Dave Meltzer stuff

[oldbirds]

Like I imagined, Dave gave the 5 stars to the Evolved main event.

[Seabs]

Weird because on Observer Radio he didnt seem convinced and said if youre not 100% then its probably not the full five. And then Bryan had some ugh line like oh well nothing to be upset about still a great match and I was about ready to slam the brakes and spew out the window.

 

Havent seen the match yet but they also said there was a pretty big Ibushi botch that apparently knocked him loopy and sating that and then essentially calling it a perfect match feels very oxymoronic.

[Childs]

He also referred to Ospreay as the best wrestler in the world, day in and day out. So his wrestling criticism continues to diverge from any reality I care to acknowledge.

[Mad Dog]

Weird because on Observer Radio he didnt seem convinced and said if youre not 100% then its probably not the full five. And then Bryan had some ugh line like oh well nothing to be upset about still a great match and I was about ready to slam the brakes and spew out the window.

 

Havent seen the match yet but they also said there was a pretty big Ibushi botch that apparently knocked him loopy and sating that and then essentially calling it a perfect match feels very oxymoronic.

Depends on the botch. The botch towards the end of Bayley/Sasha in Brooklyn didn't detract from the match at all.

[Childs]

The Ibushi botch certainly didn't add to the match. But there was so much stuffed into the fucking thing that I don't think it made much difference one way or another.

[Ricky Jackson]

He also referred to Ospreay as the best wrestler in the world, day in and day out. So his wrestling criticism continues to diverge from any reality I care to acknowledge.

Yeah, I think the Ospreay comment actually made me physically wince when I read it. I mean I'm a million miles from being an expert on him, but from what I've seen I don't see what makes him the best at anything wrestling wise. He's a great gymnast, I guess, if that matters

[Mad Dog]

He's really not even the best spot monkey out there. The Bucks and Ricochet do it better than he does.

[sek69]

Ospreay is like a dude who can have good matches with people I enjoy watching rather than someone I'd go out of my way to watch on his own. Like how Pscosis was for Rey back in the day.

[shodate]

 

He also referred to Ospreay as the best wrestler in the world, day in and day out. So his wrestling criticism continues to diverge from any reality I care to acknowledge.

Yeah, I think the Ospreay comment actually made me physically wince when I read it. I mean I'm a million miles from being an expert on him, but from what I've seen I don't see what makes him the best at anything wrestling wise. He's a great gymnast, I guess, if that matters

 

dave for the most part os a pure work rate guy os him calling will a best on the world in his eyes is not ot far from the truth

 

i owuld not put will even top 50 of the year so far

[Rah]

If it wasn't for VISA issues, Super Smash Bros w would likely be in that spot for Meltzer not Ospreay.

 

SSB/Bucks produced far better crashcar spots and gymnastics than Ospreay has.

[Mad Dog]

Super Smash Brothers have personality unlike Osprey too.

[Laz]

If it wasn't for VISA issues, Super Smash Bros w would likely be in that spot for Meltzer not Ospreay.

 

SSB/Bucks produced far better crashcar spots and gymnastics than Ospreay has.

Aye. SSB/Bucks from DTABM is on my shortlist for favorite PWG match.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

Super Smash Brothers have personality unlike Osprey too.

It’s a shame the visa problems happened. I don’t know a ton of their work outside of PWG but their run there is some of my favorite stuff.

[Mad Dog]

The Chikara work is a lot earlier in their careers but a lot of fun.

[KawadaSmile]

Meltzer just gave Gargano/Ciampa AND the NA Ladder Match 5 stars.

 

Kind of weird, but ok. At least Gargano is getting the recognition he deserves.

[El-P]

That ladder match is officially the most overrated match ever in the Meltz canon then. To me it was the usual, MITB-style useless stuntfest garbage. And then it's odd Almas vs Black didn't get the 5*stars treatment then. Not that I care one bit, but considering Meltz tastes, I don't see how Gargano vs Ciampa was that much better (I actually like Almas vs Black more as a pure pro-wrestling match without WWE drama, which the Gargano match had, only done perfectly so it didn't matter).

[Boss Rock]

I dug the ladder match a lot, but thought Almas-Black was better.

 

That ladder match is officially the most overrated match ever in the Meltz canon then. To me it was the usual, MITB-style useless stuntfest garbage. And then it's odd Almas vs Black didn't get the 5*stars treatment then. Not that I care one bit, but considering Meltz tastes, I don't see how Gargano vs Ciampa was that much better (I actually like Almas vs Black more as a pure pro-wrestling match without WWE drama, which the Gargano match had, only done perfectly so it didn't matter).

 

I'd still go Bucks/Cole vs. Ospreay/Ricochet/Sydal at PWG or Tiger Mask-Dynamite, heh.

[Matt D]

Ladder match had a five minute dead zone in the middle that brought it down and made it feel never ending. Itwas fine for what it was and can be judged for what it was but I think that period brings it down.

[El-P]

Itwas fine for what it was and can be judged for what it was

 

Junk ? I just can't stand these matches were there isn't even an effort to make you think the guys are trying to win. Or where every damn overcomplicated spot is carefully set-up. Give me the Eliminators vs Sabu & RVD, it was sloppy as fuck but you were getting the feeling it actually was complete chaos with people doing completely stupid shit. This was the self-conscious epic of MITB stuntfest. Plus I didn't get the feeling there was any reason for these guys to fuck up each other like they did, which is another reason it felt useless. I thought it was the worst way to showcase Ricochet's debut. He was immediately turned into a Jeff Hardy-like worker. Well, whatever, this match really put me in a bad mood at the beginning of the NXT show. Can't think a of recent match I hated more.

[KB8]

I'm surprised he went with the full five stars for the ladder match. Gargano/Ciampa was right up his alley for sure and that one's not surprising, but even judging by car crash ladder match standards I thought it probably had too many moments of slow climbing and reaching from two feet off the ground. I actually enjoyed the ladder match, which makes it the first one in a while, but that's because I was invested in a winner (I really wanted Dream to win). I don't think it would be nearly as fun on a re-watch, but you know, whatever.

[Boss Rock]

Agreed on Dream. He and Lars were who I was rooting for.

[KawadaSmile]

I agree with El-P about Ricochet. I feel like making a debut in a multi-man match and at the same time just being another dude in the mix is not the best way to have your first broadcast match.

 

Dream had a much better showing than Ricochet did (and he has way more charisma, too).

[Edwin]

That ladder match is officially the most overrated match ever in the Meltz canon then.

Not that I agree with his ratings or anything, but he gave this 5 stars:

 

 

I'd say that is the most overrated match that he's given full five.

[Boss Rock]

Debuting Ricochet in a multi-man match that he didn't even win is definitely an odd choice, but the logic was probably that it would be a great showcase for his high-flying.

[Childs]

I've been surprised over the course of the week to realize there's a significant segment of folks who rated the ladder match above the main event. As I said in the original Takeover thread, I no longer feel anything toward those WWE stunt fest matches. I don't even hate them. I'm just indifferent. But for a lot of people, that style is obviously the pinnacle of wrestling.

 

I guess it's a testament to WWE that they satisfied such a wide range of tastes at a high level in the course of one, five-match show.