Big batch of promos, part 1.

We are less than 48 hours away from Golden War 2016! The card is set and the wrestlers are packing up for the long train ride to Kyoto. But before the big show, I have several comments from wrestlers involved in Wednesday's event. So many in fact that I'm going to have to break this into two parts. For today, let's take a look at the undercard starting with:

Strike warriors:

Strike 鷹: (Translated from Spanish): I don't know what happened last week, but the referee made the wrong call. There is no reason we should have been disqualified in the Tag Gauntlet. I don't know how they did it, but those cheating RUZAI Basta-*

Ma-Ji-Ku: Hold on partner. It doesn't matter. RUZAI didn't win the Tag Gauntlet so they're in the same place we are, zero points. As for Joey, I've known him a long time and he's one of the best referees in the business. He made a mistake. It happens to the best of us. But this Wednesday in Kyoto, make no mistake. We will prove that we are the better tag team and that cheaters never prosper!

RUZAI:

田中健一: Fakku yuu 仮面野郎！ We am tag team za besto!! You is DIE!!! 京都で流罪のWIN!

Next, some words from the two former New Year's Tournament Champions who will fight each other at the Golden War:

Wonder Kid:

Ugh! How many times to I have to beat this little turd? Yes, he ended my first championship reign, big freaking deal! Ever since then I have consistently beaten the living piss out of him. It's been years people, get over Ganba, he's yesterday's news. Me? I focus on the future. The future is that I will challenge the AWL Grand Champion, whomever that may be, after Golden War. Wyvern, don't feel bad. Every undefeated streak comes to an end at some point. Mine did, I got over it. You will too when I take that belt from your unconscious fingers. Hassan? If you manage to beat Wyvern before I do, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm dead serious Hassan, you deserve it! You deserve to be the transitional champion before I take the Grand Championship and finally have my year+ long title reign. Hassan, Wyvern, I wish you both the best of luck this Wednesday, it will be an privilage to beat either of you.

ガンバ (Translated from Japanese):

Don't look past me Wonder Kid. For years we have fought and yes, you have beaten me more often then I have beaten you. But in the biggest matches, when titles have been on the line, I have the better record. We have had parallel careers. You are the longest reigning champion. I have the most title reigns. You have won the New Year's Tournament twice. So have I. Perhaps we are destined to fight forever, I don't know about such things. However, I do know that when I beat you at the Golden War, I can write my own ticket to the AWL Best 4 and a 7th reign at the top of this company and my first as AWL Grand Champion.

I was going to get some words from Yamada Jiro, but no. He's a racist fool and I'm not giving him air time on this blog unless the AWL Commissioner makes me. So there.

And lastly, a special sit down interview I conducted with the special guest referee for this Wednesday's AWL Dojo Graduation Match, Dragon!:

Ryu Sensei: Dragon, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. First of all, it's been about half a year since your final match with Yamada Jiro. We've heard from countless wrestlers over the year how hard it is to leave the squared circle. How are you handling your retirement?

Dragon: No problem my friend. I won't lie, it's been difficult. I always knew wrestling wasn't a forever job, but I guess I'd always assumed that I'd leave the ring on my own terms. But the good news is that I haven't left the squared circle at all. The best thing the AWL Commissioner ever did for me was appointing me head trainer at the AWL Dojo. I'm in the ring every day working with these young kids, teaching them the ropes, helping them find themselves. It's fantastic! I never thought I'd been a good coach, but something about this has really clicked with me.

R: Very glad to hear that. Speaking of your students, two of them will wrestle at the Golden War for a spot on the main roster. So far, the AWL Commissioner has released no information about these wrestlers, not even their names. Can you give me any info about them?

D: Sorry Ryu, but the boss has ordered me to keep my mouth shut. But there is some news I can break. First, since neither man is officially a member of the roster, this match will not be recorded on the official AWL Win-Loss Records. That was my request. Whoever wins, I want them to start with a clean slate when they join the roster.

Second, I think I can get away with telling you that both of these wrestlers are Japanese. Also, one of them is a specialist, kind of like Sammy Nix's suplexes and Chiba Akagi's submissions. He's easily the quickest study of my current crop of students. The other man is a second generation wrestler from a proud Japanese wrestling tradition. He has something that I think is going to turn the AWL upside down and inside out. But you'll have to wait until the 4th to find out what that is.

Lastly, there's been some confusion about what happens to the loser. I read a rumor online that the loser of the match will be expelled from the AWL Dojo. That. Is. A. LIE!!

In this sport, like everything else come to think of it, rejection and failure are a part of life. The loser of the Graduation Match will return to the Dojo for further training. It will certainly be a setback and he may have to do some extra chores for a while, but I'm not turfing out a student I believe in that easily. And I wouldn't have put either of these men in this match if I didn't believe in both of them.

R: Thank you Dragon. I appreciate your time and your passion. One last question, Wednesday at the Golden War you will NOT be in the corner of Wyvern as Hassan has banned both you and American Beetle from ringside. Your thoughts?

D: I'm not worried in the slightest. Wyvern is a once in a lifetime find. He was going to have to leave the proverbial nest at some point anyway, no time like the present. Win or lose (and I think he's going to win) I couldn't be prouder of him.

R: With that, back to HQ and the future version of myself posting this to the blog.

Thanks past me, you handsome devil, and that's all I've got for today. Tune in tomorrow for comments from the main eventers including the participants in both of our championship matches.