Every Dave Meltzer 5 Star Match Of 2024

Award-winning pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer has been ranking matches using a star rating system in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter since the publication was created all the way back in 1982. A match receiving five stars or above from Meltzer has very much become an achievement for many within the industry and 243 matches have been awarded five or more stars in the past 42 years.

The wrestler that has the most five-star matches of all time is Will Ospreay with 32, followed by Kazuchika Okada with 26 and Kenny Omega, and Mitsuharu Misawa who both have had 25 five-star matches.

2023 was another year filled with five-star matches from Meltzer but how many will 2024 have? So far, Dave Meltzer has rated only one match five stars, but the year is in its infancy.

1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 - 5 1/4 Stars

It took a mere four days before Dave Meltzer handed out his first five-star match rating of 2024, with the honour going to Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 on January 4. As is customary for NJPW's January 4 show, it once again took place in the Tokyo Dome.

Wrestle Kingdom 18 was the second meeting between Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada following their first match at Forbidden Door II in June 2023. This match was much more personal, however, due to Danielson's broken arm at Forbidden Door and The American Dragon looking to break Okada's arm in retribution. Okada only made the match more personal in the early going, however, after he removed Danielson's eye patch to expose his broken orbital bone and laid in vicious kicks to the former ROH World Champion's eye.

Danielson was able to fire back with a Busaiku Knee and he locked in the same submission that forced Okada to submit back in June but NJPW's top star survived on this occasion, making it to the bottom rope. Danielson remained on the offensive, however, and he hit a second Busaiku Knee one minute later before setting up for a third finisher as he led the Tokyo Dome in YES! chants.

Okada avoided the move, though, and connected with a Cobra Flowsion before later following up with a Landslide and a second Rainmaker to win the match by pinfall.

The match looked to be an important one for both men and they both bowed to each other following the contest. Their feud looks to be over, with Okada and Danielson actually teaming together alongside Jon Moxley and Tomohiro Ishii at New Year Dash on January 5 in a loss to TMDK.

Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that "you really could see what a big deal this match was to both guys, who have both had their share of great matches."

2. Máscara Dorada vs. Templario - CMLL Super Viernes - 5 Stars

Dave Meltzer wasted no time in dishing out another five-star rating, awarding Mascara Dorada vs. Templario from the January 5 Friday night CMLL pay-per-view five stars.

Meltzer wrote about the match in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter: "I thought the 1/5 Mascara Dorada vs. Templario 2/3 fall match was *****. It had the great heat, cool moves, great near falls and the crowd exploded for the shooting star press third fall finish like it was a world title change even though it was a non-stip match with no title at stake. They went 21:18 with Templario winning the first fall via submission and Dorada the second via pin. The one thing with Dorada is that even though he’s the young guy getting the big push and is beating established veterans, which is good for business because in theory you get new fans in, with the older regulars there is usually resentment."

3. Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi - NJPW Battle in the Valley - 5 Stars

Another five-star match in New Japan Pro-Wrestling saw Jon Moxley defeat Shingo Takagi in a No DQ Match at Battle in the Valley in San Jose, California on January 13. The match didn't have much story behind it heading into the contest apart from both men wanting to prove they are the best but it lived up to expectations. Moxley ultimately won the contest following a Death Rider on a chair.

Following the contest, Moxley challenged Tetsuya Naito to a match that was set up for Windy City Riot in April.

Meltzer wrote: "This was a modern weapons match. People were comparing this with the Moxley vs. Adam Page Texas death match in San Francisco and this was absolutely on the same level and a match of the year candidate."

4. Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay - NJPW Battle in the Valley - 5 Stars

Although we didn't know it at the time, this would be Kazuchika Okada's final ever five-star match in New Japan Pro-Wrestling as he defeated Will Ospreay in the main event of Battle in the Valley on January 13.

The two talents had been linked for several years, with Okada influential in bringing Will Ospreay to NJPW in the first place. They had been stablemates and then bitter rivals, main-eventing Wrestle Kingdom 16 in the process. Ospreay was known to be on his way out of the door by Battle in the Valley, though, and he wanted one more match with his former mentor.

Ospreay was unable to beat Okada, however, as The Rainmaker blocked a Hidden Blade attempt and followed up with a second Cobra Flowsion and Rainmaker for the victory.

The two men embraced following the match but the option is there for them to have more classics, just in All Elite Wrestling instead of New Japan.

Meltzer described the match as a "genuine classic."