10 Incredible Wrestling FIRSTS You Didn't Know About

4. The First Five Star Wrestling Match

First ladder match
WWE

Dave Meltzer, whether you like him or not, has enriched the lives of countless wrestling hobbyists.

His five star rating system by his own admission is a guide, and many people have opened a gateway to awesome historical and International wrestling by using it.

He didn't pioneer the system - Norm Dooley and Jim Cornette did, drawing inspiration from the industry standard of movie critics - but Dave became synonymous with it when he revolutionised media coverage in the 1980s which, prior to his ascent, was exclusively kayfabe.

In the printed Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the first match awarded ***** was a Dynamite Kid Vs. Tiger Mask classic from April 21, 1983. It felt like both men had pressed fast-forward on the very medium, improved its collision detection mechanics, and fused several different genres all at the same time and for the first time. The ratings are subjective, and have dominated wrestling discourse for far longer than you might think, but that match is worthy and very fitting for the first five.

Except, years later, Meltzer revealed that an April 7, 1982 match between Butch Reed and Ric Flair was an "easy *****" and "up to that point" the best he'd ever seen live.

Flair worked Reed a lot in '82, and the two closest YouTube uploads don't specify a date, but their awesome chemistry is on display nonetheless: a super-impressive, seesawing cardio battle, Reed was showcased brilliantly, as was Flair's champion formula, and Reed himself was a dynamo in there. He blew Flair away with his underrated, all-time great working punches and his high crossbody block was at once an impact move and hermetic pin.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!