MVP Blames Star Ratings Obsession for Damaging Today’s Wrestling Talent

MVP just tore into the wrestling media—specifically Dave Meltzer—and made it clear he’s not here for wrestlers chasing star ratings or dirt sheet praise.

During a brutally honest interview on Q101, MVP called out what he sees as a toxic obsession with online validation, especially from journalists who’ve never taken a single bump inside the ring. And he wasn’t shy about naming names.

The moment came after MVP addressed false reports about The Hurt Syndicate refusing to work with or lose to smaller opponents. He quickly pivoted into a full-on rant about wrestling media, blaming them for pushing false narratives and influencing how young wrestlers perform today.

“I have no respect for those guys. One in particular.” That “one” turned out to be Dave Meltzer, the longtime editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. And MVP didn’t hold back.

“What does he contribute to my industry? He makes a living off of my industry giving his opinion. To me, he and people like him are leeches.”

He accused Meltzer of being nothing more than a rumor dealer who frequently gets stories wrong.

“I don’t consider him a true journalist because he’s a rumor monger, a gossip monger. How often has he reported something as fact and it’s been wrong?”

But it wasn’t just about Meltzer himself—it was about the culture his reviews have created. MVP believes too many wrestlers are trying to impress one person, instead of the thousands of people who buy tickets and tune in.

“You have young wrestlers that are wrestling for an audience of one, hoping to get a star rating.”

He warned that this mindset is hurting the industry and dragging down performers who should be focused on crowd reactions, not online feedback.

“Don’t wrestle for some jackass on the internet to give you his opinion of how good you are or are not. The audience will let you know when you’re selling tickets, selling t-shirts, selling merch, and people are coming to see you. That’s your validation.”

When the interviewer suggested that Meltzer is an important historian of pro wrestling, MVP shot that down too.

“His opinion is no more important than yours. He shouldn’t dictate what a good match is. You should decide what a good match is based on what you like.”

He compared Meltzer’s influence to bad movie reviews that misjudge box office hits, pointing out that critics have been wrong plenty of times across all forms of entertainment.

“Opinions are like assholes. Everybody’s got one and they usually stink.”

MVP closed the conversation with one of his harshest lines yet.“F** that guy. A million times. Times a thousand. F*** that guy.”* MVP’s message was clear—wrestling is about connecting with fans, not earning internet stars from self-proclaimed insiders.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.