NXT commentator Booker T has unleashed a fiery response on his popular podcast after topping the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s 2025 Worst Television Announcer poll. In this, the WWE Hall of Famer called the awards “asinine” and accused Dave Meltzer, the newsletter’s author, of “sucking the life out of the business.” Yet while Booker T’s anger is understandable, it would be noted that the awards are voted on by Meltzer’s readership, not determined by him directly.
“For an award like this to be out there, it’s asinine. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has somehow finagled his way into being called a wrestling historian. Something like this is redundant … Meltzer is literally a scoundrel of an individual. He’s a guy who’s sucking the life out of the business. All the awards being AEW, it makes no sense. This is supposed to be an independent journalist. That’s where the line is drawn. For me, it doesn’t bother me at all. I appreciate people coming to my defense and shining a light on what I do. Pro wrestling is a universal language, and for me to get down in the mud with someone like the Wrestling Observer is just useless.” – Booker T
Meltzer launched his awards in 1980 as a casual poll among friends, correspondents, and wrestling enthusiasts, starting with 14 categories, including Wrestler of the Year and Match of the Year. After the Wrestling Observer Newsletter was officially founded in 1982, the awards expanded dramatically, incorporating subscriber votes. And while pro wrestlers who receive negative awards are typically quick to dismiss the publication, those who win positive ones often publicly acknowledge the accolade.
