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For other people named David Meltzer, see David Meltzer (disambiguation).

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David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist, author and historian who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), a dirtsheet primarily addressing professional wrestling. He has also written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, Yahoo! Sports, SI.com,[1] and The National Sports Daily. He has extensively covered mixed martial arts since UFC 1 in 1993 and also covers it for SB Nation. He has been called "the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism" by Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated.[2]

Early life

[edit]

David Allen Meltzer[3] was born into a Jewish family in Upstate New York on October 24, 1959.[4][5] He later moved with his family to San Jose, California. He earned a journalism degree from San Jose State University and started out as a sportswriter for the Wichita Falls Times Record News and the Turlock Journal. He demonstrated an interest in professional wrestling and a journalistic approach to it early in life, writing several wrestling-related publications that predate WON, dating back to 1971. The most notable of these was the California Wrestling Report c. 1973–1974, which reported on the National Wrestling Alliance territories operating out of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Career

[edit]

The beginnings of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter date back to 1980, when Meltzer began an annual poll among those with whom he corresponded about professional wrestling. According to Meltzer, he was just a fan at first. A short time later, he began maintaining a tape-trading list, and would occasionally send match results and news updates along with tape updates. He stated that he wanted to keep his friends in college "in the loop" for his tape trading and happenings in the business, as the mainstream wrestling magazines catered to a somewhat younger demographic.[6]

Meltzer participated in HBO's documentary about André the Giant[7] and appeared on several episodes of Vice's series Dark Side of the Ring.

Meltzer, somewhat indirectly, helped to usher in a new era of wrestling in the late 2010s; a Twitter user asked him in 2017 if an independent wrestling event could sell at least 10,000 tickets, a number that no company besides WCW and WWE had reached for a professional wrestling show in the U.S. since 1993. He responded with "not any time soon", prompting wrestler Cody Rhodes—who had left WWE the previous year—to say he would "take that bet". Rhodes and the tag team The Young Bucks subsequently promoted the 2018 independent show All In, which gained an attendance of 11,263; this led Rhodes and the Bucks to sign up as wrestlers and executive vice presidents for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a wrestling promotion created by Tony Khan in 2019 that would grow to become the second largest American promotion after WWE.[8]

Reputation

[edit]

In 2016, the Washington Post referred to Meltzer as "pro wrestling's preeminent journalist" while Mel Magazine called him "the most important journalist in professional wrestling history" in 2022.[9] In 2013, Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated called him "the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism" and stated, "You could cover the Vatican or State Department and not do as good a job as Dave Meltzer does on wrestling."[2] R. Tyson Smith, a professor at University of Pennsylvania, cited Meltzer as "the foremost authority on professional wrestling in the United States" in his 2014 book Fighting for Recognition: Identity, Masculinity, and the Act of Violence in Professional Wrestling.[10] Lowery A. Woodall III, an associate professor at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, called Meltzer "the most respected wrestling journalist of the last forty years" in 2022.[11] Wrestling historian Pat Laprade has called WON the "Wall Street Journal of professional wrestling".[12]

Bret Hart recalled that, during his career, most of his colleagues were keen to be featured and praised by Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and stated he was glad WON served as a legitimate source of news within professional wrestling following the Montreal screwjob.[2] Seth Rollins has praised Meltzer's international coverage of professional wrestling and his ability as a wrestling historian.[13] Terry Funk recalled being impressed by WON in his 2013 autobiography: "I immediately thought that this thing was going to take off. There would be no stopping it. Instead of talking about the matches as if they were real competitions, like the newsstand magazines had one, Dave Meltzer wrote about the business behind the scenes. It had news and results from all over, and was obviously written about someone who understood the business... I saw it as a thermometer of sorts, to see how different things were getting over in different places."[14]

Conversely, PWInsider writer Dave Scherer has criticized Meltzer's work. After a collaboration between them in the 1990s, Scherer alleged that Meltzer fed him first-hand information before publishing something different.[15] John Bradshaw Layfield has alleged that WWE gave Meltzer false information which Meltzer then published.[16]

In May 2015, Meltzer reported that Destination America had decided to cancel Impact Wrestling by late September.[17][18] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling vehemently denied the reports, claiming that they "constitute[d] defamation" and that they were "seek[ing] all legal remedies available", but the show was indeed cancelled by January 2016 and no legal matters ever arose.[19]

In March 2025, Meltzer reported in a now-deleted WON article that matches involving WWE ID talent were directly booked and scripted by the program's head scout and WWE Evolve booker Gabe Sapolsky; in exchange, promotions would be permitted to use WWE branding to advertise the matches and talent would be paid a stipend to wrestle the matches. In response to the article, Game Changer Wrestling promoter Brett Lauderdale denied the existence of any such scripts or stipends, but acknowledged they were permitted (but not required) to use WWE branding.[20]

Star rating system and impact

[edit]
Main article: List of professional wrestling matches rated 5 or more stars by Dave Meltzer

Meltzer popularized the star rating system (devised by Jim Cornette and his childhood friend Norm M. "Weasel" Dooley),[21][22][23] which rates matches on a nominal scale of zero to five stars in a similar manner to that used by many movie critics.[5] The first 6 and 6.5 star matches – as rated by Dooley – took place in 1981.[24] The highest Meltzer has ever rated a match was seven stars, given to Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega for their match at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall in June 2018. Conversely, matches that Meltzer rates particularly poorly may receive a negative star rating. The lowest rating Meltzer has given out is −459.6 stars – corresponding to "absolute zero"  –, which has been awarded to two matches: The Men Down Under vs. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff at Heroes of Wrestling in October 1999; and Minoru Suzuki vs. Butterbean at the WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Show in April 2025.[25]

Wrestlers such as Bret Hart have written how proud they were when their performances were praised in the WON.[26] Will Ospreay has also noted the positive impact a 5 star or greater rating from Meltzer had on his career.[27] Others, such as Cornette, PWInsider's Dave Scherer[28] and Seth Rollins have criticized Meltzer's rating system, with Rollins notably questioning how a wrestler like Kurt Angle doesn't have a 5 star match.[13] Meltzer himself has stated that his star system is "the least important" work he undertakes and has said that wrestlers and fans place far more importance on the star ratings than he does.[29] Nevertheless, Meltzer's ratings are frequently a hot topic within the world of professional wrestling, and were so particularly in the late 2010s following the awarding of six stars to the Omega vs Okada match at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in 2017.[29]

Awards and accomplishments

[edit]

Filmography

[edit]
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Beyond the Mat Himself Documentary
2018 André the Giant Himself HBO documentary
2019 Dark Side of the Ring Himself Vice miniseries
2024 Mr. McMahon Himself Netflix miniseries

Bibliography

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dave Meltzer

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American renowned for his pioneering coverage of and (MMA). He founded and has served as publisher and editor of the since 1983, a publication that brought unprecedented transparency to the wrestling industry's business dealings, backstage operations, and talent evaluations through detailed reporting and analysis. Meltzer holds a journalism degree from San José State University and traces his passion for wrestling to childhood, having attended his first live event at age nine in San Jose, California. Early in his career, he worked as a sportswriter for local newspapers like the Wichita Falls Times Record News and the Turlock Journal while self-publishing wrestling newsletters, eventually transitioning to full-time focus on the sport as his audience grew. Meltzer became the first reporter in the to cover for a major national outlet when he contributed to The National Sports Daily from 1989 to 1991, helping legitimize the field amid its transition from regional territories to national entertainment. Among his most influential contributions is the creation of the five-star rating system for evaluating wrestling matches, introduced in the 1980s and inspired by fan discussions, which has since become a standard metric across the industry for assessing in-ring quality. He extended his reporting to MMA starting with in 1993, later joining Yahoo Sports as part of the first mainstream team to provide daily MMA coverage and serving as a senior writer for . In recognition of his decades-long impact on wrestling historiography and journalism, Meltzer received the 2016 Jim Melby Award from the .

Personal background

Early life

David Allen Meltzer was born on October 24, 1959, in , and lived in until age 10, before his family moved to , where he grew up in the . Meltzer was raised in a Jewish family, with his father Herbert and his mother Marilyn, a grade school teacher; he has an older brother. His fascination with professional wrestling began at age 9, sparked by watching matches on local TV and attending his first live event in San Jose. During the 1960s and 1970s, Meltzer attended live events in the Bay Area.

Education and family

Meltzer graduated from Leland High School in San Jose, California, in 1977. Following high school, he attended from 1979 to 1983, where he majored in with an emphasis on print media and radio-TV. During his university years, Meltzer engaged in journalism coursework and wrote about , honing skills that later informed his newsletter endeavors. In 1991, Meltzer married Anne Meltzer, and the couple has two children. The family resides in , as of 2023, where Meltzer maintains a home office for his work.

Professional career

Founding the Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Dave Meltzer founded the in 1982 while he was a senior at , where he earned a degree in . The publication emerged from Meltzer's involvement in tape trading networks during college, initially serving as a consolidated update to replace repetitive letters he wrote weekly to a group of 10 to 15 contacts. Produced manually by typing content and distributed via mail to those early contacts, the newsletter quickly evolved into a subscription-based venture focused on detailed coverage of the wrestling industry. Its initial content emphasized in-depth analysis of regional wrestling territories, backstage developments, and match evaluations—often incorporating insights from taped matches—offering a level of scrutiny that differed markedly from the promotional tone of mainstream wrestling media at the time. Meltzer self-funded the operation through reader subscriptions, operating it independently amid significant resistance from the wrestling establishment, which criticized the newsletter for revealing insider information and potentially harming the industry's traditions. His journalism background shaped the publication's emphasis on factual reporting and analytical depth, setting a professional standard for wrestling coverage. By 1984, the newsletter had achieved notable early growth, with subscribers including one-third to three-quarters of the wrestlers in ' Mid-South Wrestling territory, many of whom adopted it after Watts encouraged its use for industry insights. This expansion marked the beginning of the Observer's reputation as an essential resource for both fans and professionals seeking unfiltered wrestling news.

Key reporting milestones

In the 1980s, Meltzer provided early and detailed coverage of the of the regional wrestling system, highlighting how Vince McMahon's strategy to expand the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) nationally through syndication and star power disrupted the longstanding cooperative structure among promotions. His reports in the documented the territorial promotions' financial strains and talent raids, foreshadowing the industry's consolidation into a few major entities. This coverage extended into the early 1990s, where Meltzer offered in-depth analysis of the WWF's 1994 federal steroid distribution trial involving McMahon, including witness testimonies and the promotion's internal policies on performance-enhancing drugs. During the 1990s, Meltzer's exposés on backstage politics became pivotal, most notably his immediate post-event reporting on the 1997 Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series, where he detailed the real-life betrayal in which Shawn Michaels and McMahon double-crossed Bret Hart by executing a predetermined finish without Hart's knowledge to reclaim the WWF Championship. His newsletter accounts, based on direct sources from all parties involved, revealed the tensions over Hart's impending departure to WCW and the creative liberties taken, marking a turning point in wrestling's shift toward blurring scripted and real narratives. Meltzer also chronicled Extreme Championship Wrestling's (ECW) mounting financial woes throughout the decade, reporting on unpaid talent, venue disputes, and debt accumulation that led to the promotion's bankruptcy filing in April 2001. In the early 2000s, following the WWF's dominance and the 2001 acquisitions of WCW and ECW, Meltzer reported on the era's fallout, including talent burnout, creative shifts under WWE's monopoly, and health crises amid a more regulated environment. His coverage of the 2007 double murder-suicide tragedy was particularly thorough, with the July 2, 2007, issue breaking details on the investigation, Benoit's use, and the broader implications for WWE's wellness policy and brain trauma awareness in wrestling. This reporting prompted congressional scrutiny and industry-wide discussions on performer safety. Throughout the 2010s, Meltzer broke numerous stories on WWE talent contracts and injury timelines, such as the multi-year deals for stars like and the recovery arcs for major figures including edge-of-retirement surgeries and returns that shaped booking decisions. His pre-launch reporting on the in 2014 detailed the streaming service's development, pricing model, and potential to disrupt traditional revenue, accurately predicting its role in global expansion despite initial subscriber hurdles. In the 2020s, Meltzer has covered 's transformative corporate sale to the (a merger of Endeavor and UFC) in 2023, outlining the $9.3 billion deal's structure, shareholder impacts, and shifts in governance away from the . He extensively documented All Elite Wrestling's (AEW) rise since its 2019 inception, from Tony Khan's funding and initial event to its competition with through talent signings and TV deals. Meltzer also tracked ongoing talent movements, including CM Punk's multiple returns and departures between AEW and , providing timelines of negotiations, creative disputes, and locker room dynamics. Continuing his annual tradition, Meltzer released the 2025 Hall of Fame issue on November 17, 2025, inducting new members into the publication's hall of fame.

Involvement with wrestling promotions

Meltzer's direct engagements with wrestling promotions have primarily been informal and advisory, often stemming from his expertise in the industry, though he has maintained a commitment to journalistic independence throughout. In 1987, Meltzer served as a Japanese market consultant for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now ), where he assisted with talent evaluations and strategies for expanding into , leveraging his deep knowledge of the local wrestling scene. He ended this paid role after the company requested that he refrain from reporting on wrestlers failing drug tests, a condition he refused to accept as it conflicted with his reporting principles. During the 1990s, Meltzer engaged in unpaid, informal consultations with (WCW) executives on booking strategies and talent assessments, providing insights based on his observations of industry trends and performer potential without any formal contract or compensation. In the late 1990s, he offered advisory input to (ECW), particularly on creative directions and story development, sharing recommendations with promoter to help navigate the promotion's innovative but financially challenging approach. Following the turn of the millennium, Meltzer's relationships with (TNA, later Impact Wrestling) involved ongoing critiques of their programming that reportedly influenced booking adjustments, as company officials referenced his analysis in internal discussions to refine layouts and character arcs. In the 2020s, Meltzer has maintained regular interactions with (AEW), including providing feedback on storylines and talent pushes to founder during private conversations, while emphasizing his role as an independent observer rather than an official advisor. These exchanges, often discussed in his public commentary, have focused on enhancing narrative coherence and performer utilization without compromising his newsletter's objectivity.

Contributions to professional wrestling

Star rating system

Dave Meltzer introduced the star rating system in 1982 as a feature in his , adopting it from the system used by Norman "" Dooley who began rating matches in 1979, employing an initial scale from 0 to 5 stars to gauge the quality of matches. The system evaluates matches holistically, drawing on factors such as in-ring psychology, pacing, technical execution, , crowd reaction, and the effectiveness of the finish. Under the criteria, a 5-star rating signifies an all-time classic, marked by exceptional technical excellence and compelling narrative that captivates audiences, while 4 to 4.75 stars represent excellent bouts with strong but not flawless performances. Ratings descend to 3 stars for above-average contests, 2 stars for average ones, and 1 star or below for subpar efforts; negative ratings, reaching as low as -5 stars, are reserved for matches that are not merely dull but actively detrimental through botched spots, poor pacing, or infuriating booking. The system evolved in the 1990s with the addition of quarter-star increments, enabling finer distinctions like 4.25 or 4.75 stars, and the introduction of special honors such as "5-star match of the year" for standout classics. Meltzer applies ratings post-event, analyzing taped footage alongside live crowd dynamics to assess overall impact. Notable examples include the 1994 WrestleMania X ladder match between and Ramon, rated 4.5 stars for its groundbreaking athleticism and emotional buildup. In a modern context, versus at Dominion 6.4 in 2017 earned 7 stars on an extended scale, lauded for its marathon-length drama and innovative sequences. This approach has prompted similar evaluative scales among other wrestling commentators.

Influence on journalism and analysis

Meltzer's played a pivotal role in popularizing insider journalism within during the 1980s and 1990s. By providing detailed backstage reports, contract analyses, and critiques of performances that pierced the veil of —the industry's scripted illusion of reality—the publication shifted fan discourse toward a more informed perspective. This fostered the emergence of "smart mark" culture, where enthusiasts engaged with wrestling not just as entertainment but as a with strategic bookings and performer dynamics, encouraging a generation of fans to seek out and discuss insights. The analytical framework introduced by Meltzer, particularly his star rating system for matches, inspired subsequent rating methodologies across wrestling media. Outlets such as and user-driven platforms like Cagematch.net adopted similar numerical evaluation scales to assess match quality, bookings, and overall shows, standardizing critique in the genre. Additionally, his in-depth breakdowns have influenced the proliferation of analytical podcasts and online forums that dissect creative decisions, talent utilization, and storyline arcs, elevating the level of discourse in wrestling communities. Meltzer's contributions extended to mainstreaming wrestling coverage beyond niche publications. In the post-2010s era, his emphasis on rigorous analysis paved the way for broader media engagement, with networks like incorporating wrestling segments and hiring dedicated experts to cover events and industry trends. His work has notably impacted talent development, as wrestlers increasingly reference ratings and critiques as benchmarks for excellence. Performers in promotions like (AEW) have expressed motivation to craft matches worthy of top ratings, using them as a metric for personal and creative growth. Complementing this, Meltzer's has served as a vital historical since its , with year-end awards established in 1980 providing enduring of achievements, controversies, and evolutionary milestones in wrestling.

Reception and legacy

Reputation among fans and industry

Dave Meltzer has received praise from prominent wrestlers for his accurate and respectful coverage of backstage events in professional wrestling. Bret Hart credited Meltzer with helping to clarify the details of the 1997 Montreal Screwjob, noting that he provided an extensive account to Meltzer immediately after the incident, which Meltzer then reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, countering misconceptions that it was a staged event and protecting Hart's reputation. Similarly, Mick Foley has acknowledged Meltzer's early recognition of his in-ring work through high star ratings in the newsletter, which helped elevate Foley's status among peers despite initial tensions in their professional relationship. Industry executives from major promotions have recognized Meltzer as a leading authority in wrestling , often referring to him as the "dean of wrestling journalists" for his decades-long influence on reporting standards. For instance, AEW President has frequently consulted Meltzer on-air during interviews, valuing his insights into industry trends and business decisions as essential for navigating the competitive landscape. Meltzer's reputation among fans has grown significantly through online communities, where his newsletter is often treated as a for and evaluations, fostering a dedicated "smart mark" fanbase that relies on his analysis to discuss wrestling's beyond surface-level . Endorsements of Meltzer's work appear in various wrestling books and documentaries, underscoring his foundational contributions to the field's . In his own compilation Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers, Meltzer is described as the pioneer of pro wrestling journalism, with the praised for its authoritative weekly insights that no other publication matches. His reporting has provided critical context to major events in documentaries like Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998). By 2025, Meltzer's had marked over 42 years of continuous publication since its founding in 1983, establishing him as a stabilizing voice amid the industry's frequent upheavals, from territorial wars to modern streaming transitions. This longevity has solidified his status as an indispensable resource, with executives and fans alike citing his consistent output as a benchmark for reliability in a volatile field.

Controversies and criticisms

In the early , Meltzer's investigative reporting on widespread use within the WWF, including details that contributed to the federal indictment against in 1994, created significant tension with the promotion's leadership. This coverage, which highlighted McMahon's alleged distribution of anabolic steroids to wrestlers for muscle enhancement, led to a strained relationship and a temporary of Meltzer by , limiting his access to the company during that period. During the 2010s, Meltzer faced accusations of favoritism toward Japanese promotions, particularly New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), over American products like WWE, with critics arguing that his coverage and star ratings disproportionately praised NJPW events and talent, sparking debates among fans about perceived regional bias. Meltzer's star rating system has drawn criticism for inconsistencies, especially in the overhyping of certain AEW matches; for instance, his high ratings for bouts at events like Full Gear 2021 were seen by some as inflated compared to similar WWE matches, leading to backlash on social media where fans questioned the objectivity of his assessments. In the 2020s, Meltzer engaged in public disputes with AEW talent such as (MJF) over contract rumors, including reports in 2022 speculating on MJF's future amid negotiations, which escalated to exchanges on platforms where MJF addressed the speculation directly. Meltzer has responded to claims of spreading misinformation, notably issuing a public apology in 2019 after reporting an erroneous story about a WWE backstage meeting involving , which Rollins denounced as false, prompting Meltzer to retract the information and affirm his policy against deliberate inaccuracies. These incidents have occasionally fueled debates about his reliability, though they represent a minority amid his broader body of work.

Awards and honors

Major awards

In 2016, Meltzer was awarded the Jim Melby Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Museum, an honor recognizing excellence in . The award, named for Jim Melby—a pioneering wrestling historian and who elevated standards in the field—was presented during the museum's annual Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame weekend in , acknowledging Meltzer's decades of investigative reporting and historical analysis. The following year, in 2017, Meltzer received the James C. Melby Historian Award from the , a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving professional wrestling's legacy, for his outstanding contributions to wrestling history and . This accolade, also named in honor of the influential Jim Melby, was bestowed at the club's 52nd annual reunion banquet in , , underscoring Meltzer's role in documenting and analyzing the industry's evolution through detailed newsletters and publications. These journalism-focused honors reflect Meltzer's enduring influence as a key figure in professional wrestling media, emphasizing his commitment to factual reporting over sensationalism.

Hall of Fame inductions

In 2016, Dave Meltzer received the Jim Melby Award and was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, honoring his pioneering work in wrestling journalism and media contributions to the industry. The award, presented by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, recognizes historians, journalists, and researchers who have documented professional wrestling's legacy, named after longtime wrestling scribe Jim Melby. The induction ceremony occurred during the Hall of Fame weekend on July 23, 2016, where Meltzer joined other honorees in a event celebrating wrestling's past and present. During his acceptance speech, Meltzer reflected on his decades-long career, crediting his detailed reporting through the for helping preserve and analyze wrestling history amid the industry's evolution from territorial days to global entertainment. He emphasized the importance of independent journalism in uncovering backstage stories and match outcomes that fans otherwise lacked access to, and expressed gratitude to subscribers and listeners for sustaining his efforts over more than three decades. The speech underscored how his work has served as a historical , influencing generations of fans and professionals. Meltzer founded the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996 as a means to formally acknowledge influential figures in wrestling, starting with an inaugural class of 122 members selected based on his research and reader input. Managed through his publication, it operates without a physical site but has gained prominence through annual voting by a panel of journalists and historians, inducting wrestlers, promoters, and media personalities since its inception. Following his 2016 induction, Meltzer's profile in wrestling circles grew, leading to more frequent guest appearances and panels at major conventions such as Starrcast and Fan Expo events through 2025, where he discussed industry trends and historical insights.

Media works

Bibliography

Dave Meltzer's bibliography primarily consists of books compiling his extensive reporting from the , focusing on tributes to deceased wrestling figures and historical analyses. His authored works emphasize in-depth profiles and obituaries drawn directly from newsletter content, providing detailed accounts of wrestlers' careers and legacies. His first major book, Tributes: Remembering Some of the World's Greatest Wrestlers, was published in 2001 by Stewart House Publishing. This hardcover volume (ISBN 978-1553660859) collects obituaries and career profiles of prominent wrestlers who had passed away, including Andre the Giant, Owen Hart, Kerry Von Erich, Fritz Von Erich, Rick Rude, and Bruiser Brody, among others. It serves as an authoritative record of their contributions to , highlighting key matches, personal stories, and industry impact based on Meltzer's long-term coverage. In 2004, Meltzer released Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers, published by Sports Publishing LLC with a by . This sequel expands the series by profiling additional deceased legends such as Lou Thesz and , offering candid accounts of their wrestling journeys, achievements, and the broader historical context of their eras. The book continues the newsletter-derived format, emphasizing detailed narratives over exhaustive timelines to capture the essence of these figures' influences. Meltzer also contributed insider insights to Death of WCW: Something to Say About That (2004), co-written by R.D. Reynolds and and published by (ISBN 978-1550226614). Drawing from his reporting, his input provided critical analysis of World Championship Wrestling's internal dynamics, booking decisions, and financial decline during the late 1990s and early . The Tributes series consists of the two volumes noted above, compiling tributes focused on wrestling pioneers' stories. Following 2010, Meltzer has not published major new authored books, though compilations of his Wrestling Observer Newsletter archives have been digitized and released as print and e-book collections starting in the early . Examples include The Wrestling Observer Complete Collection: 1984 (2024) and yearly editions like The Wrestling Observer Yearbook '93 (2020) and The Wrestling Observer Yearbook '97 (2020), all published through F4W/WON, which repackage historical issues for broader accessibility while preserving original reporting on events, ratings, and industry news. The yearbook and complete collection series continue annually as of 2025.

Filmography

Dave Meltzer has made notable on-screen appearances in various documentaries, where he has served as an interviewee and expert commentator, drawing on his decades-long career as a . His contributions often provide historical context and insider analysis to key events and figures in the industry. In the 1998 documentary Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows, Meltzer appears as himself, offering insights into the infamous incident involving and at that year. The film chronicles Hart's final days with the promotion amid contract disputes and backstage tensions, with Meltzer's commentary highlighting the broader implications for wrestling's scripted nature. Meltzer features prominently in the 1999 documentary Beyond the Mat, directed by Barry W. Blaustein, where he appears as a journalist providing commentary on WWE's Attitude Era and the personal struggles of wrestlers like Mick Foley and Jake Roberts. His segments underscore the era's shift toward more hardcore and controversial storytelling, contrasting the on-screen spectacle with off-screen realities. He is interviewed in the 2018 HBO documentary André the Giant, directed by Jason Hehir, discussing the life and career of the iconic wrestler André René Roussimoff. Meltzer shares details on André's territorial booking, physical challenges due to acromegaly, and his pivotal role in WWE's early national expansion under Vince McMahon. Meltzer has been a recurring interviewee across multiple episodes of the Vice TV series Dark Side of the Ring (2019–present), appearing in at least seven installments to analyze dark chapters in wrestling history. Notable segments include discussions of the 1980s–1990s steroid trials involving figures like and Dr. George Zahorian, as well as broader examinations of the promotion's controversial practices during that period. His expertise helps contextualize the legal and ethical fallout from widespread performance-enhancing drug use in the industry. In the 2024 Netflix miniseries Mr. McMahon, directed by Chris Smith, Meltzer appears as himself across episodes exploring Vince McMahon's rise, the WWE's transformation, and allegations of misconduct. He provides candid reflections on his interactions with McMahon over four decades, including coverage of the steroid scandal and the company's shift to entertainment, emphasizing McMahon's promotional genius alongside ethical concerns.

Podcasts and radio

Meltzer and co-host launched Wrestling Observer Live in the late 1990s as a call-in on local stations, focusing on news, analysis, and listener interaction; the show expanded to national syndication via platforms like by the early 2000s. In 2011, they introduced Figure Four Daily, a format delivering near-daily episodes that dissect current wrestling storylines, match outcomes, and pay-per-view previews or recaps, often running 60-90 minutes to provide in-depth commentary. By the mid-2010s, both programs shifted toward digital streaming, with episodes broadcast live on starting around 2015 and premium ad-free versions available through subscriptions, allowing for expanded access and supporter-exclusive segments. This evolution integrated the shows with subscriptions, offering bundled audio content for deeper fan engagement. Special episodes dedicated to marquee events, such as post-WrestleMania breakdowns, extend to 1-2 hours, covering card results, booking decisions, and industry implications in detail. As of 2025, Wrestling Observer Live and Figure Four Daily persist as staples, with weekly episodes providing breakdowns of key programs like and , maintaining Meltzer's tradition of real-time analysis amid evolving promotions.

References

  1. https://slamwrestling.net/news/melby-award-for-meltzer-proper-recognition-for-pioneering-work/
  2. https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio_by_name/dave-meltzer
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/sports/wrestling-reporter-dave-meltzer-tries-to-keep-it-real.html
  4. https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1113801/dave-meltzer-facts-about-the-wrestling-journalist-only-hardcore-fans-know/
  5. https://alchetron.com/Dave-Meltzer
  6. https://x.com/davemeltzerWON/status/1482016279921785
  7. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/marilyn-meltzer-passes-away-91-years-old-328196/
  8. https://lelandhighschool.org/san_jose-ca/class-of-1977.html
  9. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-meltzer-79260a48
  10. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2626518-examining-dave-meltzers-early-career-impact-on-pro-wrestling-industry
  11. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0578425/bio/
  12. https://podcasts.f4wonline.com/the-fight-game-podcast/fight-game-podcast-fight-game-busy-saturday-san-jose-dave-bryan-359951/
  13. https://www.f4wonline.com/about-us/
  14. https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com/topic/3050-long-great-dave-meltzer-interview/
  15. https://www.si.com/wrestling/2018/08/15/dave-meltzer-observer-star-ratings-wwe-njpw
  16. https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/dave-meltzer-interview
  17. https://www.f4wonline.com/podcasts/wrestling-observer-radio/wor-wade-keller-dave-meltzer-vince-mcmahon-steroid-trial-358021/
  18. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/reliving-the-montreal-screwjob-25-years-later/
  19. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/daily-updates/daily-update-the-rock-rey-fenix-weekend-schedule/
  20. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/july-2-2007-observer-newsletter-chris-benoit-double-murder-suicide/
  21. https://www.npr.org/2007/08/22/13829386/wrestler-deaths-should-be-warning-to-other-sports
  22. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/dave-meltzers-history-pro-wrestling-thanksgiving-326076/
  23. https://www.f4wonline.com/newsletters/wrestling-observer-newsletter/november-17-2025-observer-newsletter-hall-of-fame-issue/
  24. https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1330624/dave-meltzer-explains-basis-much-debated-star-rating-system/
  25. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1059691-how-valid-is-the-wrestling-observer-newsletter-star-ratings-system
  26. https://www.thesportster.com/wwe-dave-meltzer-worst-match-ratings/
  27. https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2024/05/15/why-are-people-obsessed-with-dave-meltzer/
  28. https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/26808403/can-aew-compete-wwe
  29. https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/17723331/the-young-bucks-driven-desire-best-doing-their-way-pro-wrestling
  30. https://www.sporf.com/bret-hart-reveals-how-dave-meltzer-got-out-his-montreal-screwjob-account/
  31. https://slamwrestling.net/reviews/ae-wwe-biography-checks-the-boxes-on-mick-foleys-career/
  32. https://www.f4wonline.com/author/dave-meltzer/
  33. https://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Observer-Tributes-Remembering-Professional/dp/1582618178
  34. https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1330765/dave-meltzer-no-way-know-sure-something-wrestling-will-happen/
  35. https://www.f4wonline.com/newsletters/wrestling-observer-newsletter/september-23-2024-observer-newsletter-aew-closes-in-on-new-tv-rights-deal-cmll-91st-anniversary-show-recap/
  36. https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1492490/wwf-wwe-steroid-scandal-vince-mcmahon/
  37. https://411mania.com/wrestling/411s-dark-side-of-the-ring-report-the-steroid-trials/
  38. https://www.thesportster.com/dave-meltzer-wrestling-famous-journalist-controversial/
  39. https://www.thesportster.com/aew-ppv-matches-dave-meltzer-overrated/
  40. https://tjrwrestling.net/news/dave-meltzer-mjfs-aew-future/
  41. https://nypost.com/2019/11/06/wwes-seth-rollins-destroys-reporter-for-spreading-complete-lies/
  42. https://nwhof.org/blog/dave-meltzer-to-receive-jim-melby-award/
  43. https://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/awards
  44. https://wrestlingfigs.com/wrestlingnews/complete-details-on-the-52nd-annual-cauliflower-alley-club-reunion-in-las-vegas-in-may/
  45. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/video-dave-meltzer-hall-fame-induction-speech-217561/
  46. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/wrestling-observer-newsletter-hall-fame-2020-inductees-announced-325081/
  47. https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2025/10/02/four-changes-needed-to-improve-the-won-hall-of-fame-ballot/
  48. https://www.f4wonline.com/tag/f4w-convention/
  49. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/tributes-remembering-some-of-the-worlds-greatest-wrestlers_dave-meltzer/381616/
  50. https://www.powells.com/book/tributes-ii-remembering-more-of-the-worlds-greatest-professional-wrestlers-9781582618173
  51. https://insidepulse.com/2006/03/22/34958/
  52. https://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Observer-Yearbook-Beginnings-Newsletter-ebook/dp/B08PPBL856
  53. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0578425/
  54. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179218/
  55. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218043/
  56. https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/10-things-we-learned-from-hbos-andre-the-giant-documentary-629698/
  57. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/88401-dark-side-of-the-ring?language=en-US
  58. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33301469/
  59. https://www.tvinsider.com/1153710/mr-mcmahon-netflix-vince-mcmahon-wwe-dave-meltzer/
  60. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/the-wrestling-observer-live-22230193/
  61. https://podcasts.f4wonline.com/category/figure-four-daily/
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