Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez On Star Ratings, Current Boom Period & Changes In Wrestling Fandom

Ahead of AEW ALL IN 2023, Jack Atkins spoke to Wrestling Observer Live's Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez about star ratings, wrestling's current boom period and changes in fandom over the years.
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Cultaholic provides video coverage of professional wrestling - including WWE (including WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown,, and NXT), AEW, IMPACT Wrestling (formerly TNA), NJPW, ROH, and more with daily news updates, reviews, lists, highlights, predictions, reactions, podcasts and much, much more.

[@dylanbell9309]

Not even a four minute before Dave mentioned the Tokyo Dome. This is gonna be good shit lol.

[@randomaccount-dq1jq]

Not just any Tokyo dome but also reminding you Liger is basically a national treasure in Japanese media.

[@Angieeee93]

Maffew’s impressions are spot on

[@DanielDPeake]

I'm glad that Jack Atkins is being given such a big video on the channel. Up the scousers!!!!!

[@colonelhstinkmeaner8547]

Not even a minute and dave is talking about the Tokyo dome😂😂😂

[@blackcountrysmoggie]

My favourite part was when Dave started naming different countries to stress the point that they are coming from different countries 🙂

[@Dubstep_On_Legos]

Never forget Weasel Dooley the creator of the 5 ⭐ wrestling rating system

[@joeywrestling9536]

Could be one of the best pure interviews I’ve seen. Ever. Bravo, Jack!! 👏🏼 Things like this are what separates Cultaholic from ANY other medium. Thank you! ❤️

[@sunekoo]

Only took Dave 43 seconds to mention Tokyo Dome😂

[@DarrenMainas]

The dimensional merge steadily reaches its climax, and we are one step closer to "AEW Presents 'Meltzerholic'"

[@SchmergDergen]

I don't know why they'd wanna merge with a guy who's stock is dropping by the day.

[@franklingoodwin]

​@@SchmergDergenBrcause Tony Khan is a Wrestling nerd. This was the guy on all the wrestling forums back in the day

[@stevengordon9990]

Imagine what a conversation between Dave & Tony K would be like. It would be the most incoherent, verbal diarrhea filled mess ever heard 🤣🤣🤣

[@frozen_furnace]

Sad not to see Dog Meltzer here but a great vid all the same

[@olliemoor1537]

Up the Jatkins!

[@kaylamoonshoes]

Jack!! What a rub!

[@almostkinda]

This is wild. Wouldn't gave guessed this ever to exist

[@danielbrennan7613]

you shouldnt exist

[@Cosmic_Gorilla]

Big get for the channel, this! Keep up the good work lads.

[@jeffreypridemore100]

Who wins in a fight, Bryan with technique, or Dave with the muscles?

[@JayHuntJones]

JACKIE ORLANDO, YOU HAVE MY SON

[@Millyyy95]

Never had an issue with Daves system. Its literally his opinion and thats it, if anything its incredible its blown up to this degree. Outside of the memes i genuinely dont understand why people get upset with it. Doesnt make your thoughts any less valid if you happen to think otherwise. Other bias' sure, absolutely but a star system? Its not that deep. Alvarez im still just laughing at the "Miro altercation report" thing

[@MindOfGenius]

I think it's more of the numerical grading disconnect. To go from a 1-5 scale to suddenly be pulling out a 7, doesn't that mean that you should *review WHY you think a personal match is good or not* ? You know, time for some introspection from how you viewed things in the past? There's nothing wrong with liking modern things more than older things, so maybe trying to assign a numerical system to it *should* reflect on your personal growth?

[@Millyyy95]

@@MindOfGenius Yeah the 7s are amusing and silly. But none of that changes the core point, it's his opinion. That's literally all. It can be as outlandish as it wants because it's his own thoughts. There's nothing official or grandiose about it. It's just a man and his passion. *could* it be more streamlined or have disclaimered criteria? Sure. But again, it's literally a made up system that functions and works solely off one man's mind. He's clearly happy enough with it, he's got sub section of followers that live by it and given the state of his working area if you've seen it he's clearly a "if it ain't broke (to me) don't fix it" kinda guy.

[@GrimReader]

These grand Meltzer conspiracy theorists are the same perverts who have IMDb accounts purely to point out bloopers. The point of the breaking the five star is clearly him saying it’s so good it breaks the criteria like when someone calls a piece of art greatest or a masterpiece but these lumpens get so mad about his opinion

[@nohbuddy1]

Because Dave's take carries a lot of weight.

[@nectarinedreams7208]

​@GrimReader I mean, a 5/5 would be a masterpiece... 5/5 is a perfect score. You can't get more perfect than perfect. Also, I don't think you know what pervert means lol

[@farmergingee]

Can't listen to Alvarez without hearing Maffew's immitation

[@ScottYoung29]

Dave man, let Bryan speak ffs 😂😂😂

[@leagueleaders]

Everytime I see dave outside his own stuff he seems Standoffish

[@bobgreen4318]

I give Alvarez and Meltzer a 4.75 for doing this interview. It's ok though, it's just like getting a 5! Git.

[@jasmith85]

MINUS 5 STARS

[@thefiggamehunt6946]

First question, can you feel the buzz? Uncle Dave, yh kinda but Japan was better I LOVE LISTENING TO DAVE SO DAMN MUCH! GENUINELY

[@lilpoetat]

Thanks 🎉

[@bryanwladkowski1236]

Just like what you like boys. Shout out Jack! But we are the voice.

[@armnhc84]

People aren’t mad because “a match is so good.” What a stupid thing to say. They get mad because a match like Ospreay/Omega is a prime example of Meltzer’s extreme biases when rating matches. I think he gave the match 6 stars or something like that. It was good but it wasn’t even a 5 star match. In face all that dumb stuff with Don Callis ruined it from being a potential classic match. He needs to be more objective.

[@AemsMC]

The Ospreay / Omega match was 10 star

[@ajmorley1519]

Amazing how Dave has to get a word in when the question is meant for Bryan but the other way round Bryan is silent 😂😂😂😂

[@deecee3490]

This made me laugh so hard! It was only a week. Sure. Lmao

[@ShowdeQuetzal]

"So Dave, how many starts would you give this egg?"

[@nvc3334]

Jesus how long to answer that first question. 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

[@conorkebab]

I don’t think that first question went how Jack thought it was gonna go 😭😂 not how I thought they were gonna answer lmao

[@jasmith85]

Uncle Dave's performance, Minus 5 Stars.

[@Hundo_Mo]

These two have single-handedly destroyed wrestling discourse. Nobody can formulate an opinion on shows anymore, without referencing the stupid star rating system. The less that I have to hear about Dave Meltzer, and Brian Alverez’s the better. Whether it’s TV ratings, the demo, star ratings that get blown out of proportion You can’t have a wrestling opinion of your own anymore without these two having to be referenced. I miss the days when I could just watch a show talk to my friends and be like yeah this was awesome without someone saying “yeah but Dave said it was only a two star match“.

[@franklingoodwin]

I never want to to hear anything about the key demos again in my life

[@Hundo_Mo]

@@franklingoodwinAMEN!

[@Ariurotl]

Your friends must be right proper twats, I barely ever hear about Dave's stars unless he broke the scale again.

[@MagicBavarian]

You should blame the people who use it for silly arguments not the guy who started it when the internet wasn't a thing you had to account for or the guy who was 6 or 7 at that time...

[@fcgames8699]

Not gonna lie had no idea what Brian looked like but i wasn't thinking that

[@nectarinedreams7208]

I expected a Mini-Me Dave Meltzer

[@mrsc5169]

Yessss Jack!

[@dovahdewitt17]

I bet this Jack will take a laptop on a date to a Italian restaurant

[@MrTambourineMan.]

That people waste anytime to comment on Meltzer’s match ratings in a negative way is hilarious. It’s a guys opinion on scripted fighting.

[@One.Zero.One101]

@@GMRay739 Stop taking star ratings seriously nerd. I haven't looked at star ratings in 15 years. It's not a big deal, there's no point having a meltdown over it.

[@flash-sn3ng]

@@One.Zero.One101 How can you be so dense, did you even bother reading anything at all before you replied? Reading comprehension is at an all time low. Maybe you should’ve hung around a few nerds it might’ve done you some good there pal.

[@BangHJL]

Dave Meltzer is like the Rotten Tomatoes of wrestling journalists. People will call the things he loves overrated and will crap all over him when he dislikes something. Everything he says will be a trigger to some wrestling fans out there. I bet the poor man just wanna watch his Japanese wrestling in peace. 😭😭😭

[@nectarinedreams7208]

The difference is Dave Meltzer has an opinion and Rotten Tomatoes does not.

[@SchmergDergen]

@@nectarinedreams7208Rotten Tomatoes has been paying people for reviews, so yeah they have an opinion.

[@nectarinedreams7208]

​@@SchmergDergenThat's not an opinion lmao. That's got absolutely nothing to do with what we're taking about here.

[@SchmergDergen]

@@nectarinedreams7208 yeah it is, it's the option of "we care more about money than legitimacy." Just like Meltzer traded feeling like one of the boys for any journalistic integrity he had.

[@jamesmorgan2919]

Up the Jackie Orlando. Give me back my son.

[@Joesledge13]

You see Meltzers autism squeak through at 5:55 😂

[@Cmpgrndsteve]

The Statler and Waldorf of wrestling!... Theyre still fans in their own weird jaded kind of way...

[@TheMTwinny]

A Jack in a restaurant setting?!?

[@MorrisseyMuse]

Given Meltzer's reputation, it's quite possible that 99% of what he says in this interview is a lie.

[@danielbrennan7613]

you are a lie

[@JC71]

SJW.

[@GrimReader]

What do you even mean give me ten Meltzer lies which were tacit lies and not retracted or opinions where the subjectivity would actually remove the possibility of an objective truth. You Meltzer conspiracy guys really need grass

[@Vesperitis]

Stay salty my friend

[@tsurutajumbo]

Personal opinions being a lie? What stuff are you smoking, kid?

[@franklingoodwin]

Who would've thought the first thing out of Dave's mouth would be essentially be "the Tokyo Dome"? You're in London and all you can talk about is the Tokyo Dome 🤦

[@GrimReader]

He was directly asked in how it compares and he gave a comparison to how the Tokyo Dome feels what do you want him to say?

[@franklingoodwin]

​​​@@GrimReader It's not that he mentioned it. It's how quickly he got there. He couldn't wait to to say it lol. You could tell he didn't want to do the meme but just can't help himself...

[@GrimReader]

Right you've clearly got an off the chart level of situational awareness gleaning all that from an answer cool @@franklingoodwin

[@paulbbryan]

Thanks for the video. Love seeing Bryan and Dave on the channel.

[@jamespaul6315]

Why? They are idiots

[@YeTism]

Meltzer is a mark for himself

[@DARTHRELIC]

Look at Dave Meltzer being a nice guy, bringing his fanboy with him 🥲

[@dizzy1369]

Holy crap, these dummies. 😂🤣😂

[@naveedhasan5365]

They don’t like punk you can just see. 😂 😂

[@bloodlorde4994]

Wow, tristan tate a wrestling fan huh

[@rootyrootyson2175]

Jesus, the amount of vitriol being directed at these two, and Dave in particular, is borderline psychopathic. He's not going to be reading this stuff, just chill a little maybe.

[@joewinter3940]

Geezus Dave let people talk without grunts and yeahs.

[@lonwrestling]

STOP MENTIONING THE DAMN TOKYO DOME !!!!😂

[@jakeinator722]

He can do whatever he wants. STFU.

[@barrymccockiner773]

Dave ain’t slick.. he’s trying to erase Chris Van Vliet burying his rating system 😂

[@MattSingh1]

*Chris who? Love the fact Dave lives rent-free in the head of internet smark douchebags like you.* 🤣

[@nomad3182]

Honestly this just seems like a waste of time.

[@jakeinator722]

Then why did you waste your time commenting on this video, you duntz?

[@Hashtonkusher1]

Dave's a joke.

[@thejimtrain]

Dave is a gossiping old lady, and Alvarez is the mark’s mark.

[@Dr_1212]

AEW haters really need to stop there bs goto catchphrase what about ratings its becoming like bs Trump supporters saying what has trump done or fake news AEW in reality is consistently better than WWE they will be fine

[@franklingoodwin]

"AeW hATeRs" lol. Don't be such a mark. People are entitled to their own opinions without you getting triggered and calling them "haters". Grow up

[@Dr_1212]

@@franklingoodwin Time to once again take the poorly educated in wrestling to school Settle down schools in session If you are a WWE supporter that's fine thats not who I was referring too I am referring to the bs talking mouthy AEW hating WWE fans that just spew hate because that's all they can do it's ok to have an opposing viewpoint but don't be a di@# about it like your being now there is no need for name calling & your definitely veering into troll territory I was talking to the AEW haters because God knows there are alot on utube that incessantly talk 💩 So like I said earlier to quote Zman from wrestling with Wregret Like what you like don't b a di#$ Lessons over class dismissed Mark trigger that Have a nice day 😁

[@jamespaul6315]

AEW is shit tho

[@christophermarriott1681]

​@@franklingoodwinYou grow up. There are haters that want AEW to fail. You're clueless.

[@franklingoodwin]

@@christophermarriott1681 Of course you'd say that. And it's hypocritical coming from YOU of all people. Aren't you the one who wants WWE to fail? You dont get to talk about haters when you're also one. Talk less and leave those that like both promotions be...

[@wanderlustwarrior]

Jesus Christ. Literally the first thing Dave says about his own opinion is "that's hard to say", plus he immediately brings up the Tokyo Dome. I wanted to give this a shot to support Cultaholic, but I can't read or listen to Dave at all. Even when he says something, it still feels like a whole lot of nothing.

[@djpaul8705]

Wh

[@marcarthur100]

Well I am sorry I'm not woch this as I don't care abolt star and theys two sad men

[@razorramon7573]

There is no boom period! Quit lying to yourselves and to everyone else! The only true boom periods were the Golden Era and the Attitude Era and THAT'S IT! Wrestling ain't been sh!t since the end of WrestleMania X7!

[@christophermarriott1681]

Stay in your basement where you belong. Nobody cares about the past.

[@jakeinator722]

That's your opinion and isn't backed up with facts.

[@ApexZer0]

I haven't seen bryan in a while but he looks like he got old quick

[@TheRealAhoy]

Dave is over saturated as a Savant of his time . If you want a genuine wrestling fan turned reporter look at Bill Apter. He's been a fan of the wrestling business for longer and he certainly hasn't treated it like a business to cultivate his own artistic writing enjoyment from. Dave Meltzer and Bill Apter both like writing, but the former likes the writing to be about his adventures. Dave Meltzer's wrestling style of journalism is autobiographical. If you're wanting SERIOUS wrestling reporting you're not finding it in his archives. It's about "Dave's adventures watching wrestling". If you're into that fine but don't make it a serious thing to fight over. His reviews are about his experience in the match, less about the match. Dave isn't writing about the wrestling business, he's writing about his enjoyment of the wrrsyling business, and most of that has been involved with his status as a guru of sorts. Y'all can do a lot better than following any guru type in any kind of part of life, especially a wrestling guru 🤢 Do you really need a guru to help you make sense of or tell you how to enjoy wrestling?

[@TheKyoput]

LOL! That's all I can really say.

[@phillipx3701]

That's what 2 small kids will do to you

[@KieranDsEgoTrip]

Dave struggling to think of the word Europe

[@captainchainsaw8856]

🤣🤣🤣 WWE is in a boom period, don't pretend for 1 moment aew is part of this. 1 big show attendance over the pond isn't enough to paper over the fact that they can't draw shit in the US.

[@jamiewalsh9184]

I guarantee you not one tough question will be asked

[@syedviqar5011]

The elite s best friends

[@jasmith85]

I wouldn't be surprised if they Dull Buckaroo's were under table doing you know what to Uncle Dave.