Dave Meltzer's rating system

[Shadowmancer]

How much stock do you put into Dave Meltzer's Star Rating system for matches? Quite a bit, not a lot. I know matches are judged subjectively by the individual, but do these ratings, especially the five star rated matches, influence you in any way in terms of the way you look at matches or in terms of going and looking at promotion's that you don't usually watch, such as the Japanese matches.

My opinion on the rating system is that it is about right in terms of the five star matches with, matches like Randy Savage/Ricky Steamboat, HBK/Chris Jericho and HBK/Angle I being left off for some reason or another. All of which should probably be 5 stars but aren't. But I look at the original star rating by Meltzer and then go and watch it twice once as a curiosity and as a fan, the second time as trying to discern if it does deserve to be a five star match using the criteria that Meltzer apparently uses to determine them, so far of the 63 I have gotten through 10 and I am slowly working through the rest.

 

[klunderbunker]

I tend to agree with Meltzer's ratings, but I think sometimes he is a bit too harsh with them. His ratings for WWE always seem to be a bit unfair. Granted WWE is rarely 5 star quality, but I find it odd that there have been so few 5 star matches in the over 25 years of the company's existence.

 

[Slim Pickns]

I am one to always value my own opinion and not change my mind based on what anyone says, this includes Dave Meltzer. I encourage fans to use his rating system for entertainment only. I have a few friends who change their opinions on matches after reading Meltzer's take. If you are a grown person, you have to be able to form your own opinion and not let the so called experts change it.

If I think HHH vs The Rock from Backlash 2000 is a better match than Angle vs Michaels from Wrestlmania, why would I change my mind because someone said Angle Michaels was better.

 

[Slyfox696]

If anyone can find any consistency to Meltzer's ratings, then they are one smart person. The only thing consistent about Meltzer's ratings is that he loves Japanese workers, Ric Flair, Bret Hart and Samoa Joe. Otherwise his ratings are completely random and have no consistency. His ratings will generally reflect good matches, but if you were to rank matches based on his star ratings (not just 5 star) you would find that many times you would think "how the hell does he consider this match better than that one". I put very little stock in Meltzer's ratings.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I have to say I've never really looked at Dave Meltzer's ratings. Just because he get's paid to talk about wrestling, doesn't mean his opions are more important than mine or anyones elses.

I don't follow any ratings if they're based on the 5 star rule. Isn't that a bit vague? I've heard that he gave the Taker/HBK Hell In A Cell 5 stars. And the Styles, Daniels & Joe 5 stars. Both excellent matches. But they are so vastly different it seem stupid to bookend them together.

When I rate a match I base it purley on two things. Did I enjoy it, and how much. Rankings in general are stupid. I know ahat a good match is, and I also know what a bad match is. But as a wrestling fan I still make my own decisions as to what I enjoy.

 

[mattitude2007]

I find Meltzer's ratings to be....too smarky for my tastes. I dunno that's just the way I some it up.

So yes in closing I don't pay attention to his 'rating system' at all. I can judge for myself.

 

[Shocky]

Meh, the only thing big Ace did that was remotely good was come up with the screen name of Dave Meltzer is a Jackass. I honestly don't understand the smarky love affair with this guy. Like Jake said, nothing he has done in his life warrants for his opinion on what a good match is to be any more important then the next a-hole (mwah) and how I feel about a match. Meltzer is such a fanboy of japanese wrestling and guys like Samoa Joe, it's not even cool anymore.

How in the hell people like Benoit and Angle don't have five star matches on his system is beside me. I base a match on entertainment and expectation. Obviously a match in the main event better be damn good. Whereas the same exact match from two guys in the opener will get less of an expectation from me. Also, different strokes for different folks. Every wrestling company has a different style of wrestling that they give preferential treatment too. You can't compare an AAA match with a WWE match, it's impossible.

 

[midgensa]

I think Meltzer is highly overrated. I find too often that I feel he has not taken storyline into context at all when rating a match ... and the storyline and build-up is just as important as the match itself.
I can form my own opinion on a match just fine without having to back it up by saying "Meltzer" agrees with me. I do think Meltzer lives and loves this business and MMA, but I do not think he is god. There are planty of matches I think deserve five-stars that he has not dished out and I think there are a few he dished five stars to that probably don't deserve it. Just an opinion really, does not hold any weight on me on whether I enjoyed the match personally.

 

[mr. krinkle]

i think his system is useful if you are looking for something that you havent seen before, if he rates it 5 stars i am sure it is worth checking out
it's just like rating a movie or cd, and honestly, it all depends on your taste, you may or may not agree with it

he does love his Japanese wrestling though...i cant believe all thos matches are "5 star", yet there is only a relative handful of American matches considered "5 star"

i checked out Joe vs. Punk 2 and Joe vs. Kobashi, and didnt see what all the hype was about, yet i did check out Misawa vs. Kawada, and Dr Death Steve Williams vs. Kobashi, and really thought they were excellent

to see a list of his rated matches, go to wikipedia.org, and look up Meltzer...they have the full listing of 5 star matches there, as well as links to all the matches he has ranked from WWF, NWA/WCW, ROH, TNA, and Japan... it is interesting just to check out at least

 

[Shadowmancer]

I think Meltzer holds US wrestling to a higher standard for some reason. However If I was looking for a promotion in terms of what it could do, Lets say AAA. and you were told that the Octagon & El Hijo Del Santo Vs. Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero was a Five Star match. would you watch the match and then if you liked the match go on and find more stuff from that Promotion. I think that may be the best use of Meltzer's star system despite it being completely arbitrary. That may explain why the WWE doesn't get many because they very rarely put on matches that could be called the greatest of all time by a majority of the fans or matches that innovate the way you look at singles or Tag Matches.

 

[HLOTN]

The reason WWE don't get many 5 star ratings is because they've never produced an apparent "5 star" rating. Japan have produced tons. I know that comment won't be taken too kindly on here, but it's the truth. They have come close with Austin vs Rock WM17 and Austin vs Bret SS96, though.

I haven't taken a look at Meltzer's star ratings for about two years, to be honest. I take them all with a pinch of salt. He overrates matches from all continents.