WRESTLING NEWS
One Ric Flair Match Was So Good, It Broke Dave Meltzer's 5-Star Rating
By ELLA JAY
After creating the Wrestling Observer, wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer compiled a list of professional wrestling matches that he ranked using a star-rating system, and earning five stars or higher for a match was an achievement that wrestlers took pride in. However, in 1989 one Ric Flair match broke Meltzer's rating system, racking up six stars for the first time.
In an untelevised event on March 18, 1989, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat arrived at Landover as the NWA Champion and was greeted by cheers while Ric Flair was booed. The two men fought for over 30 minutes, and they exchanged a series of attacks on each other's legs and chest chops before Flair landed several back suplexes on the champion.
Finally, after Flair launched Steamboat into the corner turnbuckle, Steamboat responded with a small package pin to pick up the victory and retain his NWA title. Impressed by their performance, Meltzer declared the match worthy of six stars — the highest of any match he had rated up until then — but since it wasn't broadcasted, he deemed it "unofficial."