Dave Meltzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Meltzer
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Meltzer in 2018
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| Born | David Allen Meltzer October 24, 1959 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, journalist, historian |
| Alma mater | San Jose State |
| Period | 1971–present |
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| Notable works | Wrestling Observer Newsletter |
| Notable awards | Melby Award |
| Children | 2 |
David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist. He writes about professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA). Since 1983, Meltzer has been the editor and publisher of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON). This newsletter mainly covers professional wrestling news. He has also written for other big newspapers and sports websites. These include the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, Yahoo! Sports, and SI.com. He has covered mixed martial arts since the very first UFC 1 event in 1993.
Contents
Early Life and Start
Meltzer was born in upstate New York. Later, his family moved to San Jose, California. He went to San Jose State University and earned a degree in journalism. He started his career as a sportswriter for local newspapers.
Even when he was young, Meltzer was very interested in professional wrestling. He also liked to report on it like a journalist. He wrote several wrestling publications before WON, starting in 1971. One important early one was the California Wrestling Report around 1973–1974. It covered wrestling shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter began in 1980. At first, Meltzer just started an annual poll for wrestling fans he knew. He was just a fan himself back then. Soon after, he started a list for trading wrestling videos. He would also send out match results and news updates with his video updates. Meltzer said he wanted to keep his college friends informed about wrestling. Mainstream wrestling magazines at the time were for younger kids.
Understanding the Star Ratings
Meltzer helped make the star rating system popular. This system rates wrestling matches from zero to five stars. Sometimes, very bad matches get negative stars. The system is like how movie critics rate movies. Meltzer has even given ratings higher than five stars. The first 6 and 6.5-star matches were rated in 1981 by his friend Norm M. "Weasel" Dooley.
The highest rating Meltzer has ever given a match is seven stars. This was for a match between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega in June 2018. Many wrestlers, like Bret Hart, have said they were proud when Meltzer praised their matches. Some people, like Seth Rollins, have criticized the star rating system.
Meltzer himself says his star system is "the least important" part of his work. He believes wrestlers and fans care more about the ratings than he does. Still, Meltzer's ratings are often talked about in the wrestling world. They became a very popular topic after the Omega vs. Okada match got six stars in 2017.
What People Say About Dave
Dave Meltzer is seen in different ways by people. Journalists, scholars, and historians usually praise his work. In the professional wrestling business, some people find him more controversial. This is especially true for those he reported on or whose careers were affected by his reports.
In 2016, Washington Post called Meltzer "pro wrestling’s top journalist." In 2013, Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated called him "the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." He said Meltzer did a better job covering wrestling than someone covering the Vatican. A professor named R. Tyson Smith called Meltzer "the main expert on professional wrestling in the United States." Wrestling historian Pat Laprade called WON the "Wall Street Journal of professional wrestling."
Wrestler Bret Hart remembered that many of his fellow wrestlers wanted Meltzer to feature and praise them in Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He was happy that WON became a real news source after the Montreal screwjob incident. Veteran wrestler Terry Funk was also impressed by WON. He said it reported on the business behind the scenes, not just the matches as if they were real fights.
Awards and Achievements
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- James Melby Historian Award (2017)
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Jim Melby Award (2016)
See also
In Spanish: Dave Meltzer para niños
