Al Snow on Dave Meltzer Influencing Today's Wrestling Business

[@z2ei]

Meltzer also spent about a decade dunking on WWE/TNA/etc because they needed to be more "grounded and realistic like UFC". He wouldn't shut up about how great MMA was and how the characters and action needed to be more like it. Funny how that went away when Khan/Omega/The Bucks decided to make a company, isn't it?

[@Chuck_EL]

Dave is that guy who thinks a good chef is the one who does tricks and plays to the customers even though the food is subpar

[@kjdee140]

Poor Cornette's gonna have a stroke when he finds out that you both agree on something.

[@Sweeptheleg83]

@Russo Is A Genius, Bro! Cornette also worked with the Bucks in ROH and he hated them back then too. The bucks have always been douchebags

[@TimHoldbrooksJr]

BRO!!!

[@dmalak4509]

Great rant from Al. It’s on point and fundamentally correct.

[@Spooky_515]

100%

[@0Vladislav0]

No, he is not. I really respect Al and it is sad that his career was not that great. BUT! He is telling crap here. Dave Meltzer doesn't teach wrestling moves, shooting star presses or 360s. He doesn't teach how to job, how to take a bump or how to write storylines. He reviews matches and telling news and insides. And Al said himself that Dave had lots of information. Al is saying that Vince McMahon could have said something useful. Yeah, right, like that time when everyone was juiced with steroids. This is jealousy speaking. No, really. I'm not big fan of Meltzer, I don't really care about knowing everything first hand, only occasionally watching wrestling news like on Wrestle Talk or Cultacholic. That's it. But I get why Meltzer so popular, because quite frankly he is the only one. Everyone could do this, but nobody did. Only now we have tons of podcasts where everyone suddenly knows everything about wrestling, rushing to tell us how it really is, being quite all these time before. Yeah, geniuses, you are pretty late for the party. Everyone could have used twitter for wrestling news and info, but nobody did. And now everyone is jealous that people listening Meltzer rather than them. This is sad to watch more than anything.

[@robdurfee6861]

@@0Vladislav0 I mean I would rather listen to people who were you know, actually in the wrestling business on their thoughts than a dude who has only been on the periphery his entire life without booking, doing creative or taking bumps, but that’s just me

[@0Vladislav0]

@@robdurfee6861 yeah, like who? Hulk Hogan? He has done it all. And all you have to do - kiss asses, do steroids and destroy competition with backstage politics. Do you really need to know all that? You see, there are people who do history and people who study history. Ask random soldier about WWII and ask historian. You know, that's how news work, that's how universities work. People study what other people have done and share that knowledge. Besides, Meltzer doesn't take info out of his own ass. He has sources. And he is doing it right way. He often says "multiple sources" and that is really important. And if you want to listen to people who did wrestling, then I have a question for you. Who you gonna listen - Russo or Cornette? See, there is one problem. Should I spell it out for you and why your logic is so flawed? And me, I prefer to listen a guy who is trying to find common ground in multiple sources rather than one guy with his own truth. But yeah, that's just me.

[@davidjsaul]

I shook the Bucks hands once. They slapped their thighs while they did it and Meltzer gave it six stars.

[@theecharmingbilly]

Must have been in the dome! I got 5.5 at Korakuen when Akura Hokuto beat me up. I sure sold the daylights out of the burning cyclone war dagger 77 finisher! Would have got 6 stars, but I pulled my groin in the small package and turned into a crying school boy. 🤣

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

😅😅😅

[@hmdwgf]

The Bucks are frauds and have Meltzer in their pocket.

[@duckmercy11]

​@@theecharmingbilly That's AKIRA Hokuto. Don't disrespect the first WCW women's champion like that. She literally invented Al Snow's finisher the Northern Lights Bomb (Snow Plow).

[@TheSetesis]

It's a shame that for the wealth of knowledge that Al Snow has for the business, these morons nowadays will take the words of a "journalist" who literally has never been in the ring, never dealt with the backstage drama, and never even felt the physical toll that it takes to make a living as a pro wrestler. Al Snow deserves way more praise and recognition than he gets.

[@finklesteinkid537]

People don't appreciate an unbiased, honest opinion these days

[@duckmercy11]

Lol, he's nothing but a jobber. How many people has OVW drawn under his watch? He admitted he can barely sell 400 tickets. 😂 Also, Dave was a consultant for Vince in the 80s.

[@arostwocents]

He is a great guy as well, you see it on the TNA British new wrestler show where they hired Rockstar Spud

[@hitek9too255]

​@@duckmercy11Dave never worked for any wrestling promotion.

[@neilsun2521]

Well said, Al. It's mind-boggling how many people quote Meltzer in their wrestling videos on youtube. (Meltzer likes gymnastics; he has no clue what good entertainment is.)

[@jmurdock8303]

Yes , Conrad Thompson does like the Bible

[@neilsun2521]

@@jmurdock8303 Same with Wrestlamia; Wrestling With Regret; the list goes on and on. They mention goofy Dave as if he's a bona fide authority.

[@codyjohnson4174]

Well you’re a cornette follower obviously

[@templeos2954]

@@neilsun2521 add what culture wrestling to your list. They're overtly positive towards AEW. I like having alternate wrestling companies but I legitimately cannot watch an entire match of the young bucks. I actually think the Lucha bros aren't too bad but they are led to troubled waters by following the bucks into their clusterfuck spot fest matches. The Lucha bros Vs Legado del phantasma or the Mysterio would be money with the Latin audience if the Lucha bros were in WWE

[@redspiralray2880]

@@templeos2954 Adam Sedgwick rides the Bucks like a lady of the night.

[@realnumber_9]

Dave Meltzer, became the greatest worker of all time!

[@mattcaporuscio6956]

Al Snow said that years ago to Sean Oliver

[@goodday2760]

Nah, that would be Cena.

[@jwilliams5212]

Charlie Z

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

@@mattcaporuscio6956 When was that interview btw?

[@southpaw933]

Finally , someone speaking out against Meltzer. Him and his infatuation with Kenny omega helped tank AEW as much as anyone . Maybe more than anyone . The false rumors about punk

[@8Bitorbust]

Sadly poor Meltzer never took a moment to understand how slander works and the damage it can do.

[@goodolkr708]

The scary thing about these followers are if Vince McMahon were to ever state anything like this or what others say about Meltzer, they’d still argue how Vince McMahon himself is wrong about that.

[@RichyRich336]

Been waiting for someone to say it so maybe people will actually see him for what he is

[@ToxicAvengerCleanYourMind]

Lol... People have been saying this for a long long time... You're just not paying attention

[@puipui7382]

What a journalist that gives his opinion? How many music and movie critics are great musicians/directors?

[@Chuck_EL]

@@puipui7382 There's a big difference between someone who respects the craft their being a journalist in compared to trying to burying competition and downplaying the the product's flaws and misteps to make is seem better than what it is It's not just an issue with pro wrestling journalist it's most of the journalism that's out here When a journalist doesn't like a certain talent in the entertainment world, and they use that bias to "prove" they weren't as big as they or they over hyped someone to compare that talent , they're pushing a narrative that's false (examples Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Ladg Gaga all get diminished in their Media platforms and they always try to hype up their lesser talented and more popular counterparts) And the "Well it gets a reaction" isn't a excuse that's just very petty and bad journalism Al is spot on

[@puipui7382]

@The Pub Knight I'm not even saying he's the most reputable journalist I have no idea. I just think he's a passionate wrestling fan and I like alot of the same stuff he does and dislike alot of the same things.

[@JasonSum1979]

Al is on point 100% on Dave Meltzer the guy is a flaming lunatic (I know a great deal of knowledge about music but, yet i wouldn’t tell Slash how to play guitar or Roger Daltrey how to sing…. Dave is seriously “Off” people been pumping up his ego for the past 15-20yrs so he thinks he’s the Gatekeeper of Pro Wrestling. The man has never booked, owned a company or even been in the ring but, his word is gospel…..

[@Joe_Prinzo]

Couldn't have said it better. Dude is absolutely insufferable.

[@Cboz1978]

The only rating for a match should have is: 1. Did you like it? 2. Did you not like it? That's it.

[@redwolfe7049]

Exactly.

[@atimetraveler4910]

If i was gonna be a wrestler, i would wanna learn from al snow. And i would pay good money because i know he would be the best teacher.

[@adamcummings4060]

It's pretty simple, uncle dave gives out more 5 star matches today yet wrestling isnt a 1/4 as big as it was 25 years ago..

[@theecharmingbilly]

He'll act like it wasn't a business decision too. 🤣

[@lolabrooke6986]

Exactly. The 'Ruthless Aggression' and 'New Generation' eras were far more critically-acclaimed than the 'Rock n' Wrestling' and 'Attitude' eras - yet which ones were by far the more commercially-successful? If anything, Meltzer's approval is like a kiss of death for the wrestling BUSINESS.

[@duckmercy11]

​@@lolabrooke6986 He rates matches based on quality, not commercial success. This is like hating on the Oscar's for giving awards to arthouse flicks instead of Fast and The Furious.

[@adambate3674]

The movie analogy is a good one. Nothing wrong with a fan preferring arthouse movies but if the head of the studio says that the new plan is to stop making blockbusters and focus on arthouse because people on the internet give it more acclaim it would be a surefire way of losing everyone their jobs, which has always been Al’s point. No issue with fans preferring Savage vs Steamboat to Hogan vs Andre but when that is the takeaway by the guys running the company it shows a total misunderstanding of the business.

[@Raj80191]

The problem is that Meltzer only uses workrate as the criteria for good wrestling and that has fooled a lot of people into thinking that every match with good workrate is a good match which is not true at all.

[@Oh-ffs]

Meltzer gives good rating to people that pretend to accept him socially. He's always been an outcast and a geek I mean he reported on wrestling when it was shunned by society. Think of how much an outcast you have to be to use this guy as a beacon. They'll watch ANYTHING

He rates the athletic performance. Not the workrate.

[@LS-fd6tl]

How many fans who packed out arenas in 1999/2000 cared about Stone Cold's or The Rock's in-ring "work rate"? As a diehard fan back then I never used the terms work rate, strong style or referenced a "5 star match"

[@LS-fd6tl]

How many fans who packed out arenas in 1999/2000 cared about Stone Cold's or The Rock's in-ring "work rate"? As a diehard fan back then I never used the terms work rate, strong style or referenced a "5 star match"

[@Brndn350Z]

The problem is people care about his opinion which gives it value. Can't blame Dave

[@VSEntertainment1]

this is a great episode, watched it 2 times.

[@oaoa3953]

Al is always fucking great to listen to.

[@averagecarpentryskills7148]

When it was just the dirtsheets and by mail the normal fans were okay, when the internet became a big thing and social media bullying into group think it changed. Wrestling was hurt more by that than by anything else. I remember going on wrestling message boards in the early 00s and just being a normal fan who grew up on 80s wrestling and Attitude Era stuff and being bullied by these smart marks who only cared about indie stars and 5 star matches according to Meltzer. Suddenly everyone had to stop believing what they saw with their own eyes on who was a star or appealing to them and what entertained them and had to fall in line with what some "expert" or "critic" and group of snobs thought was the best in wrestling. Then they hijacked the main shows like WWE.

[@goodday2760]

"This isn't a democracy!!!"

[@HkFinn83]

AEW is like that, WWE isn’t. WWE exists in its own weird world, halfway between wrestling and children’s tv

[@goodday2760]

@@HkFinn83 I guess you weren't watching in the mid 2010s. AEW exists because of Daniel Bryan.

[@Thecultofwrestling]

@@goodday2760 cm punk actually

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Smarks are definitely why wrestling isn't as cool as it once was. #SmarksSuck

[@juniorn8279]

The workrate era 2010 - present this is the era were in-ring action >> characters and storylines its been going on too long now

[@bigyin9045]

In ring action is dreadful now aswell, can flip about all you want but there's no illusion that it's an actual contest, looks extremely fake with zero psychology

[@eazymb.]

Atleast back then (lol 2010 is back then now kill me) the guys who could go were actually being held down and could have realistic looking matches. Nowadays I’d probably like a more character focused show. Wrestling desperately needs more of that.

[@eazymb.]

Atleast back then (lol 2010 is back then now kill me) the guys who could go were actually being held down and could have realistic looking matches. Nowadays I’d probably like a more character focused show. Wrestling desperately needs more of that.

It is not workrate. It's athleticism. Workrate has disappeared.

[@Desireeshyann22]

workrate doesnt exist.

[@williammunny1844]

Uncle Vinnie has been saying it for years… The reason Dave Meltzer dictates the wrestling business nowadays is because the marks moved from the bleachers to the ring. 95% of IWC darlings are lifelong Observer subscribers, and are heavily influenced by Dave. For fucks sake, there’s a prominent finisher named after him! LOL Pro wrestling is dead to me. Haven’t watched wrestling regularly since the mass exodus from TNA. I get my wrestling fix by listening to podcasts.

[@namelessjedi2242]

Everything Al said is spot-on.

[@duckmercy11]

Not really, he was off about a bunch of stuff. And he looks hypocritical because his own promotion doesn't draw flies.

[@GlobalPsychosis]

Dave Meltzer is the CNN of the pro wrestling world.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Accurate 💯

[@JHollman]

He's the teletubbies of the pro wrestling world

[@williammunny1844]

Hahahaha well put! 🖕🏾CNN…

[@SuperHyphyOne]

more like the Fox News a.k.a. Faux News

[@thealchemist69666]

More like fox news

[@michiganjack1337]

Al Snow continues to be the sound reason of logic in this stupid industry of wrasslin. He’s not incredibly nuts like Corny and he’s not incredibly used car salesman like as Vince (with all do respect)

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

He is perfectly balanced

[@shanebagin]

In my opinion Dave Meltzer is the biggest mark in the wrestling business. He has never had a match in his life.

[@hitek9too255]

Not worked in the wrestling business.

[@shanebagin]

​@@hitek9too255 this is why I don't think that his opinions even count for matches, or storylines. At least if he never stepped in a ring, but knew how to book and write we could agree with some of the things he says.

[@user-uo1qr6vn1q]

Actually, I think Meltzer’s credibility & reputation, at least with a lot of the older fans - many who have been reading him for years, has been damaged pretty significantly over the past few years. His failure to be accurately critical of today’s product (possibly due to his relationship with several of the younger wrestlers themselves), as well as taking shots at those who are, hasn’t done him a lot of favors with long time readers of the Observer. Rather than admitting at least some of their criticisms are valid, he continues to push the narrative that if you’re not a fan the current product, you just don’t understand modern wrestling. Meanwhile, less people are watching and paying any attention than ever before. So apparently there are quite a few of us that just don’t get it.

[@chasemartins3359]

he’s never been accurate u nut sack. no angle 5 stars, gave taker and shawn a 4.75 and that’s old product. he’s never been the guy

[@jaysin420]

Fantastic

[@prestone.garrison4430]

🎶 I'm the Cult of Star Ratings! The Cult of Star Ratings! The Cult of Star Ratings! 🎶

[@DonMyers29497]

I was a casual fan for 30 years. And the word is "was"

[@christhornycroft3686]

If I'm setting up a wrestling company, my job is to work as many people as possible, especially guys like Meltzer. Make them guess what's true and what isn't. And any wrestler on the payroll that has a social media account should be doing it like MJF does - he's constantly working people. And if you're starting some dumbass Twitter War, it either gets cleared by Creative, or you're fired. Nobody breaks kayfabe. And if there are leaks, we find out the culprits and they're fired. It's like Terry Funk said: you can't make them believe wrestling is for real, but you can make them believe you're for real. And even if they know, that doesn't mean you can't throw in something to make them second guess themselves.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Better yet they shouldn't have a Social Media account unless it is private with family and friends. Fans can follow their "character accounts" but not personal accounts so you can only talk about your work and not say politics for example

[@christhornycroft3686]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 100%. Completely agree. I want to make people guess what's real and what isn't. I'd make guys sign a contract stating that all "shoot" interviews have to be cleared with the office. MJF is probably the only one these days that I'd trust in a shoot interview, because he's in character all the time and tries to work people. Nobody else does that. They break character constantly.

[@albalog2449]

@@christhornycroft3686 Speaking of wrestlers and social media, Dr. Death Steve Williams is one of the earliest wrestlers I can think of who launched his own website back in 1996, using it throughout the Windows 95~Win 2000 era. He used it like a social media and also posted interviews to other websites, particularly in Japan. Doc's wrestling character was more-or-less his real life self, but anybody he was fighting at the time in All Japan (AJPW), he made it clear he disliked them & wanted to beat them, lol. He'd be talking like a regular guy on the internet as his real-life self, typically happy and casual, but as soon as his opponent's name comes up, he made sure to diss them in some way. Like I remember in 1997 when he talked online about how "Misawa's matches sucked" and how Bart Gunn "is just a rookie in a big man's game", and accusing Keiji Muto of "brining AJPW down the drain". But other wrestlers he feuded with like Scott Norton, he showed respect in a "make the best man win" sort of fight. Williams basically altered his online posts depending on who he was feuding with & the situation on TV, when in real life he got along well with Misawa and Bart Gunn (after the Brawl For All) at the time. Some of these things I thought were true, but turned out to be worked after Dr. Death passed away in real-life, and all of his opponents talked about him being a good man in real life.

[@chadk890]

Al is talking FACTS here.

[@brainhakker7133]

Meltzer is a Troll and the fact that he walks around feeling as though his opinion matters above all other's opinions .... .well that just makes me sick and only serves to reinforce to me just how unfair that this Life really is

[@brainhakker7133]

@CrawlingChaoS Why ? When I can have yours any time that I want to . Oh, my bad , I thought u said "Wife" Hahaha.

[@datemasamune2904]

Thing about why people follow Meltzer is actually the fact that he never got into the business. Unfortunately, people take this as a sign that their opinions and thoughts can be considered legitimate. They got the mindset of "Oh, I can do this to, because Dave Meltzer is doing it!" I mean, I will admit that I myself am not a fan of Vince Russo, but he's got more credibility than Meltzer actually does.

[@Chuck_EL]

Britt Baker was caught backstage saying "I hope Dave Melzter gives me a high star rating" I mean I like Britt think she's talented but that was a really bad look on her

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

@@Chuck_EL She really said this?

[@Chuck_EL]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 yes it went viral it should be on KZbin

[@drillosophy1012]

The fault goes to the egomaniac idiot wrestlers who subscribed to his star rating just because he gave them 5 stars. Meltzer is a mark, just like the rest of us. Why would a wrestler care what he thinks if he’s not buying their merch or paying to see them?

[@archeign7769]

I would love to sit down and listen to an Al Snow seminar. Hell, I even would wanna train under him

[@8Bitorbust]

If you survive shoot me a message. I may join you.

[@getschwifty9531]

Dumb mark. Al's a hack too

[@lee-ur7nt]

Growing up watching it during the great period of the late 80s and 90s. No one cared about Dave Meltzer then. His critiques are literally just his opinion. People just introduced to wrestling think his ratings are more meaningful than they actually are, because they just assume he was more important and involved than he ever was.

[@maxwelljacobfreedom]

This generation would have canceled Austin and The Rock

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Sadly you might be correct. Considering that CANCEL CULTURE is popular nowadays

[@JacobYoung060]

You've got people who have an entire group of fans who have an entire show of what they like to themselves. A show that supposed to be a sports-based alternative is now super-indy. And those who stuck around because of what was promised feel insulted and alienated by that other group of people, who tell them to shut up and enjoy wrestling. And somehow that same group who have a vice grip on AEW and are condescending to outsiders have the nerve to call those outsiders "elitist".

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

💯💯💯💯💯

[@BtZealot]

Dave Meltzer has propositional knowledge, just claims of knowledge just passed to him; he has done nothing to get it. He does not have participating knowledge, perspectival knowledge, or procedural knowledge.

[@bodins]

As much as I dislike Meltzer and his rambling reviews and breaking his own rating systems for his favourites, end of the day he is a critic, like a movie critic, food critic, art critic etc. Critics do not have to be masters of the thing they are critiquing, but they do have to have to a base foundation and reasoning for their opinions. Does Meltzer have that? There's an arguement to be had. But another point Al makes on why he hates Meltzer is because Meltzer reveals the backstage stuff. In the 90s it was in a pretty unknown newsletter that only hardcore fans knew about, so the illusion was only broken for the hardcores, who would still go watch wrestling anyway. In the same rant Al says that Vince's (McMahon) opinion should be held high because of his vast experience in the business. Totally true, Vince has done it all and has been incredibly successful. However he's the man who publicly said wrestling is "Fake", yet he gets huge praise... I kinda agree with Al here, but be consistent. Vince revealed more to a wider audience then a newsletter ever could.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

I see what you mean. I believe that's what Al was talking about. Personally, I am indifferent towards guys like Meltzer or Keller. Sometimes they can be correct about how great a match is. However, it's their fanbase that makes me not a fan of them.

[@Joeywatts1500]

Great what happened to the business I so truly loved

[@Robby_C]

Dave made a career off of taking the work for granted. He thinks talking about “insider” stuff makes him cool, but all it really did is make a whole generation jaded and ignorant.

[@templeos2954]

I honestly do not know what meltzer is thinking when he rates the buck's matches so well.. They legitimately shit and a really bad impersonation of the rockers. Watch the rockers Vs the orient express at the rumble and they do the buck's act before they did it and better. Way more believability way more intensity on their high flying moves. And just this weekend Santos Escobar and Ricochet put them to shame

[@SamsarasArt]

Dave Meltzer has honestly become a malignant cancer to professional wrestling. I completely understand why Al Snow can't stand that guy and the damage he's done to a business he dedicated decade of his life to.

[@Am71919]

Al snow looks like Ted DiBiase

[@bdr113080]

I have never understood the fans that look to Dave Meltzer to figure out what is good and what is bad. I swear most of today’s generation has no clue what it means to be a good worker. I’m so tired of hearing modern wrestling fan, say “this is the best time ever to be a wrestling fan there is never been more people watching wrestling than there are right now! I’m sorry are we just going to start lying now? no there’s not more people watching wrestling today when you have people jerking it because their favorite promotion did a 2.0 in the ratings I would like to remind you that WCW in its last days were doing two point fours and two pointfives. Wrestling even at its worst in the 90s was still doing better numbers than the best weeks of today. Like, what are they really talking about? And yes, I give today’s wrestlers credit they’re very athletic but the problem is everything is so choreographed and so practiced it now than it ever has. It really does just look really fake these days. And I’m sorry I hate to tell today’s fans but they remind me of that kid in the sixth grade who came to school who is a little off and starts telling everybody before Christmas break “you know Santa isn’t real, right?!” Not knowing all of his classmates, that in the third grade out We knew back in the 80s it was fake too. As soon as my parents started figuring out I was a wrestling fan. The first thing they told me is that it wasn’t real. So the whole notion that they don’t have to try like that anymore is kind of bullshit. As someone who was a fan of wrestling starting in the mid 80s and then kept watching all the way until about the mid 2000s I think this is the worst it’s ever been. I feel like everyone is just the same wrestler I mean they have literally made the high spots mean nothing anymore When you’ve got three dives on every show and I’m watching a match where the guys doing the moves the only way that some of these moves can be done is if the man receiving the move is actually doing more physical work than the guy that’s supposed to be giving the move That looks fake. But what’s even worse is if I watch both guys help each other onto the top rope and then they have to help each other get in the position and then they do like a move that involves both guys doing four flips, and then the minute they both land, both guys are almost in a race, running side-by-side to get to the next turnbuckle to get to the next spot, I’m sorry that sucks ass. WWE has been getting by on their laurels for 15 years and AEW has a fan base that loves them because they’re not AEW and Tony isn’t smart enough to figure out if he doesn’t start catering to to another group of people other than the fans that aren’t going anywhere no matter how good or how bad his show is it’s never going to get any bigger of an audience than it already has

[@jetrobertsdj]

Too many people give Meltzer credibility when he is actually just a fan. He has a journalism degree (so do I, from a more credible school) but he doesn't practice even 10% of how a journalist is taught and trained to cover and report news. Like star ratings, for instance. It's just an opinion from one wrestling fan, but too many people inside and outside the industry think it means more than anyone else's opinion on a match. It doesn't. If Meltzer came into your workplace, no matter what you do for a living, and gave you a star rating for your work performance that day -- it is literally the same as him doing that to Kevin Owens or Darby Allin.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

He is the Rotten Tomatoes of wrestling. If you know you know

[@Scorch1028]

It doesn't help matters that Conrad Thompson, another non-pro wrestling personality, gives Dave Meltzer faulty credibility. Since the 1980s, Dave Meltzer has had a lot to say about an industry that he "does not understand". I can actually hear Bruce Prichard "seething with anger" whenever Conrad says: "...and Dave Meltzer would go on to say..."

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Did you see the video where Bruce was criticizing Dave? I like Conrad however I think he only defends Meltzer because he has been a Observer subscriber for years

[@sergio6113]

Never cared about what meltzer had to say. Always surprised he had a following

[@bigheezee]

We've been consuming information and the opinions of journalists and news people on subjects that none of them have any personal experience with since the invent of the newspaper. Im not sure this argument holds water.

[@DannyBZ9]

Dave Meltzer is really David Miscavage in plain sight. Same initials, both cult leaders hmmm

[@puipui7382]

Criticism is usually from a third party. How many great films did Siskel and Ebert make? How much great music did Fantano make? Either be entertained by it or don't.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Interesting you brought those guys up because Meltzer went from being the Roger Ebert of wrestling to the Rotten Tomatoes of wrestling.

[@ThatFitnessGuy]

Perfect rant. Perfectly said

[@Hellwolf36]

As much as I disagree with Russo on a lot of things, the fact he hosted Al Snow and dropped this truth bomb is commendable.

[@ApocalypticRenegade]

Meltzer influencing many to try and get a 5 star+ banger from him is the issue. Meltzer himself can have whatever take he wants on matches and wrestlers the problem is that the modern wrestlers are dumb enough to try to cater exclusively to him and what he and some other internet smarks like.

[@Spooky_515]

I just realized Jeff Lane maybe Al Snows illegitimate son

[@88smjls]

Wasn't Meltzer paid by WWF in the 90s according to Prichard. So is that in the business.

[@albalog2449]

I do recall some WWF documentary in 1998/1999 where Dave Meltzer was seen backstage at a WWF show. I think Oddities Kurgann was lurking in the same hallway & Meltzer had a clipboard. I think that was the time period Prichard is talking about, but I'm not sure what Meltzer's role was or how long it lasted.

[@michaelriverajr8891]

Never understood why some people think meltzer opinions actually mean something or carry weight or his ridiculous 5 star rating mean something.

[@redwolfe7049]

I've always said that Meltzer is the greatest worker in the wrestling industry because he hasn't spent a second in the ring that I know of and he got people to buy into his word being law in wrestling. His ridiculous star rating has turned people into Meltzer marks trying to get those special 5 star matches.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

What's odd is that the ratings are sometimes more than 5 such as 6 stars or 7 star matches

[@ihavetubes]

Great points

[@stevenweathers2989]

Buckling up…prepared for impact.

[@BIGBROWS87]

Al absolutely nails it! Meltzer is entitled to his opinion no doubt, but his opinion is doing more harm then good to the wrestling product. And to these wrestlers would you rather make money or get a 5 star match on the observer? I can't relate to todays fans/wrestlers I feel like a fish out of water and I'm know I'm not alone. It's like everything today is ass backwards!

[@albalog2449]

It's always been strange to me. At one time, Meltzer had a decent taste in 1990s All Japan (AJPW) where it was all big guys with in-ring psychology, comparable to Vince McMahon Sr's "WWF MSG era". If they spoke fluent English, guys like Toshiaki Kawada, Keiji Muto and Mitsuharu Misawa could very well have handle an Attitude Era environment. But sometime when AJPW got sold in 2003, all of Dave Meltzer's favorites became skinny fat wrestlers with no characters or charisma. That's when he alienated me, personally, and I can tell you Japanese casual fans are just as annoyed as we are (I've had longtime connection to Japan & my girlfriend is Japanese).

[@mikepeacock4725]

There's a radio show up here that airs every Sunday that gives 15 minutes at the start of their 2nd hour to Dave Meltzer and they take every thing he says as gospel

[@aaronholman8288]

The problem with Dave and Kenny and New Japan is that a lot of us don't give a shit about work rate or high spots. We just want something that looks legitimate that, even if it's just for a second, we can believe in. Forget the fact that these guys can't even cut a serious promo. They can't slow down to regard the basic rules of a pro wrestling match. Why even have a ref? Why even pretend to have rules? Imagine if Omega didn't completely disregard the fundamentals & slowed down & put a little psychology into the match. He would be a great worker. I don't understand why he wants to do this dumb, goofy, dangerous shit for half the payoff he could be getting if he acted and worked like a professional. Omega vs Danielson could've been so much bigger, but these guys are clueless. They can't effectively build any storyline over there bc they're constantly going 100 MPH. Slow the product down & give us some direction in these feuds & storylines. Then, when you hit those flashy moves, they pop so much better Just bc the public is aware that the product is pre-determined, doesn't mean you can make it look as sloppy, fake & cooperative is can be. It's embarrassing & it drives people away. They talk about how they aren't attracting new viewers, but they don't talk about how they're driving people from the product

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Exactly 💯

[@aaronholman8288]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 these guys talk a lot of trash on the old days of wrestling, but they need to study people like Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Taker, Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Bill Dundee, etc etc just watching these old matches shows the difference in the quality of the workers of the era. Great athletes today. 0 basic concept of what pro wrestling is

[@albalog2449]

Trust me, my girlfriend is Japanese and I've long had connections with Japan, they dislike that modern day New Japan stuff just as much as we do. Wrestling gradually started to die in Japan in 2003, after AJPW (All Japan) got sold. That was the show with all of the big guys with in-ring psychology & charisma, like Vader, Stan Hansen, Dr. Death, a later Andre the Giant, and even a young Umaga who was a main event player in AJPW before his WWE days. The popular Japanese guys included Toshiaki Kawada (who is my girlfriend's favorite), Kenta Kobashi, Keiji Muto, and Mitsuharu Misawa. They could also all cut good promos in Japanese and do skits, some were quite funny too. Lot of it was based in reality that didn't insult your intelligence, and it had a real sports-like feel where you'd connect with the wrestlers even in their personal lives. Despite NJPW selling bigger venues, lot of it was due to a Yakuza connections with NJPW, by which the Yakuza prevented AJPW from going to certain venues. The Yakuza also bought tickets en masse from Antonio Inoki & gave them away for free, which AJPW when owned by Giant Baba and Mrs. Baba never did. But in terms of TV ratings and audience interest, AJPW beat NJPW most of the time. I'd compare AJPW with "WWF on MSG Network" under Vince McMahon Sr., but with a fresh 1990s/2000s coat of paint & presentation, with doses of real-life stuff and occasional "crash TV". That's the style of wrestling that casual Japanese fans like, which is long since dead sadly. The Japanese casual mindset in American terms would be something like Don Muraco vs. Pedro Morales saga, or Greg Valentine vs. Chief Jay Strongbow, but all modernized to the decade in presentation.

[@blujay1524]

Al rules

[@DragoEpyon]

I don't get how Meltzer didn't lose all credibility the second he awarded the UFC Promotion of the year in his WRESTLING Observer rag.

[@Sie299]

Meltzer doesn't have the enigmatic personality to be a cult leader. People just flock to him to justify their shitty wrestling takes LOL

[@stevenmillan9220]

Harry Knowles,the Dave Meltzer of the film industry,is also another cult leader who has inspired the film industry,modern journalsts and film critics,editors(of magazine and websites),modern filmmakers,and modern fans that has transformed the film indsutry and the modern media surrounding it into a major league disastrous force that is only hurting and killing the movie industry and Internet based fandom communities to the very worst.

[@AndreGNSEntertainment]

Meltzer killed Wrestling

[@marionlawless]

Russo didn't help.

[@franktesch1085]

@marionlawless russo actually did something in wrestling did meltzer no he did not!

[@MattJungleCat]

Meltzer is a blight on modern wrestling. His influence has damaged wrestling. His historical pieces (obituaries) are solid. His star rating system has wrestlers working for star ratings and not for the audience. It's contributed to wrestling become more if a niche product...

[@halfdayofthejackal9372]

Al is the best mind in the business not employed in a position where it can be maximised 😔

[@matthewthomas9194]

This is one topic cornette and Russo agree on!!!

[@briandelgado4985]

Now i want some lucky charms lol

[@kikiki4592]

Shit reminds me of Mel KIper Jr. and the NFL draft, dude is wrong, and wrong is not a good enough word for how bad he has been, yet everyone listens to the guy and he gets paid very well, same shit.

[@mthom0861]

Dave Meltzer trashed TNA saying they were closing pretty much every week for a year. He destroyed the wrestling and the wrestlers and had nothing good to say about it. Now he worships AEW to stay relevant when they have few stars, horrible booking, and a product who's ratings are a mess. He's lost all credibility with a lot of fans.

[@ktulu084]

Dear Al Snow, STOP. SAYING. "LITERALLY".

[@BeyondTheScript]

Meltzer blocked me recently for saying he’s not a real journalist. He gave me a link we’re he supposedly got his degree. I went too look and it was made up than he blocked me 5 seconds after sending that link. 😂😂

[@heatseekerx51]

Roasted.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

I feel like the shared hatred for Meltzer can bring Russo, Cornette, and Bischoff together. Cuz all three absolutely hate Meltzer and for good reason.

[@maxwelljacobfreedom]

Tired of watching people ignore politics then be surprised when this b.s. trickles in

[@jeffwerth2707]

People will watch/listen to people that see things like they do - if Meltzer says "this match was 5 star" but you think it was maybe a 2 star at best, will you stick with him?

[@VenomHernandez]

What does everybody want?

[@zombiewarrior88]

What does everyone need?

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

What does everybody love?

[@TheGreenGaze]

hope meltzers ok pal, heard he was unwell

[@1krani]

Rest easy, Lord Al. Some day, when some entrepreneur creates a promotion that explodes in nationwide popularity using your teachings, people everywhere will acknowledge you, as I will, as the lord and savior of professional wrestling.

[@spaceghost27]

what wrestlers do or don't do has nothing to do with what Meltzer reports.

[@AkamoriArt]

I disagree with Al about Dave. I don't think anything believes a word he says anymore, with the exception of some very hardcore AEW fans. I used to listen to Meltzer, and used to defend him, but he has lost the plot recently. Dude is mental.

[@brendonbosch1376]

I don't like Russo. Don't care what he thinks or says. That's the same level I see Meltzer on. If Meltzer sticks to reporting news it is fine but the moment he vomits out his opinion he loses me

[@danthemancushecan]

Meltzer has never worked in a wrestling promotion a day in his life. Never worked a match, never been part of an angle or anything.

[@albalog2449]

To be fair, I do recall some WWF documentary in 1998/1999 where Dave Meltzer was seen backstage at a WWF show. I think Oddities Kurgann was lurking in the same hallway & Meltzer had a clipboard, and it was backstage. It always stood out to me. Can't remember what exactly the documentary was though.

[@beerguy1969]

Not every wrestling fan

[@CaspersEyeSocket]

i thought al snow left the buisness wow just wow

[@davidj5910]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@dmm250678]

Meltzer - a man with an opinion that I do not see what the fuss is about. Never heard of him until recently but as he is nothing but a reporter - he or his views don’t interest me.

[@boneivy4382]

Meltzer is just an educated critic, being mad at someone sharing the opinion of a Critic is childish.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

What's even more childish is when people think critics are never wrong. Just because a critic thinks something is wonderful doesn't make it so.

[@dreamscatcher7488]

Dave and his stooge bryan are the real cancer of wrestling

[@davidalexander3320]

At least Al admits that he doesnt care about information only who it comes from. He can finally admit that.

[@jansapp]

This comments section is the real cult 😬😬😬

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

🤣🤣🤣

[@MikeSmith-hm5sz]

al snow just sounds old and bitter wwe is making more than they ever had before aew just have revenue of over 100 millions dollars all of those promotions he talking about that drew so well with the expectations of wwe just are now out of business

[@stephengrahn9361]

Don't really care for Meltzer all the wrestlers and mgrs I liked don't really care for him either

[@ish2593]

Old man take by Al Snow. I guess journalists or sports reports can’t be experts in the fields they cover unless they partaked in their subject

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

He is an educated old man

[@reeseangle9621]

Meltzer has been feed the inside news from writers in every company for 40 years. Stop hating on Meltz.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Not gonna lie Al Snow has a point

[@thetribalist6923]

Same can be said of Cornette. It’s fitting he falls his fans his cult.

[@ryanregan00]

Oh stfu. Seriously. There is no cult of Cornette. Did Cornette insult your little gymnasts? Trampoline cowboys? Meltzer is the only cult leader around.