Dave Melter's five-star rating system is one of the most well-known critiques in the world of wrestling. Although his 5-star rating given to legendary matches like Razor Ramon Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 10 and CM Punk Vs. Samoa Joe at ROH in 2004 are well-earned, he's also left a ton of fans confused over not giving matches like Eddie Guerrero Vs Rey Mysterio at Halloween Havoc 1997 a 5-star rating.
Meltzer has only given 15 wrestling matches a 5-star (or above) rating in 2022. Although many of those matches are timeless classics, many leave some fans scratching their heads as to why they received such high marks. This list will examine 5 recent 5-star (and above) rated matches that clearly deserved the rating and 5 that did not.
10 Didn't Deserve It: Gunther Vs. Sheamus - Clash At The Castle, September 3, 2022 (5 Stars)
Dave Melzer was not only high on the Intercontinental Championship match between Gunther Vs. Sheamus at Clash At The Castle, but he also called it "one of the greatest matches in WWE history." The match is one of the best of both stars' careers, but it was far from perfect.
There were a ton of botches and Gunther poorly performed two massive powerbombs that were supposed to contribute to his victory. It was one of the best matches between the big men in 2022, but no one can honestly argue this match is on par with other 5-star WWE matches like Austin Vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13.
9 Deserved It: Kazuchika Okada Vs. Will Ospreay - NJPW G1 Climax, August 18, 2022 (5.75 Stars)
Kazuchika Okada Vs. Will Ospreay is one of the front-runners for "Match of the Year." The storytelling and tension between the two were impeccable. It's rare to see two masters of wrestling have their best night of the year against each other, but that's what this match is.
This match is almost the best of their feud that features four matches all rated above 5 stars. Okada got the win after two Rainmakers, but their rivalry seems far from over.
8 Didn't Deserve It: Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson - Winter is Coming, December 15, 2021 (5 Stars)
Bryan Danielson has wrestled some of the best matches of his career at AEW. The one against Kenny Omega on an episode of Dynamite deserved its five-star rating. The contest between Danielson and Adam Page was not nearly at the same level.
Although Page and Danielson have great chemistry, nothing about this bout stands out in a crowd of great matches. In terms of Bryan Danielson's matches at AEW, his bout against Daniel Garcia (which earned a 4.75 rating) was much more exciting and told a much more interesting story.
7 Deserved It: FTR Vs. Briscoe Brothers - Death Before Dishonor, July 23, 2022 (5 Stars)
FTR is putting on some of the best tag team matches in wrestling in 2022. They've had two bouts with the Briscoes's and both earned 5-star ratings from Meltzer. Although both matches do deserve their rating, their bout at Death Before Dishonor is an absolute classic.
For 45 minutes, this match stays at a high level. It was an old-school "hardcore slobber knocker" that would receive 5 stars from Meltzer in any era. FTR was ultimately victorious, but the Briscoes deserve a ton of credit. They are absolute legends and matches like this continue to add to their legacy.
6 Didn't Deserve It: Will Ospreay Vs. Ricky Knight Jr. - Tenth Anniversary Night 2, August 21, 2022 (5 Star)
Will Ospreay is no stranger to great matches. He can compete at a high level with anyone who steps into the ring with him. Ricky Knight Jr. is a young superstar who clearly has a great future ahead of him. The 22-year-old put on a great bout with Ospreay, but it wasn't a top-tier match.
The two competed at a high level, but most of the heavy lifting in this match came from Ospreay. Knight had a few moments and a believable near fall on a roll-up, but overall it wasn't remotely at the level of other 5-star matches Ospreay has on his resume.
5 Deserved It: Sammy Guevara Vs. Cody Rhodes - AEW Dynamite, January 26, 2022 (5 Star)
Cody Rhodes quietly had some of the best matches in AEW history. He never got the fanfare of many other AEW stars, but his body of work overall at the company was tremendous. Arguably the best match of his time at AEW was his Ladder match against Sammy Guevara.
The pair competed for the TNT Championship in an absolute monster of a match. Cody brought out levels even "crazy" Sammy Guevara had never reached. A Cody Cutter off the top of the ladder was particularly memorable and is an all-time AEW highlight. It deserves all the praise it receives.
4 Didn't Deserve It: Ilja Dragunov Vs. WALTER - NXT UK, October 29, 2020 (5 Stars)
Dragunov and WALTER have put on some classic bouts. The two of them elevated NXT UK to a level that often outshone its American counterpart (in terms of match quality).
Their match at NXT: TakeOver 36 was a classic that deserved its 5.25-star rating, their bout in 2020 did not deserve its level of praise. WALTER wasn't near as sharp in this bout and the lack of crowd didn't help them. Overall, this match is "solid," but not "legendary status."
3 Deserved It: Cody Rhodes Vs. Seth Rollins - Hell in a Cell, June 5, 2022 (5 Stars)
Another contender for "Match of the Year" is Rhodes Vs. Rollins at Hell in a Cell. The drama that led up to this match could not be scripted. The stars were putting on classic after classic and the final match of their rivalry was perfection.
Cody Rhodes competed with a torn pec and Rollins taunted him the whole time. He even entered the ring mocking Rhodes' father, wrestling legend, Dusty Rhodes. The match was much more dramatic than the audience is used to seeing, but it's a classic that will be talked about for a long time.
2 Didn't Deserve It: Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. - New Japan Cup, March 21, 2022 (5 Stars)
Kenny Omega has said many times that Ospreay has a bunch of 5-star matches that no one will remember, this match against Zack Sabre Jr. is one of them.
Although this match is far above average, it did not deserve the star rating on par with many of Ospreay's classics. Their taunting during the bout was at a five-star level, but the match itself was more of a 4.5.
1 Deserved It: Lucha Brothers Vs. Jinetes del Aire - Héroes Inmortales 14, October 9, 2021 (5 Stars)
The Lucha Brothers (Pentagón Jr. and Fénix) are 5-star wrestling machines. They are two of the most talented wrestlers to ever set foot in the ring. Their chemistry is unmatched, and they were in top form against Los Jinetes del Aire at Héroes Inmortales 14.
Everything in that match was executed to perfection on both sides. Spanish Flys and Canadian Destroyers were used like Flair chops in this match. The ending was also perfect with the Jinetes trying to steal the Lucha Brother's finishers, which ended in their demise. 5 stars might be too low for this match.