Kazuchika Okada Vs. Kenny Omega II Breaks Dave Meltzer's Star Rating System
Better than better than perfect.
The venerable Dave Meltzer has broken his star rating system - again - following the classic Dominion sequel to the legendary ****** Wrestle Kingdom XI match between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega.
Okada successfully retained both his IWGP Heavyweight Championship and his status as the elite pro wrestler on the planet after an epic and ultra-rare one hour draw with Omega in Osaka. It had everything. The storytelling within it was more labyrinthine novel than mere simulation of combat. The overarching theme was exhaustion, built to with impossible brutality and precision and cemented with the best visual spot seen in aeons. As Okada teed Omega up for yet another Rainmaker lariat, Omega literally unconsciously avoided it by falling, spent, to his knees. It was a psychological masterclass. Ironically, the crowd were on their feet by this point. The fatigue was sold with such conviction that it only created another buzzing wave of excitement.
In this week's Wrestling Observer, Meltzer awarded the match an unprecedented ******1/4.
Wrestle Kingdom XI was not the first six-star bout. Meltzer has sporadically added the odd "+" to his five star matches, and has spoken - informally - of the seminal 1994 Mitsuharu Misawa Vs. Toshiaki Kawada match and a house show rarity between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat using the same platitude.
This, then, is officially the greatest match in wrestling history as judged by the greatest journalist in wrestling history.
Meltzer has received some flak on Twitter for shattering his system. He suggested that he did so based on the brilliance of Okada and Omega, not some perceived New Japan bias.
On the strength of the match, it is difficult to argue with his protests.