The World According To Wrestling podcast is back with a fourth episode this week and explores the world of wrestling journalism with guests Dave Meltzer, Ryan Satin and Abbey Arthur. You can listen to the embedded player at the top of this post.
Related: Baron Corbin Reacts To Dave Meltzer’s Critique Of Him
In a wide-ranging interview, Dave Meltzer talks about how he got started, what he likes and dislikes about wrestling journalism and the adulation felt from the wrestling community towards him.
Here’s some excerpts:
On the adulation by the wrestling community and The Young Bucks naming their finisher after him:
“It’s kind of like an inside thing at the shows. If I’m at a show and they’re on the show, they play to me in the crowd and everything like that. And originally I was uncomfortable with it but now it’s just like part of the gig and it’s just what happens. I don’t want to be a performer and I don’t see myself as a performer but you’re kind of forced into it in that situation so it’s no problem at all. It’s nothing I’d ever expected to happen.
On criticisms by Kevin Nash:
“I don’t even worry about it. I’m like so far past that it’s not even funny. I mean the Kevin Nash thing was like…if he had something intelligent to say it’d be one thing but his thing was like Oh how do you watch these Japanese matches…by telescope? and it’s just kind of like what century are we in? You know what I mean. It’s like…he was trying to be cool but he had absolutely nothing intelligent to say so what am I going to respond to that about.”
On if there is a dominant male voice in wrestling journalism:
“Yeah it does feel that way doesn’t it. And you know it’s funny because the number of fans that watch TV that are women is between 30 and 40 per cent but when it comes to my feedback on a show or my subscriber base that I know of, it’s so male-dominated it’s not even funny. I think when it comes to insider information on wrestling, that’s very male skewed. When it comes to casually watching on TV but not really caring about it, think women fit more into that category. You know, obviously you can’t say that as a blanket statement because I know women wrestling fans that are super into it as much as the guys and super knowledgeable but it is a low percentage for sure.
In the episode, Meltzer also speaks about appearing on The Phil Donahue Show with Vince McMahon, the Jimmy Snuka case and much more.
The episode is available on iTunes here or wherever you listen to podcasts.
