10 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Star Ratings Dave Meltzer Got Wrong

7. The Undertaker Vs. Shawn Michaels - WWE WrestleMania XXV

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WWE.com

Actual Rating: ****3/4, Revised Rating *****

It's hard to fathom what cost this unequivocal classic a quarter of a star.

It can't be the famous botch, if you can call it that, which saw the cameraman (Sam Snuka) fail to catch 'Taker in the correct spot. This match is so bulletproof it actually augments the drama. That it arrived at the point at which the Undertaker was due to beat the count-out at the last breath was actually incredibly fortuitous. It added a real sense of danger and realism to the proceedings.

It can't be the multiple finisher kick-outs, either. Meltzer famously admired All Japan Pro Wrestling, bestowing more five star ratings upon it than any other promotion. The gladiators of the King's Road kicked out of finishers so regularly that they had to invent new and ever more dangerous super finishers to preserve the power of the concept.

It might be the relative simplicity of the story, which was even promoted as a battle between the darkness and the light, two equal powers trying to conquer one another's legacy. Simple though it was, the execution was unparalleled. 'Taker had never struck his formidable arsenal with such elegance and bite before or since, and this match, more than any other, is emblematic of Shawn's status as the best seller of all time.

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!