At a glance
- Founded the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in 1983
- Covering MMA since UFC 1 in 1993
- Stanley Weston Award for lifetime achievement in 2024
Overview
Dave Meltzer was born on October 24, 1959. He has published and edited the Wrestling Observer Newsletter since 1983. The newsletter, which grew out of a mail-in poll started in 1980, focuses on pro wrestling and runs regular MMA sections.
He has covered MMA since UFC 1 in 1993 and writes about the sport for SB Nation and MMA Fighting. Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated called him the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism. The Washington Post described him in 2016 as pro wrestling's preeminent journalist, and he received the Stanley Weston Award for lifetime achievement in 2024.
What you'll find
Every week, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter puts out a long issue on pro wrestling with MMA sections: results, ratings, contracts, and what is happening inside the promotions. The F4W site hosts the newsletter, its archives, and audio content.
At MMA Fighting, he writes about MMA news, with a focus on the business side: TV ratings, pay-per-view buys, and broadcast deals. In 2012 Dana White publicly disputed his analysis of the ratings for UFC on Fox 3. In wrestling, he is known for his star rating system for matches. He once went as high as seven stars, for Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega in June 2018.
Why follow
Meltzer has followed the UFC since its very first card. He watched the sport take shape and knows the history of its promotions, executives, and TV deals. When he talks about a ratings number or a contract, he measures it against decades of data.
His angle combines information and investigation. He goes after what promotions do not disclose, especially money and ratings. Some wrestling figures, including Seth Rollins and John Bradshaw Layfield, have disputed his ratings and accused him of publishing information he had not verified. His coverage spans every era of the UFC.
MMA Official's take
Dave Meltzer is a fit for fans interested in the business of MMA, including ratings and contracts, and for those who also follow pro wrestling. The full Wrestling Observer Newsletter issues require a subscription.
Start with his MMA Fighting articles on ratings and pay-per-view numbers after major UFC events. If the business side hooks you, move on to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter on F4W and read its MMA sections, which put each event in the context of the promotion's finances and TV partners.