Dax Harwood On What He Does & Doesn’t Respect About Dave Meltzer, Opinion On Star Ratings

Dax Harwood recently announced his new podcast, “FTR with Dax Harwood,” on the final episode of the Gentleman Villain podcast. Co-host Matt Koon asked Uncle Daxy about several different wrestling names, including Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer. Harwood explained what he does and doesn’t respect about Meltzer. Read on for highlights:

On respecting Dave Meltzer the wrestling historian: “I respect Dave Meltzer as far as the journalism that goes into the history of professional wrestling. For example, when someone passes away and he writes these beautiful, eloquent [obituaries]. So eloquent, so beautifully put. It’s incredible, and it’s so detailed. I have a lot of respect for him in that aspect.”

On not respecting Meltzer the “journalist”: “What I don’t necessarily have a lot of respect for is the favorites that are played; the information that is skewed to fit a certain narrative. I don’t have a lot of respect for that, [or] even his star ratings.”

On star ratings: “Rate whatever you want, however you want. If you don’t believe is five stars, that’s fine. But I tell you this. I watched the Brainbusters vs the Hart Foundation from Summerslam 1989. He gave it two stars. I’d give it a good… at least four stars. It’s a beautiful match. The way they work together and the tag team psychology, and how they use each other, and use the referee. That’s tag team wrestling. But he didn’t enjoy that match. I did. I love the match.”

On his overall opinion of Dave Meltzer: “His star ratings, that’s his opinion. The historian Dave Meltzer, I have a lot of respect for. The journalist who puts out a narrative that him and his buddies want to? Little less than top notch respect from me.”

If you use any of the above quotations, please credit Gentleman Villain h/t 411mania for the transcription.