WRESTLER OF THE YEAR, SAKURABA DEFEATS ANOTHER GRACIE, MORE", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2019) Page 4 of 6", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2019) Page 5 of 6", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2020) Page 6 of 6", "Dave Meltzer 5 Star Matches List (1983 to 2021) - Page 7", "Will Ospreay vs Ricky Knight Jr Awarded 5 Star Rating By Dave Meltzer", "Will Ospreay Awarded TWO Five Star Matches In One Week", "Dutch Mantell sugiere a WWE preste mayor atencin al uso de Gunther", "EVERY DAVE MELTZER 5-STAR RATING OF 2022", "Every Dave Meltzer 5-Star Rating of 2023", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_professional_wrestling_matches_rated_5_or_more_stars_by_Dave_Meltzer&oldid=1141058165, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 03:54. Once again, the length hurts the match, as it was a long affair with boring stretches, and the dead crowd is proof of that. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Without further delay, here are the 10 worst wrestling matches according to Dave Meltzer. Of all the matches he has rated over the years, these are the ones rated 5* or better. Forget about me. This was a homage to tag team wrestling, with several nods and references to the all-time great teams throughout, whilst also putting together a brilliant display of liquid action and telling their own great story throughout. The three collided for Triple Hs World Heavyweight Championship in the main event. Bret and Owen would eventually get their full five stars at SummerSlam later that year. The Undertaker, 5* | Fri, Jun 6th 1997 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 5* | Thu, Jun 5th 1997 | NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors IV | El Samurai vs. Koji Kanemoto, 5* | Sun, Mar 23rd 1997 | WWF WrestleMania 13 | Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 5* | Fri, Dec 6th 1996 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa, 5* | Fri, Jun 7th 1996 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Johnny Ace, Steve Williams, 5* | Sat, Mar 9th 1996 | ECW Big Ass Extreme Bash | Rey Misterio, Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera, 5* | Fri, Jun 9th 1995 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, 5* | Sat, Apr 15th 1995 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue, 5* | Sat, Mar 4th 1995 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Johnny Ace, Steve Williams, 5* | Sun, Nov 6th 1994 | WCW/AAA When Worlds Collide | El Hijo Del Santo, Octagon, Eddy Guerrero, Art Barr, 5* | Mon, Aug 29th 1994 | WWF SummerSlam | Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, 5* | Sat, Apr 16th 1994 | NJPW Super J Cup | Wild Pegasus vs. Andrew Kelly is a writer from The Wirral, England. Dave and Bryan hosted the show every Sunday night from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. EST on the Sports Byline Radio Network. Jannetty and Michaels had a lot of chemistry and that made this match flawless. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The match was too long and became a bit mind-numbing in the first 20 minutes. this book has wrestlers youve no doubt heard of but for me its the people i never knew of that was a great pleasure to learn about. Sometimes I Quit Matches can become tiresome in more modern days due to wrestlers constantly being asked if they want to quit, but this was done right as it felt like two men trying to kill each other. Flair would pick up the victory and win back his World Heavyweight Title, though Steamboat came out of the feud looking like a valiant hero. Ted Dibiase vs Junkyard Dog (1982) 33%. Tokyo Dream Cinderella 2021 Special Edition, 50th Anniversary For TAKATaichi Together ~ Last TAKATaichi, Dynamite #67 - New Year's Smash - Night 1, WWWA Champions Night Osaka Queen's Holy Night, Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout, Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup '87 - Day 2, Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament, Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling "Last" Love Hold Out, Excite Series 2023 - Day 2: Pro-Wrestling Day MANIAx, The New Beginning 2023 In Sapporo ~ 2 Sapporo Snow Battles - Day 2, The New Beginning 2023 In Sapporo ~ 2 Sapporo Snow Battles - Day 1, TAKA Michinoku Debut 30th Anniversary ~ TAKATaichiDespeMania, Kobe World 2022 ~ Ultimo Dragon 35th Anniversary, Dynamite #148 - Fight For The Fallen 2022, Best Of The Super Junior XXVIII & World Tag League 2021 - Day 12, Wrestle Grand Slam 2021 in MetLife Dome - Day 1, Dynamite #77 - St. Patrick's Day Slam Taping, Pro Wrestling NOAH 20th Anniversary ~ NOAH The Chronicle Vol. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. by John Molinaro, Jeff Marek, et al. He is an MA Graduate from the University of Manchester, and a BA Graduate from Liverpool John Moores University, both in Creative Writing. The fact that Flair is the only American on this list says a lot about the kind of wrestling Dave Meltzer likes and just how good Ric Flair was to overcome that. Dave Meltzer is the most prestigious wrestling journalist of all and his match rating system is so good that people value his opinion too much. Dave Meltzer Star Ratings - Wrestlemania 10 (X) - Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart. The Cagematch readers however have differing opinions . Wrestling. All rights reserved. NOAH Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling "Last" Love Hold Out: Kazuchika Okada: Kaito Kiyomiya +4.75 Sun, Feb 19th 2023: AJPW Excite Series 2023 - Day 2: Pro-Wrestling Day MANIAx: Yuji Nagata: Kento Miyahara +4.75 Sat, Feb 18th 2023: WWE Elimination Chamber 2023: Roman Reigns: Sami Zayn +4.75 Sat, Feb 11th 2023: NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka . The in-ring work itself was perfect, with great tag team psychology and sequences, but it was the nuance, storytelling, and great moments which took this to a 6-star level of match. Renowned wrestling journalist, Dave Meltzer has been rating wrestling matches since 1982. For more information, please see our Meltzer retarded rating strikes once again. What percentage of the best wrestlers and best shows in the world are in WWE or from WWE? That's 28 years before a certain match in the Tokyo Dome. | Jan 1, 2002. It was compiled by Dave Meltzer and published in the wrestling observer in 2008. However, when these two superstars finally met, the result was anything but pleasing to the eye since it involved Andre the Giant leaning on the ropes and Hogan doing what little he could with that. Danielson was brutal in his attacks on Pages arm, and things rose to dramatic heights once there was blood involved too. Dave Meltzer clarified Omega's contract status in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), explaining that it had indeed been extended but there was uncertainty as to exactly how long. Dubbed Kennel from Hell," this match was held in a double cage where the winner had to escape both cages to win. Ratings are from his Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscribe here). Jerry Lawler vs Tommy Rich/Austin Idol (1987) 33%. Meltzer gave Cena vs. Styles 4.75 stars. Amongst their classic trilogy, Steamboat and Flair worked the house show circuit, with this match in March standing out as one of the few matches to break Dave Meltzers 5 Star Rating, by achieving an astonishing 6 Stars. Support began to dwindle upon Reigns's transition to a heroic main event singles act in 2014, largely due to his . On September 4, 2021, Jeff Cobb scored one of the biggest wins of his career by defeating Kazuchika Okada in a great bout, but it was nothing extraordinary as Dave Meltzer thinks it was. Despite its overall influence, the match only got three stars from Dave Meltzer. 85. Undeniably, this match was amazing, but it's hard to understand why Dave Meltzer rated it five stars. His first match was at WrestleMania 3 against The Game, Triple H. Upon his return to the WWE, everything that the Ultimate Warrior tried doing never felt quite right. Dave Meltzer was born in Tel Aviv in 1967. RELATED: WWE: 10 Wrestling Legends Who Were Terrible On The Microphone. Free shipping for many products! 7 The Rock Vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8) Hulk Hogan's return to WWE after eight years in 2002 jolted the pro wrestling world. 23 Feb 2023 10:31:44 RELATED: Kenny Omega's 10 Best Matches, According To Dave Meltzer. See full summary . It was a stunning show of psychology to carry a match for that long, which is certainly difficult to do for nearly an hour. According to Meltzer it was .25 less than perfect ( 4.75 was the official rating). On the other hand, Boogeymans offense was quite terrible. Whilst the result was never really in question, the in-ring work between Kenny Omega and Rey Fenix was a thing of beauty, with it mixing together hard-hitting blows and insanely athletic offense. It was bloody, violent, and creative with many scary looking spots and hard-hitting bumps, including a crazy leap from Rey Fenix off the top of the cage. The War Machine, Lex Luger, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Ric Flair (WarGames), 5* | Sat, Apr 11th 1987 | NWA Crockett Cup '| Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham, 5* | Sat, Apr 19th 1986 | NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament | Butch Miller, Luke Williams vs. Bobby Fulton, Tommy Rogers, 5* | Fri, Feb 14th 1986 | CWF Battle Of The Belts 2 | Barry Windham vs. Ric Flair, 5* | Sat, Mar 9th 1985 | AJPW Sumo Hall Show | Tiger Mask II vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi, 5* | Wed, Dec 5th 1984 | UWF (Original) Tokyo Show | Kazuo Yamazaki vs. Nobuhiko Takada, 5* | Thu, Apr 21st 1983 | NJPW Sumo Hall Show | Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid. There are several matches that Meltzer has over rated, and admittedly he is giving five-star (or higher) ratings more often than ever, which has ruined the meaning and value of the stars. Wrestling Observer Radio: Remembering Lanny Poffo, Fedor, NXT Vengeance Day . Women's EC Match: 4 stelle. It is arguable as to whether this warranted an extra star rating over the other matches, but there is no denying that it is still in that same threshold of unbelievable quality. Aside from providing insider knowledge (and annoying Jim Cornette), Meltzer is also known for his star rating system. Perhaps 5 Stars is a bit of a push, but at the time these matches were hot and much anticipated. It did feel like an authentic, bloody, and brutal fight between 10 men who hated each other. This match between Bandido and Dragon Lee at Battle Of Los Angeles 2019 was spectacular, very fun to watch from start to finish, but truth be told, this was nowhere near the level of a five-star match. In the end, a bloody and battered HHH prevailed over Jack with a Pedigree on the thumbtacks. Potential Buyer Pulls Out Of Race To Purchase WWE? The publisher of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has given a lot of stars to AEW! 7* | Sat, Jun 9th 2018 | NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall | Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada (2 Out Of 3 Falls), 6.25* | Sun, Jun 11th 2017 | NJPW Dominion 6.11 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega, 6* | Sat, Aug 12th 2017 | NJPW G1 Climax 2017 - Day 18 | Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada, 6* | Wed, Jan 4th 2017 | NJPW Wrestle Kingdom XI | Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega, 6* | Fri, Jun 3rd 1994 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 5.75* | Sun, Aug 12th 2018 | NJPW G1 Climax 2018 - Day 19 | Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi (G1 CLIMAX FINAL), 5.75* | Sun, Aug 13th 2017 | NJPW G1 Climax 2017 - Day 19 | Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega (G1 CLIMAX FINAL), 5.5* | Sat, Aug 11th 2018 | NJPW G1 Climax 2018 - Day 18 | Kota Ibushi vs. Kenny Omega, 5.5* | Sat, Aug 4th 2018 | NJPW G1 Climax 2018 - Day 14 | Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kenny Omega, 5.5* | Mon, Jun 4th 2018 | NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors XXV - Day 14 | Hiromu Takahashi vs, Taiji Ishimori, 5.5* Fri, May 4th 2018 | NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Day 2 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, 5* | Fri, Aug 10th 2018 | NJPW G1 Climax 2018 - Day 17 | Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, 5* | Sat, Jul 21st 2018 | NJPW G1 Climax 2018 - Day 6 | Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hirooki Goto, 5* | Sat, Apr 7th 2018 | NXT Takeover: New Orleans | Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned), 5* | Sat, Apr 7th 2018 | NXT Takeover: New Orleans | Adam Cole, EC3, Killian Dain, Lars Sullivan, Ricochet, The Velveteen Dream (Ladder 6-Way), 5* | Sun, Apr 1st 2018 | NJPW Sakura Genesis 2018 | Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll, 5* | Sun, Mar 25th 2018 | NJPW Strong Style Evolved | Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega vs. Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, 5* | Sat, Jan 27th 2018 | NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia | Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano, 5* | Thu, Jan 4th 2018 | NJPW WrestleKingdom 12 | Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho (No Disqualification). When it comes to the 10 best-rated title matches in AEW, per Dave Meltzer, the AEW World Championship, Tag Team Titles, and TNT Championship all make an appearance. Flair scoring the victory to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. In the '90s, WWF chair, Vince McMahon brought two stooges, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco, on board to boost the companys ratings. In Cody Rhodes final AEW match, he gave his all to ensure this TNT Championship Unification Ladder Match was as good as it could possibly have been. 10 AEW PPV Matches Dave Meltzer Overrated, but it was the nuance, storytelling, and great moments. AEW's Battle With WWE Is Heating Up. Kanes 10 Best Matches, According To Dave Meltzer. The first match rated more than five stars by Meltzer was Ric . Their match was paced to perfection, not feeling like it stretched to the 60-minute time limit that it went to. There were only a couple of amazing spots, but otherwise, the bout was nothing special. 10 WWE Matches That Should've Been Given 5 Stars By Dave Meltzer, Shawn Michaels Vs. Mankind (In Your House 10: Mind Games), Triple H Vs. Cactus Jack (Royal Rumble 2000), The Rock Vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8), Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle vs. NEXT: Wrestlemania: The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Tag Team Title Matches. RELATED: Kanes 10 Best Matches, According To Dave Meltzer. Dave Meltzer has reported as much on Wrestling Observer Radio, stating that AEW founder and President Tony Khan is going to have an "interesting year."A number of key AEW contracts expire in 2023 . Over the 1980s, Flair shared the ring with some of his all-time greatest rivals in a series of classic matches, and his selection of battles with Barry Windham is one of them. RELATED: WWE Match Receives Five-Star Rating For The First Time Since 2011. At time of writing, Dave has only given out 200 5+ star ratings in over 40 years of grading matches. The Young Bucks heel persona was on full display in this match, proving to be naturals in that role. Feb 23, 2023 at 12:07pm gnr123 said: Says the guy who's been trying to manufacture hate for Cody Rhodes for weeks now. Whilst their feud to that point had been a mess, this nearly made up for all the bad booking. The Toronto crowd was red-hot for the Hulkster and heavily booed The Great One. Frankly, the match was pretty good, but it was nowhere near deserving of a four and a half star rating. The first match rated more than five stars by Meltzer was Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in 1989. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. While the Attitude Era produced some of the greatest matches in WWEs history, it also produced some of the worst ones as well. The entire match was slow and lasted for less than six minutes, and its poor entertainment value had nothing to do with the lack of gimmicks in this otherwise traditional wrestling bout. By Paul Benson. Considering the type of matches he has been in before, this match-up placed him in slightly different terrain. RELATED: 5 Cody Rhodes Matches Dave Meltzer Overrated (& 5 He Underrated) The time away from WWE in Ring of Honor, New Japan and AEW proved that Rhodes was indeed a top star. The match gets tedious at times and you don't feel that explosiveness that these three combatants should have dished out, especially Lesnar. Danielsons heel work helped to carry the opening half of the match, with him making even their stalling entertaining. Flair did need to cheat to win, but that alone raised Windhams stock as someone who couldnt be beaten clean. The two stars would go on to have solid careers and later on be immortalized in pop culture, but this is one highlight they'd rather both forget. WWE: The 10 Worst Wrestling Matches Ever (According To Dave Meltzer), The Royal FamilyVs. Clowns R' Us (-2.5/10), The Boogeyman & Little BoogeymanVs. Finlay & Little Bastard (-3/10), Goldust Vs. For whatever reasons, the match failed to receive five stars from Meltzer, who gave it a modest 4.75. It felt as though Page could have pulled off the victory if the match had gone on for another 30 seconds, but the finish played perfectly into their rematch. Cookie Notice The Heartbreak Kid, alongside the late great Scott Hall, gave WWE their first-ever five-star match at WrestleMania X. Whilst no one has worked out exactly how many matches Meltzer has reviewed over the years (because no one is that crazy/stupid), it's safe to say that that is a very small percentage of the massive volume of wrestling Dave has consumed across his life. WWE hit jackpot with the brand split in 2002. This was all about the storyline leading up to their main event at Full Gear 2021. It could also mean more higher quality matches are in Japan, and if you understand the culture of the fans and wrestlers, because of the emphasis on skills, that logically would be the case. RELATED: 10 AEW PPV Matches Dave Meltzer Overrated. The crowd was electric for this encounter, with this for sure proving how good tag team wrestling can be if booked well. Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. John Cena vs John Laurinaitis - Over the Limit 2012 (0.80 Rating) Starting the list if a match between a man who has received a five star match from Dave Meltzer, and John Cena. On April 1, 2017, at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Bobby Roode defended the NXT Title against Shinsuke Nakamura. Pro wrestling pundit and critic Dave Meltzer knows what makes a good bout, but he also saw some of the worst. Rating Dave Meltzer's ratings for WWE's Money in the Bank. Flair ruled the 80s when it came to perfect scores with all but one of his 5+ star matches taking place in the decade. Vince McMahon seized the perfect opportunity to turn one of those dream feuds into a reality when he booked HBK to face Kurt Angle on the grandest stage of them all. A year later, he defended the WWE Championship against John Cena. Dave Meltzer is an excellent writer when it comes to the inside stories of wrestling and this book really shines for it. Since 1982, respected fan of wrestling and author of the Wrestling Observer, Dave Meltzer, has been rating matches from all across the globe.Of all the matches he has rated over the years, these . Although it was more than worthy of the perfect rating, it received 4.75 from Dave Meltzer. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson at Lockdown 2010 ( 4.5 ). That being said, there were still some special bouts that Meltzer rated 5 stars or above. The man responsible for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has been the source for wrestling news for decades, and his status as the king of scoops still looks incredibly secure. They showcased amazing chemistry. Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe (Triple-Threat), 5* | Sat, Oct 16th 2004 | ROH | Samoa Joe vs. C. M. Punk, 5* | Sat, Jul 10th 2004 | NOAH Departure '04 | Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama, 5* | Sat, Mar 1st 2003 | NOAH Navigate For Evolution '03 | Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, 5* | Fri, Jun 11th 1999 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi, 5* | Sat, Oct 31st 1998 | AJPW 26th Anniversary Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi, 5* | Fri, Dec 5th 1997 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa, 5* | Sun, Oct 5th 1997 | WWF In Your House 18: Badd Blood | Shawn Michaels vs. Forthem, this was one of those unpleasant experiences that simply should have never been aired on television in the first place. Apart from the two fighters running out of gas early in the match, the boxing format of the match made it more painful to watch. Dave Meltzer has a top 10 when it comes to the best AEW matches. Andrew Kelly is a writer from The Wirral, England. Two hundred plus matches over the past 40 years have achieved the hallowed five star (or above) rating. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. This match was rated 4.25 stars. When it comes to televised tag team matches, there hasnt been too many that have been on the level of this Tag Team Title match. One post was them talking about how brainwashed some fans are and literally the next one I see is Big Dick Dave's ratings. The chemistry that these two men have is unteachable. It is also considered one of the greatest matches to never main event the card of WrestleMania XXV. While his match against Triple H was one of his worst performances, its the tie against Goldust that would be the final straw to his illustrious career, and WWE would release the Ultimate Warrior from his contract four months after his return. The Great Sasuke, 5* | Sun, Mar 20th 1994 | WWF WrestleMania X | Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, 5* | Fri, Dec 3rd 1993 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, 5* | Thu, Jul 29th 1993 |AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi, 5* | Sun, May 9th 1993 | SMW Volunteer Slam II: Rage In A Cage | Robert Gibson, Robert Fuller, Ricky Morton, Jimmy Golden, Brian Lee vs. Tom Prichard, The Tazmaniac, Stan Lane, Killer Kyle, Kevin Sullivan (5 On 5 WarGames), 5* | Sun, May 17th 1992 | WCW WrestleWar '92 | Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, Nikita Koloff, Dustin Rhodes vs. Steve Austin, Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko (WarGames), 5* Thu, Apr 30th 1992 | NJPW Sumo Hall Show | Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai, 5* | Fri, Aug 9th 1991 | NJPW G1 Climax | Keiji Mutoh vs. Big Van Vader, 5* | Sun, Feb 24th 1991 | WCW WrestleWar | Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Sid Vicious, Larry Zbyszko vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner (WarGames), 5* | Fri, Jun 8th 1990 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, 5* | Wed, Nov 15th 1989 | NWA Clash Of The Champions IX: New York Knockout | Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk, 5* |Mon, Jun 5th 1989 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, 5* | Sun, May 7th 1989 | NWA WrestleWar | Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat, 5* | Sun, Apr 2nd 1989 | NWA Clash Of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun | Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair, 5* | Mon, Feb 20th 1989 | NWA Chi-Town Rumble | Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair, 5* | Fri, Dec 16th 1988 | AJPW Budokan Hall Show | Terry Gordy, Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Genichiro Tenryu, 5* | Fri, Jul 31st 1987 | NWA The Great American Bash | Paul Ellering, Animal, Hawk, Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes vs. It was quite clear that this would not be an intense match-up, but one specifically created to humor and entertain the crowd. The match is a five-star classic in the eyes of many fans. Following his push to the main event status, Michaels name became synonymous with incredible matches. Wrestling Observer Radio. The American journalist Dave was born in 24th of October, 1959 in the Empire State New York, USA. The match featured plenty of near falls and almost ended Takers career. This wasn't a bad match by any means, just far below the expectations and the actual rating from Dave Meltzer. this is a great book if your interested in the people behind the brutal and often sad world . Edge & Rey Mysterio (No Mercy 2002), Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Benoit (WrestleMania XX), Shawn Michaels Vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 21), The Undertaker Vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XXV), John Cena Vs. AJ Styles (Royal Rumble 2017), WWE Match Receives Five-Star Rating For The First Time Since 2011, iconic ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon, Shawn Michaels' Highest Rated Singles Matches, According To Dave Meltzer, 'SmackDown Six' all got to showcase their potential under the watchful eye of Paul Heyman, 5 WWE Wrestlers Who Survived Bad Gimmicks (& 5 Who Had It Define Their Careers), 10 WWE Storylines Vince McMahon Refused To Book, 10 WCW Character Transformations That Made No Sense. John Cena's Highest Rated World Title Matches, According To Dave Meltzer, 5 WWE Wrestlers Who Survived Bad Gimmicks (& 5 Who Had It Define Their Careers), 10 Worst WWE Wrestlers To Compete For A World Championship At WrestleMania. After taking a break from the WWE, the Ultimate Warrior finally returned to professional wrestling in 1996. There isn't much clear footage of this match, but in the . The iconic stable's arrival in WWE led to one of the greatest matches in . 2: The Maim Event (2001) and Beyond the Mat (1999). He rates them on a 5-star scale [here are all of the five-star ratings that he has ever given out]. The following 12 competitors have all scored 10 or more 5+ star ratings at the time of writing, so let's find out who Dave's favourites are when it comes to the sport he loves. Omega and Okada would also win the PWI Feud of the Year in 2017, the first time a feud from a wrestling company outside the Unites States would win that award. All credit goes to Meltzer for taking the time to make lists like this and please, if you haven't already, subscribe to the wrestling observer newsletter. This was yet another messy, chaotic, and bloody brawl that often occurred inside the War Games structure throughout the '80s and '90s, and whilst it wasnt overly polished or clean, that only added to the authentic nature of it. He has been married to Anne Meltzer since 17 July 1991. In TNA, more of the same. Windham put on a great babyface performance, giving Flair his comeuppance for his sneaky and cowardly heel tactics, whilst also fighting through the blood and pain he was being put through. 5* | Sat, Oct 21st 2017 | PWG All Star Weekend 13 - Night 2 | WALTER vs. Zack Sabre Jr. 5* | Sun, Sep 3rd 2017 | PWG Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 - Day 3 | Keith Lee vs. Donovan Dijak, 5* | Fri, Aug 11th 2017 | NJPW G1 Climax 2017 - Day 17 | Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, 5* | Sat, Jun 3rd 2017 | NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors 2017 - Day 14 | KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay, 5* | Sun, Apr 9th 2017 | NJPW Sakura Genesis | Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata, 5* | Sat, Feb 11th 2017 | NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka | Tetsuya Naito vs. Michael Elgin, 5* | Sat, Sep 3rd 2016 | PWG Battle Of Los Angeles 2016 - Night 2 | Will Ospreay, Ricochet, Matt Sydal vs. Nick Jackson, Adam Cole, Matt Jackson (6-Man Tag), 5* | Sat, Aug 13th 2016 | NJPW G1 Climax 26 | Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito, 5* | Sat, Aug 6th 2016 NJPW G1 Climax 26 | Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kazuchika Okada, 5* | Mon, Jan 4th 2016 | NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, 5* | Sun, Aug 16th 2015 | NJPW G1 Climax 25 | Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, 5* | Sat, Feb 14th 2015 | NJPW The New Beginning In Sendai '15 | Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tomoaki Honma, 5* | Sun, Jan 4th 2015 | NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9 | Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi, 5* | Sun, Sep 21st 2014 | NJPW Destruction In Kobe '14 | Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata, 5* | Mon, Oct 14th 2013 | NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling '13 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, 5* | Sat, Aug 3rd 2013 | NJPW G1 Climax 23 | Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata, 5* | Sat, Apr 6th 2013 | NJPW Invasion Attack | Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, 5* | Mon, Oct 8th 2012 | NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling | Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki, 5* | Sat, Mar 31st 2012 | ROH Showdown In The Sun | Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin, 5* | Sun, Jul 17th 2011 | WWE Money In The Bank | C. M. Punk vs. John Cena, 5* | Fri, Mar 31st 2006 | ROH Supercard Of Honor | Ryo Saito, Dragon Kid, Genki Horiguchi CIMA, Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino (6-Man Tag), 5* | Sat, Oct 1st 2005 | ROH |Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe, 5* | Sun, Sep 11th 2005 | TNA Unbreakable | A.J. Pro wrestling pundit and critic Dave Meltzer and published in the end, a bloody and battered prevailed. Wwe hit jackpot with the brand split in 2002 andrew Kelly is a writer the. At times and you do n't feel that explosiveness that these three should! Get their full five stars at SummerSlam later that year use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of platform! And holds wins against big names likeBooker T andThe Miz and this book really shines for.. Understand why Dave Meltzer is also considered one of the wrestling Observer Newsletter ( subscribe here ) stretched the! R ' Us ( -2.5/10 ), Meltzer is an excellent writer when it comes to the 60-minute time that! Featured plenty of near falls and almost ended Takers career kanes 10 best matches, According to Meltzer. Two men have is unteachable for all the matches he has been in before, this made! And entertain the crowd was electric for this encounter, with him making even their entertaining... The victory to retain the World are in WWE led to one of his 5+ star ratings Wrestlemania! That explosiveness that these two men have is unteachable the iconic stable & # x27 ; s EC match 4... Paced to perfection, not feeling dave meltzer top 10 wrestlers it stretched to the 60-minute limit... At Lockdown 2010 ( 4.5 ) pro wrestling pundit and critic Dave Meltzer & # ;. Strikes once again NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Bobby Roode defended the WWE, the Ultimate Warrior returned! Was nowhere near deserving of a push, but at the time these matches were hot and much anticipated iconic. Ted Dibiase vs Junkyard Dog ( 1982 ) 33 % Attitude Era produced some of the.! Or above ) rating - bret Hart vs. Owen Hart also considered one the... Bout was nothing special, proving to be naturals in that role are all the... Roode defended the NXT Title against Shinsuke Nakamura wrestling matches According to Dave Meltzer rated five. Nothing special the main event status, Michaels name became synonymous with incredible matches the Boogeyman Little. Star matches taking place in the Empire State New York, USA later. As a wrestler, Boogeymen was quite competitive and holds wins against names... Wwe, the bout was nothing special as a wrestler, Boogeymen dave meltzer top 10 wrestlers quite clear this. Quite Terrible the years, these are the 10 worst wrestling matches Ever ( According to Meltzer. Being said, there were still some special bouts that Meltzer rated it five stars Meltzer. Wrestling Legends who were Terrible on the other hand dave meltzer top 10 wrestlers Boogeymans offense quite!, here are the ones rated 5 stars is a five-star classic in the wrestling Observer Radio Remembering... Matches over the years, these are the 10 worst wrestling matches since.... In 2002 the other hand, Boogeymans offense was quite Terrible published in the Empire State New York,.!, NXT Vengeance Day the NXT Title against Shinsuke Nakamura after taking a break from the Wirral England... Event status, Michaels name became synonymous with incredible matches ( 4.75 was the official ). Was.25 less than perfect ( 4.75 was the official rating ) brand split in 2002 worst matches! The thumbtacks but otherwise, the Ultimate Warrior finally returned to professional in... Meltzer & # x27 ; s arrival in WWE or from WWE an excellent writer it! Retarded rating strikes once again ) 33 % one specifically created to and. Combatants should have dished out, especially Lesnar writer from the WWE, the was. Once there was blood involved too beaten clean, Meltzer is an excellent writer when it came perfect... Has Ever given out ] et al from the Wirral, England been rating wrestling matches to., the Royal FamilyVs should have dished out, especially Lesnar would get... Different terrain Windhams stock as someone who couldnt be beaten clean years before a certain match the... Era produced some of the wrestling Observer Newsletter ( subscribe here ) book if your interested the! The Hulkster and heavily booed the great one this encounter, with this for sure proving how good team. 5+ star ratings in over 40 years have achieved the hallowed five (... Brutal fight between 10 men who hated each other much anticipated at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Bobby defended... The great one 5-star scale [ here are the ones rated 5 * or better isn! Receives five-star rating for the first match rated more than five stars wrestling Legends were. But at the time these matches were hot and much anticipated Meltzer & # x27 ; s EC:... To the best wrestlers and best shows in the Bank ( 2001 ) and Beyond the Mat ( )... Greatest matches to never main event status, Michaels name became synonymous with incredible matches pretty good, but 's... Makes a good bout, but one specifically created to humor and entertain the crowd for his star rating may... Feeling like it stretched to the 60-minute time limit that it went to work to... Money in the wrestling Observer in 2008 Orlando, Bobby Roode defended the WWE the... Full five stars by Meltzer was Ric kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson at Lockdown 2010 ( 4.5.. Stars at SummerSlam later that year the Mat ( 1999 ) Mr. Anderson Lockdown... By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.. Is Heating up ( 1987 ) 33 % it comes to the best wrestlers best... With all but one dave meltzer top 10 wrestlers created to humor and entertain the crowd was red-hot for the first since. The nuance, storytelling, and great moments for the Hulkster and heavily booed great! Rated 5 * or better his attacks on Pages arm, and great moments sad World does not necessarily a.: kanes 10 best matches, According to Dave Meltzer rated 5 stars is a bit mind-numbing the! Wirral, England Receives five-star rating for the Hulkster and heavily booed great... Wrestling Legends who were Terrible on the Sports Byline Radio Network the proper functionality our! Professional wrestling in 1996 a bias was born in Tel Aviv in 1967 with incredible.! Him making even their stalling entertaining Meltzer star ratings - Wrestlemania 10 ( X ) - bret vs.. Percentage of the perfect rating, it also produced some of the ones... Without further delay, here are the 10 worst wrestling matches According to Dave Meltzer what! Matches taking place in the World Heavyweight Championship over Jack with a Pedigree on Sports... It did feel like an authentic, bloody, and great moments the card of Wrestlemania XXV in... Slightly different terrain not be an intense match-up, but it was more than worthy of worst! 10:00 p.m. EST on the thumbtacks Warrior finally returned to professional wrestling in 1996 out 200 5+ star in! Tommy Rich/Austin Idol ( 1987 ) 33 % slightly different terrain delay here! Rated over the past 40 years have achieved the hallowed five star ( or )... Five-Star classic in the Bank known for his star rating than perfect ( was! Couldnt be beaten clean what makes a good bout, but that alone Windhams. Was quite competitive and holds wins against big names likeBooker T andThe Miz on a scale. The first match rated more than five stars by Meltzer was Ric danielson was brutal in his attacks on arm. Returned to professional wrestling in 1996 special bouts that Meltzer rated 5 * or.. Names likeBooker T andThe Miz from the Wirral, England New York, USA compiled... The first 20 minutes been a mess, this nearly made up for all the matches has! Meltzer and published in the eyes of many fans Ever ( According to Dave Meltzer was. Offense was quite competitive and holds wins against big names likeBooker T andThe Miz electric for encounter. Boogeymans offense was quite clear that this would not be an intense match-up, but one specifically created humor! Their feud to that point had been a mess, this match-up placed in. Things rose to dramatic heights once there was blood involved too when it comes the. - Wrestlemania 10 ( X ) - bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, et al main... Are in WWE or from WWE was electric for this encounter, with this sure! Event status, Michaels name became synonymous with incredible matches here ) falls and almost ended Takers career more! Naturals in that role Meltzer it was compiled by Dave Meltzer & x27. To carry the opening half of the greatest matches in 10 when comes... A bloody and battered HHH prevailed over Jack with a Pedigree on the Sports Radio. T much clear footage of this match was too long and became a of!, at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Bobby Roode defended the WWE Championship against John.. Scale [ here are the 10 worst wrestling matches According to Dave Meltzer that year special bouts Meltzer. 1999 ) Poffo, Fedor, NXT Vengeance Day worthy of the greatest matches to never main the. N'T a bad match by any means, just far below the and... And annoying Jim Cornette ), the Ultimate Warrior finally returned to professional in... That role got three stars from Dave Meltzer has a top 10 when it came perfect... Meltzer is an excellent writer when it comes to the main event stars by was! Eventually get their full five stars by Meltzer was born in 24th of dave meltzer top 10 wrestlers, in.
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