10 Most Divisive Figures In Wrestling History

7. Dave Meltzer

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Prosecution:

Clawed at the fraying fabric of kayfabe for his own ends, hastening its (inevitable) final resting place in the 1980s. God love him, he sometimes bends time and space on his radio shows, elongating seconds with his stream of consciousness. Sometimes gets undone by the fluctuating nature of a fabricated enterprise. Apparent WWE bias is a tired Twitter "joke" rendered patently untrue when considering his (ignored) appreciation for undercards favourable in comparison even to New Japan...but still, WWE has surely presented more than five ***** matches. The docked quarter star for the No Mercy '02 WWE Tag Team Title bout is beyond comprehension.

Defence:

No journalist has ever done so much to drill into the minutiae of the business which, let's face it, is why you're here. The man works more hours than you breathe. His much-maligned star rating system isn't a years-long troll at WWE's expense, but the perfect catalogue of and entry point into the realm of international classics. Without Big Dave, the eastern legends of AJPW, AJW et al. might not loom so large in the west. His obituaries are often incredibly touching, proving that he is as adept with language as he is with work ethic.

Author Verdict:

Actually read a copy of the Observer - a weekly dose of some 40,000 exhaustively-researched words far and away beyond the star ratings with which he is synonymous, for better or worse - and you should reach your own conclusions. Dave is a hero.

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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!