Inside the Wrestling Observer with Dave Meltzer: Prime Time Vault

Prime Time with Sean Mooney

Sports, Sports News, News, Leisure, Wrestling

4.8 • 761 Ratings

🗓️ 4 September 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Step back into Mooney’s Vault for another unforgettable conversation—this time with one of the most debated and influential voices in professional wrestling, Dave Meltzer! Dave shares the story of how the Wrestling Observer Newsletter began, and the relentless dedication that still drives him today—often putting in nearly 100 hours a week. He explains why certain wrestlers choose to share information with him (and why others don’t), and how he built a system to verify what’s real. The discussion also dives into Dave’s unique relationship with Vince McMahon and WWE, and whether he’d ever consider working for them directly. Beyond that, Dave opens up about the future of pro wrestling, the rise of wrestling podcasts, and his take on AEW’s long-term potential. Don’t miss this must-hear, 5-star conversation with Dave Meltzer!

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is a prime time with Sean Mooney production.
0:03.9	Joining PTSM this week is a man who both was loved and loath by wrestlers and fans alike, still to this day.
0:11.9	And I don't think he'd have it any other way.
0:13.9	He's been at it for a long time now, decades, and is undoubtedly the most cited source of the history of professional wrestling with
0:21.9	his wrestling observer newsletter as we welcome Dave Meltzer and you know Dave I remember when I was
0:29.3	with the WWF and there was this this newsletter that came out every week with the pages front and back
0:36.0	in this very very tiny type And a lot of people at the office,
0:42.7	though they wouldn't admit it, couldn't wait for it to come out because not only did it have
0:47.7	all the scoop about the WWF, it also had news about all the other big wrestling organizations
0:53.6	around the country and the world.
0:55.6	I mean, what do you cover happenings in Japan?
1:00.4	And Dave, I always wondered how in the world you got all that information.
1:05.2	I know you talk about, you know, you have tapes and then also you had this network of people all over the place
1:12.5	who would call you, including wrestlers, that would tell you what was happening. But really,
1:19.4	how did you do it? How did you decide what you were going to put in that newsletter every week?
1:25.5	That's what, I don't know. I mean, it was just, well, you know, you you... I mean, what kind of hour of weeks were you putting in? Oh, geez. 100 plus. Wow. Well, over 100. You know, I mean, I didn't sleep much. And I wrote and I was on the phone. I mean, I took breaks here and there, but, you know, yeah, yeah,
1:45.2	100, I would say, you know, that sounds about right. I mean, there's a lot.
1:50.1	Oh, well, and I know you mentioned this before, but like I said, I don't know what that audio
1:55.0	is going to sound like. So tell me about your sources, like people that were out there,
2:00.0	were these just people that went to different matches and also wrestlers who would pick up a phone after these matches were over and call you?
2:09.2	Yeah, both. Both.
2:11.5	I mean, fan perspective, I would get from fans and wrestler perspective I'd get from wrestlerslers and promoter perspective I get from promoters and bookers.
	...

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