First Round Matches Announced!!!

Here we go, the long awaited round of 16 matches for the AWL お正月大会2016:

A Block:

AJ Styles* vs. Ganba

Bad Luck Fale vs. Karl Anderson

Kenny Omega vs. Jack Butcher

Cody Hall vs. Wolf

B Block:

Dragon vs. Strike Taka

Wonder Kid vs. HAKAISHA!

Sammy Nix vs. Lee Masters

Yamada Jiro vs ????

Well, the AWL Commissioner clearly did not decide this by random chance! All 6 members of Bullet Club are in the A Block meaning that we will have at least one BC vs. BC match and that we CAN'T have an all Bullet Club final. Even more interesting is the fact that the two BC members set to face each other are the reigning AWL World Tag Team Champions Karl Anderson and Bad Luck Fale.

Over in B Block, the man who had to fight his way into the tournament Strike Taka has to face the final AWL World's Heavyweight Champion, Dragon. Two former members of Yarina Talent Management Inc face off as do the longest running tag team in the AWL, the New Classics! Finally, the man who is lucky to even be in the tournament at all, Yamada Jiro, is stuck with the worst possible draw...the one he can't prepare for.

Lastly, I need to point out once again that A.J. Styles is still unconfirmed for the tournament due to the injury that caused him to be pulled from the recent New Japan World Tag League. A.J. is currently scheduled to challenge Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on January 4th at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome in Nakamura's 2nd title defense. AWL Chief Medical Official Dr. Marcus Feelgood will personally be on hand at the Dome to check on A.J. and we'll get a final yea or nay at that time. If A.J. can not compete, he will be replaced by the wrestler with the best win-loss record who didn't make the cut for the tournament. At the moment, that's Ma-Ji-Ku.

Happy Holidays!

To all of our fans around the world.  Whatever holiday you may celebrate this winter season, all of us in the AWL wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday.

All of you mean a great deal to me.  I do this show for you as much as for myself.  Yes, the AWL is a vanity promotion for a simple wrestling fan who thinks he can write and book pro wrestling as well as the people who do it for real.  Is it always good?  Probably not.  But sometimes I think the AWL makes for really good wrestling.  And, if I may be forgiven for blowing my own horn, I think the current situation is one of them.

Much as the world is on the cusp of a new year, the AWL is on the verge of a new era.  We haven't had a heel champion in nearly a year.  We've NEVER had a Batsumania loser come back, let alone win the championship.  A new title has been created with rules inspired by other companies ideas, but I still think original overall.

And there WILL be an upgrade to the AWL as we move to WWE2k16 beginning after the New Year's Tournament.

But enough promoting.  However you celebrate the winter solstice, have a wonderful time with those you love and we'll see each other again next year.

AWL Schedule for the Rest of the Winter.

The AWL will be officially on hiatus for the next 2 months or so but we will have 2 Supercard events between now and the official start of Season 9. The current schedule is as follows (All dates reflect Japan time):

Jan. 10th: Supercard--AWL お正月大会2016.

Feb. 7th: Supercard--National Pro Wrestling Day.

Feb. 14th: AWL 161. Official Season 9 Premier.

After AWL 161, we will resume our usual weekly schedule. There is one additional Supercard scheduled for Season 9 and that is the Golden War in May. If we remain on schedule (Hey, it could happen!), then AWL 180, the Season 9 Finale will happen on June 26th, 2016.

In the next post, I hope to have the first round match ups for the お正月大会.

CHANGE IN LINEUP!!

RyuSensei here at AWL HQ and we've just received a message from the AWL Intercontinental Champion, Hassan:

This Intercontinental Title, and I can FINALLY call it the AWL Intercontinental Title, is my path to the AWL Grand Championship and after working for so long to get this belt recognized by the AWL, I don't need to take another path.

Therefore I am respectfully removing myself from the New Year's Tournament. Now, I don't like Yamada Jiro (understatement of the year) and I know this helps him. Thing is, he needs this tournament.....I don't.

That does it ladies and gentlemen, I've now officially seen everything. The AWL Commissioner has confirmed the change and wants me to tell you that the AWL supports the confidence that Hassan has shown with this move and management looks forward to seeing him blazing this new trail in the Animated Wrestling League.

The New Year's Tournament roster now looks like this:

1. Strike Taka (Rookie 6-way Scramble Match Winner)

2. A.J. Styles*

3. Bad Luck Fale

4. Karl Anderson

5. Kenny Omega

6. Cody Hall

7. HAKAISHA!

8. Ganba

9. Dragon

10. Wolf (Special Attraction)

11. Wonder Kid (Return from suspension)

12. Jack Butcher (Return from voluntary hiatus)

13. Hassan Yamada Jiro

14. Lee Masters

15. Sammy Nix

16. ????

Anything else weird going to happen this week?

Fighters announced for the New Year's Tournament!

Negotiations are still underway with Tanaka Kenichi's people regarding the AWL Grand Championship, but time waits for no man and the time of the AWL's biggest event of the year is fast approaching. That's right, the 2016 New Year's Tournament is almost here!

6 of the 16 slots in the tournament were decided at AWL 160 and by tradition the #16 slot is reserved for a debuting wrestler. The remaining 9 slots have been filled by the AWL Wrestlers with the best win-loss records. Included in this list are three wrestlers making their return to the AWL after a long hiatus. The first round of the tournament is scheduled to contain:

1. Strike Taka (Rookie 6-way Scramble Match Winner)

2. A.J. Styles*

3. Bad Luck Fale

4. Karl Anderson

5. Kenny Omega

6. Cody Hall

7. HAKAISHA!

8. Ganba

9. Dragon

10. Wolf (Special Attraction)

11. Wonder Kid (Return from suspension)

12. Jack Butcher (Return from voluntary hiatus)

13. Hassan

14. Lee Masters

15. Sammy Nix

16. ????

Please note the asterisk next to A.J. Styles. Styles is currently dealing with a hip injury and has not been cleared by the AWL Medical Staff. There are several weeks between now and the tournament so a final diagnosis has yet to be made. Should Styles be unable to compete, he would be replaced with the next wrestler on the win-loss rankings: Yamada Jiro.

Rules of the AWL IC Title

This was mentioned on commentary during AWL 160, but I'd better get it down on paper (or keyboard as the case may be).

Rules for the AWL Intercontinental Championship:

1. If the champion successfully defends the title 5 times, they may cash it in for an automatic Grand Championship Title Match.

2. The champion must give at least one week's notice before cashing in the IC Title.

3. A cash in supersedes the AWL Best 4 and any other named contenders.

4. Win or lose, the AWL IC Title is to be declared vacant after a cash in.

5. At the earliest opportunity, a 6-way Scramble Match will be held to determine the new AWL IC Champion.

Hassan is the first and current AWL Intercontinental Champion and will begin defending his title in Season 9 of the Animated Wrestling League.

Who the heck was that guy?

It's been a few days since AWL 160 and things have finally started to calm down around here. The AWL Commissioner has actually been in and out of hospital he's so stressed out. While we still don't know how this is going to shake out, I figured I'd better get all of you up to speed on what just happened.

The man formerly known as Captain AWL was in reality Tanaka Kenichi. Tanaka is a FORMER AWL Wrestler who lost his job thanks to Batsumania at AWL 120. The two men who rushed the ring at the end of AWL 160 are Bruce Hoyt and Maglubiyet Jr. both also former victims of Batsumania. They were NOT authorized to be in the building.

This explains why Captain AWL never showed his face even back in the locker room. Losing Batsumania carries with it a lifetime ban from the Animated Wrestling League. If Tanaka's real name and face had been known, that would have been the end of him.

Now we get down to the real problem. Tanaka Kenichi is currently in possession of the AWL Grand Championship and he won it legitimately.....apart from the whole "Not actually employed by the company" bit. Obviously, the AWL Commissioner IMMEDIATELY wanted to strip Tanaka of the title but unfortunately at some point over the last year Tanaka learned how to call a lawyer.

The AWL Rules clearly state that a referee's decision is final and sacrosanct. Tanaka's lawyers claim that stripping him of the title would invalidate that referee's decision and is therefore illegal. The lawyer further argues that since "Captain AWL" DID have a talent contract with the Animated Wrestling League, he was a legitimate employee at the time of the Title Unification Match.

The Animated Wrestling League, suffice to say, strongly disagrees with this notion. The issue is being deliberated and we hope to avoid going to court. However, for the moment Tanaka Kenichi is the AWL Grand Champion.

AWL 160: Season 8 Finale!

AWL 160 Part 1: Season 8 Finale 投稿者 AWLBoss
AWL160 Part 2: Dragon vs. Captain AWL for the... 投稿者 AWLBoss

The technical difficulties have been defeated!  The season finale is on-line and ready for your consumption.  And WOW is this a doozy!!  Enjoy the show and we'll see you in January for the 2016 New Year's Tournament.

ARRGH!!! Why do I make long shows?

OK, once again I have bitten off more than I can chew.  I have spent the last 48 hours trying to render the 2hr 35min video of AWL 160 which I would have then split into two or three videos for publication.

Well, that didn't work.  After the TWELVE FREAKING HOUR rendering process I get an error message and the END.  Then I swear a lot.

I'm still working on a solution but AWL 160 is postponed until further notice.  I'm so sorry.