During a casual conversation on his Twitch channel, Omega expressed his thoughts on the subject of match ratings, suggesting that the current practice may have reached a point of oversaturation. He proposed a more stringent approach to grading matches, emphasizing certain criteria.
“Did it start a movement? Did it continue a movement? Was it something that became something that sort of etched in the annals of history for like all time? I believe that’s what an actual five-star match should accomplish.”
Omega, renowned for his numerous five-star matches according to the Wrestling Observer, cautioned against casually assigning star ratings and stressed the importance of genuine merit.
“You shouldn’t just hand them out like candy. It shouldn’t be because the moves look good. It should be because the moves look like they hurt. It’s a perfect blend of everything that you try to do and accomplish as a professional wrestler and that’s without exposing the trade secrets.”
Wrestlers like Omega, Will Ospreay, and Kazuchika Okada have pushed the boundaries of match quality, prompting wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer to introduce additional stars beyond the traditional five in his ratings system. However, this gimmick has generated mixed reactions among fans and wrestlers alike.
Interestingly, on the same Twitch stream where Omega critiques the ratings system, he also expressed admiration for WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, who notably never received a five-star rating from Meltzer. This juxtaposition highlights the subjective nature of match ratings and the diversity of opinions within the wrestling community.
What are your thoughts on Kenny Omega’s perspective regarding match ratings? Do you agree with his proposal for establishing stricter criteria for awarding five-star ratings, or do you believe that the current system adequately reflects match quality? Join the conversation and share your opinions below!