AWL 80!

AWL 80 pt1 投稿者 AWLBoss
AWL 80 pt2 投稿者 AWLBoss

Well, it took most of the day, but we managed to get a judge to overturn Yarina's frivolous lawsuit.  Therefore, we are proud to present AWL 80!  Enjoy the show and see if you can figure out why Yarina was so desperate to keep this show off the air :-)

ATTENTION!!

At the advice of counsel, I must inform all of you that Yarina (acting on behalf of Yarina Talent Management Inc.) has SUED the Animated Wrestling League to stop the broadcast of AWL 80.

The AWL Commissioner has not made a formal statement on this matter, but rest assured that we are pursuing every legal avenue to get this lawsuit overturned, blocked, or decided in our favor.

Sadly, this will result in a hopefully temporary delay in posting AWL 80.  Please stay tuned, we will bring you more information as it becomes available.

Aww screw it!

OK, you know what's happening.  You're AWL fans, you pay attention.

Tomorrow morning.

For the AWL World's Heavyweight Championship:

Wonder Kid:
Defending champion less than 24 hours away from his dream of being a 1 year champion.  His belt has been confiscated, his manager will not be at ringside, he faces 5 challengers including a former champion or two and the Bearer of the Prophecy.  His greatest challenge yet, will he survive?

Ultramantis Black:
It's all his fault.  The first man to ever win a 10-Minute Challenge.  He chose not to give an advantage to himself, but to stack the deck against the champion.  But remember, Ultramantis Black is known as The Most Devious Creature in CHIKARA for a reason.  Wheels within wheels, UMB is always planning 10 or even 20 steps ahead.  Part of me can't help but ask if everything since last January (When UMB snuck into the AWL as Black Tiger King and won the New Year's Tournament) has been part of a master plan.

Captain AWL:
The mysterious masked new newcomer from Parts Unknown.  Hand chosen by Ultramantis Black to participate in this match.  He is undefeated since debuting in the AWL just a few weeks ago.  The ultimate unknown quantity, thrown into a volatile formula like the Chamber, anything could happen.

Matt Classic:
Former 2 time AWL World Champion and the oldest of the old school.  He invented more wrestling moves and holds than the other participants in this match have ever learned.  Despite his advanced age, he is in the peak of health, but how long will that last?  The Elimination Chamber is 1000 miles outside of the throwback's comfort zone.  However, this is the man who beat Death himself in a steel cage match so you never know . . .

American Beetle:
Former Kaiju Grand Champion.  He's been pigeonholed as a tag team wrestler in the AWL for years.  UMB has given him this chance to break that mold once and forever.  Along with Matt Classic, he has drawn the short straw and must take the longest path to victory, but to the personification of the American Spirit, NOTHING is impossible.

Ma-Ji-Ku:
The longest reigning champion in AWL history!  Triple Crown Champion.  The final AWL Anarchy Champion.  The master of Lucha Libre.  The Warrior of Light.  The names and accomplishments go on and on.  But can Ma-Ji-Ku achieve the only honor and title that has escaped him in his storied career?  The AWL World Heavyweight Championship?  Only time (and not much of it) will tell.

Lastly, if you need a reminder of exactly what these men are in for:

More Previews!

Tiger Mask vs. Shin Tora:

The next chapter in the long running story of the master and the apprentice. Over the years, Tiger Mask and the man currently known as Shin Tora have been friends and enemies, opponents and tag team partners, but this Sunday at AWL 80 they will fight once again and this time it will be for one of the biggest prizes in the AWL: The AWL Light Heavyweight Championship.

The number of champions since Season 1 can be counted on the finger of one hand with one finger left over to flip someone off in traffic. Tiger Mask defeated El Rudo Rojo at AWL 74 to win the title and Shin Tora won a 10 man battle royal just a couple of weeks ago to become #1 Contender to the title.

I caught up with both wrestlers earlier this week to get their thoughts on this match. Please note that a member of the AWL Translation Staff was on hand as Tiger Mask doesn't speak any English and Shin Tora isn't a whole lot better.

RyuSensei: Tiger Mask, thank you for your time. On Dec. 7 you will defend your title against your student and partner Shin Tora. What are your thoughts on this match and are you going to be able to go full out against Shin Tora?

Tiger Mask: Of course I am! I would not insult Shin Tora by giving him anything less than my best. He has earned that and much more. He is no longer my student. He is a great wrestler in his own right. Better than me in some ways. He will make a great AWL Light Heavyweight Champion . . . . . someday. But I have no intention of letting that day be this Sunday. I trust Shin Tora to bring his best and to give me the fight of my life. But I've worked for nearly 4 Seasons to become the AWL Light Heavyweight Champion and nobody is taking this title away from me any time soon.

I then spoke to Shin Tora and he echoed the same sentiment but added this little twist that I feel you need to read:

Shin Tora: If you'd asked me about this a year or even 6 months ago, I probably would have been going crazy about how it was "Finally my time" or something like htat. But all my experiences as Black Tiger and with The Dark Alliance taught me that being angry and taking shortcuts don't accomplish anything. I'm a dozen times the wrestler I was when I started working in the AWL and this Sunday I have an excellent opportunity to show everybody how hard I've worked as Shin Tora. I'm not as obsessed with beating Tiger Mask as I once was, but I am confident that come Season 5, the AWL will have a New Tiger . . . as champion.

But that's not all we have for you today Wrestling Fans. As a special bonus (That has exactly nothing to do with the fact that I'm a day behind on posting these damn things, I assure you) tonight we are also taking a look at what will be the semifinal match of AWL 80. The AWL World Tag Team Title Match between defending champions Crisis Gundan and challengers Big & Spicy.

It's taken most of the season for Big & Spicy to earn the 3 Points they've needed to challenge again for the belts. This Sunday will be a chance at long overdue revenge for Tiny and Curry Man. The last time they challenged Crisis Gundan for the AWL World Tag Team Titles, it was Yarina's blatant interference that got her team disqualified. Unfortunately the Champions' Advantage kicked in and Crisis Gundan retained the titles despite being DQ'd.

Again, I tried to talk to both teams . . . but with less success than I had with the Tigers. Yarina Talent Management Inc. (Normally quick to drop one of their press releases) refused to comment on the record. This has led to speculation (mostly by me) that Yarina is still worried about Big & Spicy, specifically Tiny, the largest athlete in the AWL and the only man Crisis Gundan have ever had a problem manhandling.

I was able to get a statement from Curry Man. Unfortunately, it was in such garbled Japanese that the AWL Translation Staff were unable to make heads or tails of it. All they were able to confirm was that it concludes with the statement "Curry Man ICHIBAN, Tiny ICHIBAN, Bigu ando Supaishi, ICHIBAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!"

Tune in later today for the final Season 4 finale countdown, where we will take a look at the history making main event: The Elimination Chamber Match for the AWL World Heavyweight Championship.

AWL vs. CHIKARA

Wow, this is a long story, even for a rambling weirdo like myself.  This will only be a brief summary.  The current plan is to go more indepth on the strange happenings in the Chikara-verse during the off season.

Speaking of off seasons, that's really where this all started.  During the off season between seasons 3 and 4, the AWL Commissioner traveled to the United States and negotiated a deal with Titor Conglomerate to allow Chikara talent and certain Chikara intellectual properties to appear on AWL programs. 

It was at AWL 63 during the 2013 Tag Matsuri that we saw the debut of The Colony as a tag team.   Eddie Kingston also appeared as the mystery tag team partner of Curry Man (Tiny was on suspension at the time).  While the inevitable personality clashes between Kingston and Curry Man stopped them from going anywhere in the tournament, Kingston soon set his sights on another target: "Big" Ben Nelson.

Known as the best pound for pound brawler in the AWL, the AWL Commissioner thought Nelson would be an excellent match up for Kingston and at AWL 65 we found out how right the Commissioner was.  In a back and forth match that couldn't even hope to be contained by a wrestling ring, "Big" Ben Nelson did the seemingly impossible: HE BEAT EDDIE KINGSTON!  Something at hadn't happened in the nearly 2 years since Kingston had become the Grand Champion of Chikara!!

Furthermore, he did it again and again and again.  Nelson holds no less than 4 victories over "The War King."  Already known for his short fuse, this caused Kingston to completely lose whatever cool he may have once had.  At AWL 75, Kingston savagely attacked Ben Nelson after a match.  Fortunately, AWL and Kaiju Big Battel Hero Silver Potato returned from several months away to even the odds.

This gave the AWL Commissioner the idea to set up the Interpromotional match that we will see at AWL 80.  Kingston will team with fellow Chikara refugees The Colony against Nelson, Potato, and a partner hand picked by the Commissioner: Dragon!

The teams have had a couple of weeks of practice working as a trio, but it all comes down to December 8th, when pride will be on the line: AWL vs. CHIKARA!

Batsumania II

Hello wrestling fans (or is the "Sports Entertainment Universe?"),

RyuSensei here again with another AWL 80 Preview. Today we are taking a look at the match that will be the beginning of AWL 80 and the end of one man's career: Batsumania II.

Batsumania was born from the AWL Commissioner's belief that the AWL should be the home of only the best and brightest professional wrestlers in the world and that the status of "best and brightest" should be determined by wins and losses. I know, wins and losses, what a novel concept for a wrestling promoter!

Batsumania is the ultimate proving ground for the fallen fighter. Every season, the 4 AWL Wrestlers with the worst win loss records (Defined as number of wins minus number of losses so a record of 5-9 yields a result of -4) are forced into a grueling endurance match where the winners keep their jobs and the loser is fired. The rules of Batsumania are as follows:

1. 4 wrestlers begin in the ring.

2. 3 falls to a finish.

3. The WINNER of each fall leaves the match. They return to the locker room with their jobs intact.

4. The LOSER of the final fall is fired immediately.

And a new rule just announced for this season and all future seasons:

5. There are no count outs in the first two falls. However, the final fall CAN end by count out.

As a corollary:

6. In the event of a double count out in the final fall, BOTH men will be fired!

Last year, Maglubiyet Jr. lost the final fall of Batsumania and hasn't been seen since. Who will be the next victim of this beast? This season, the following men must face the challenge:

“Boxing Bastard" Bruce Hoyt, El Rudo Rojo, and THUGLIFE Tanaka Kenichi:

All three members of the N.R.E. are here for one and only one reason: They cheat! I ran the math last night, and if you discount all the times the N.R.E. have been disqualified due to deliberate cheating, NONE of them would be in Batsumania in the first place. Their own fault and no one else's.

El Santo Azul: The younger brother of El Rudo Rojo and youngest son of the original El Santo has a much simpler story. Not many matches this season, and he's lost most of them. Nothing illegal, nothing unprofessional, and (as far as the AWL Commissioner's concerned) nothing personal. But if you lose too often in the Animated Wrestling League, Batsumania is where you end up. The good news is that El Santo Azul is just barely in the Danger Zone. So, if he survives this next week, it's quite unlikely that he will ever be in this situation again.

Tomorrow, we take a look at the Inter-promotional Trios Match between Team AWL and Team CHIKARA.

                                                                                                --Ryu Sensei

Full Card for AWL 80.

Greetings wrestling fans! This is RyuSensei with the first in a week of daily posts leading up to AWL 80 on December 8th. First, after last weekend's AWL 79 we know the fight card for the Season 4 Finale. Here it is in it's entirity:

Main Event: Elimination Chamber Match for the AWL World Heavyweight Championship

Competing in order: American Beetle, Matt Classic, Captain AWL, Ultramantis Black, Ma-Ji-Ku, and Wonder Kid (C).

AWL World Tag Team Championship Match:

Crisis Gundan (C) vs. Big & Spicy

AWL Light Heavyweight Championship Match:

Tiger Mask (C) vs. Shin Tora

Inter-promotional Trios Match: AWL vs. CHIKARA

Dragon, Ben Nelson, and Silver Potato vs. Eddie Kingston, Fire Ant, and Green Ant.

Batsumania II:

El Rudo Rojo vs. Bruce Hoyt vs. Tanaka Kenichi vs. El Santo Azul.

Over the next few days, we will have interviews with participating wrestlers, retrospectives showing how we got here, and more. So stay tuned to AWLwrestling.blogspot.com for all your Season Finale news.

One final note before I go. There will be no new episode of AWL Mid-Week Wrestling because the Season Finale is probably going to be at least two videos in length and will take all my free time to edit over the next few days.

Tune in tomorrow for the beginning of our match by match analysis.

--Ryu Sensei

AWL 79: Destiny Battle Royal

AWL 79 投稿者 AWLBoss

AWL 79 Preview

For the second to last time this season, here is your weekly AWL News and Preview!

Before we get to the card for the next episode, I have some shocking news to announce: The AWL Commissioner has confiscated the AWL World Heavyweight Championship belt!!!!!

Details are still filtering through to us, but it appears that Yarina's ever increasing "appearance fees" finally pushed the Commissioner too far. While Wonder Kid is still recognized as the AWL World Heavyweight Champion, the actual physical championship belt is in the Commissioner's hands and will remain there until after AWL 80, where it will be presented to the AWL World Heavyweight Champion . . . whomever that may be. We will pass on any further details on this situation as they become available.

But now, as they don't say, the blog post must go on. This weekend will be the final show before AWL 80 and there are a lot of details that still need to be hammered out before the finale. With that in mind, the AWL Commissioner has booked the following series of matches for this Sunday morning Japan time, Saturday night US time.

Main Event: Wonder Kid vs. Ultramantis Black vs. Matt Classic vs. Ma-Ji-Ku vs. American Beetle vs. Captain AWL—Six Man Battle Royal.

All 6 participants in the Elimination Chamber Match at AWL 80 will be in action in this over the top rope battle royal and the stakes are HUGE! The order of elimination will determine the order of entry into the chamber! It's the ultimate preview match as these 6 men have never been in the same ring at the same time before.

Crisis Gundan vs. ???? & ????—Non-Title Match.

As announced this week during Mid-Week Wrestling, the AWL Commissioner has decided to punish the World Tag Team Champions by forcing them to compete the week before their next title defense while the challengers (Big & Spicy) have the night off. At the moment, we don't know who will face the undefeated Crisis Gundan this weekend, but when I asked he said something strange. "They may have size and power, but let's see how they do against skill and heart."

Team AWL vs. The N.R.E. & Team CHIKARA vs. The Technicos

Two warm up matches for the two teams that will compete in the big interpromotional trios match at AWL 80. Pay special attention to Team AWL vs. The N.R.E. (Assuming the latter actually shows up this week) With all 3 of the "proud heels" now mathematically certain to be in Batsumania II, this may be the last time you see The N.R.E. together in an AWL ring.

   

Shin Tora vs. El Santo Azul

Speaking of warm up matches. Shin Tora has a match for the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship at AWL 80 against his friend and mentor Tiger Mask. Also, El Santo Azul is in Batsumania II and might not be working here at all come Season 5. So what the hell, let's put them in a match.

Be there at AWL 79 and be ready for some action! 

--Ryu Sensei

Mid-Week Wrestling 6: Wonder Kid vs. Ultramantis Black

MWW 6 投稿者 AWLBoss

AWL 78: Big & Spicy vs. The Super TIger Brothers.

AWL 78 投稿者 AWLBoss

Mid-Week Wrestling 5: The N.R.E. vs. The Technicos--Trios Match!

Mid-Week Wrestling 5: NRE vs. Technicos 投稿者 AWLBoss

AWL 77: Here comes a new challenger . . . several of them.

AWL 77 投稿者 AWLBoss

AWL 77 Preview

Greetings wrestling fans. This is RyuSensei with the official preview for AWL 77 . . . sort of. The simple fact is that I don't actually know what most of the matches are going to be yet. In an unprecedented case of letting one of the inmates run the asylum, the AWL Commissioner has turned the booking of 4 of this week's 5 matches over to Ultramantis Black!!

As he said last night, Ultramantis Black will announce the four additional challengers that will join him and Wonder Kid in the Elimination Chamber on December 8th at AWL 80. Since that post my sources inside the Commissioner's office have informed me that Ultramantis Black has decided that the 4 challengers will consist entirely of masked wrestlers who will each face an unmasked opponent this week.

In other news, it has been announced that the main event (i.e. the only match decided by the Commissioner) will be a 10-Man Light Heavyweight Battle Royal. The winner will face Tiger Mask for the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship at AWL 80.

To summarize, the card for this weekend is as follows:

Main Event: Light Heavyweight Battle Royal

Other Matches:

???? vs ????

???? vs ????

???? vs ????

???? vs ????

Since that's somewhat unimpressive, here is the card announced for AWL 80 so far:

Main Event: AWL World Heavyweight Title Match in the Elimination Chamber

Wonder Kid (C) vs. Ultramantis Black vs. ???? vs. ???? vs. ???? vs. ????

AWL Light Heavyweight Title Match:

Tiger Mask (C) vs. Winner of Battle Royal

AWL vs. CHIKARA Trios Match:

Dragon, "Big" Ben Nelson, & Silver Potato vs. Eddie Kingston & The Colony

Batsumania II:

El Rudo Rojo vs. THUGLIFE Tanaka Kenichi vs. "Boxing Bastard" Bruce Hoyt vs. El Santo Azul*

*Participants subject to change based on updated win loss ranking.

See you this weekend when we will fill in those question marks!

Ultramantis Black Promo

Greetings fans and followers, peasants and plebeians. It is I, the great and devious Ultramantis Black. The time has come to reveal intentions regarding the high championship of the Animated Wrestling League and its far from illustrious champion.

As you most certainly are aware, in the main event of last Sunday's episode of the Animated Wrestling League, I accomplished the relatively simple task of outwitting Wonder Kid and becoming the first man or insect to win the 10-Minute Challenge. As such I, the great and devious Ultramantis Black, have obtained that most elusive and precious or resources: Power! Power over the champion. Power over the title. Power over the entire Animated Wrestling League!

But as a fellow masked human/animal hybrid once said, "With great power, there must also come great responsibility." I have taken this responsibility to heart and have devised a method by which all may benefit. You see, it is all a matter of goals. What goal to I wish to achieve and how may I best achieve it? Take heed my friends, followers, and minions, for this is the wisdom of the ancients. On the rare occasion, the greatest goal is NOT to win the war, but to defeat the enemy. And these are rarely the same thing. In this particular scenario, my goal is to defeat my enemy. The enemy of all fighting champions. The enemy of every honest wrestler in the Animated Wrestling League: The ill-named Wonder Kid. What I am about to say will seem to the unenlightened like wrestling blasphemy, and so it may be, but there is a deeper truth to be found for those with the wit to see and time to use it.

It does not matter to me if I win the championship. It only matters that Wonder Kid loses it.

Therefore, I, the great and devious Ultramantis Black, have decided that the next match for the Animated Wrestling League World Heavyweight Championship will be decided . . . in the ELIMINATION CHAMBER!

With four challengers in addition to myself, the chances of Wonder Kid leaving the chamber as champion are next to zero. However, this contest will not take place this weekend, no no no. I have very few faults but one of them is a certain flare for the dramatic. I am aware of Wonder Kid's goal of becoming the first One Year Champion in history . . . and I wish to crush this dream like virtual candy on an iPhone. So the first ever Animated Wrestling League Elimination Chamber match will take place on December the eight at AWL 80, the Season Four Finale!

I will announce the other four participants this weekend at AWL 77.

End Transmission

UMB

AWL Mid-Week Wrestling 4

Mid-Week Wrestling 4 投稿者 AWLBoss

AWL 76: Ultramantis Black takes the 10 minute challenge!

AWL 76 by AWLBoss

Weekly news post

Hey there wrestling fans. RyuSensei here with all the AWL news you could possibly want and some you probably don't.

First and foremost, the season 4 finale is starting to take shape. There's good news and bad news. The good news is that the AWL Commissioner's office has just booked the following match:

Dragon, Ben Nelson, & Silver Potato vs. Eddie Kingston & The Colony

AWL vs. CHIKARA Trios Match!

That's right folks, the style of match that made Chikara famous is making it's way to the AWL. With this recent history between Eddie Kingston and Ben Nelson (now apparently also involving Silver Potato) this is looking to become a lot more than a friendly contest between companies.

But if there is good news, there must always be bad news. As was announced last night on Mid-Week Wrestling, Batsumania is back! The 4 wrestlers with the worst win-loss records (defined as wins minus losses) will fight in a 4-man, 3-fall elimination match where the loser of the final fall is FIRED on the spot.

As you all hopefully saw last night on AWL Mid-Week Wrestling, the 4men currently in the Danger Zone are:

El Rudo Rojo

"Boxing Bastard" Bruce Hoyt

THUGLIFE Tanaka Kenichi

El Santo Azul

That's right! Every member of the N.R.E. is currently in this match meaning there is an excellent chance that one of them is going home without a paycheck and a 100% chance that they are going to have to fight each other at some point in the contest. According to my locker room sources, this situation has driven a wedge between the N.R.E. members. The fact that nobody accompanied El Rudo Rojo to the ring last night gives evidence to this.

Also of note, El Rudo Rojo's estranged brother El Santo Azul is also in the match. Could this be the final confrontation of the former Free Fighters? Everything is still in flux until December 8th, the day of AWL 80 so stay tuned for further developments.

But enough about the past, it's time to look to the future. Specifically, I have received the full card for this weekend's AWL 76 event. There are only 4 matches scheduled, but it looks like a loaded card none the less:

Main Event: Wonder Kid vs. Ultramantis Black—Ten Minute Challenge.

Normally a Ten Minute Challenge doesn't merit the coveted main event slot. But this is different. For those of you who are either new to the AWL or don't have particularly good memories, this past January Ultramantis Black (under the guise of Black Tiger King) debuted in the AWL and WON the 2013 New Year's Tournament. That means that UMB is the current bearer of The Prophecy. The Prophecy states that the winner of each tournament will hold the AWL World Heavyweight Championship at some point in his calender year. Time is running out for Ultramantis Black and this may be his last opportunity to earn an AWL World Heavyweight Title shot before the end of the year. All he has to do is stay 10 minutes with the champion.

Semi-Final: Eddie Kingston vs. "Big" Ben Nelson & Silver Potato—Handicap Match

This is a rarity in the AWL, a sanctioned Handicap Match. It happened last week with the N.R.E. vs. The Super Tiger Bros. but this is the first time I can recall two back to back handicap matches in the history of the AWL. Obviously, this match was spawned by the events of AWL 75. If you haven't seen that show yet . . . why not?

Battle of the Boxers: American Beetle vs. "Boxing Bastard" Bruce Hoyt—Winner earns the title "Best Striker in the AWL!"

These two men have been compared to one another since virtually the first day they came to the AWL. Both trained boxers who have incorporated traditional pro wrestling moves into their arsenals to create a hybrid style. Both with near identical ring entrances and "all american" music. Both tag team specialists who dabble in the singles divisions.

This weekend they will meet in one on one competition to finally settle the question of who is the best boxer in the Animated Wrestling League.

Points in Play: Big and Spicy (0) vs. The Masters of the Mask (0)

AWL 76 will start off with the return to action of former AWL Light Heavyweight Champion Ma-Ji-Ku for the first time in several weeks. He will be teaming once again with his friend El Santo Azul as The Masters of the Mask. Across the ring from them will be the team of Tiny and Curry Man, who have not had a good season. After being screwed out of the tag team championships by Yarina's interference, they have failed to earn and keep the 3 points needed to earn a title shot. With AWL 80 less than a month away, it's now or never if Big & Spicy wish to salvage their season.

Things are picking up in the AWL and with the season finale so close EVERY MATCH COUNTS more than usual from here on in. See you this Sunday Morning (Japan Time) for AWL 76!

Mid-Week Wrestling Episode 3

Mid Week Wrestling 3 by AWLBoss

AWL 75: Wonder Kid vs. Dragon

AWL 75 by AWLBoss

AWL 75 Preview

No big wind up this week. Here's the card for AWL 75:

Main Event:

Wonder Kid (C) vs. Dragon—AWL World Heavyweight Championship Match!

With only 5 weeks to go until Wonder Kid achieves his goal of becoming the first ever 1 Year Champion in the history of the AWL World Title, every title match counts now more than ever and Dragon (looking for his 3rd championship) is as ready as he will ever be for this chance. This Friday we will have interviews with both champion and challenger so stay tuned!

Semi Final:

Crisis Gundan (C) vs. The All Americans—AWL World Tag Team Championship Match!

American Beetle and Hassan will cash in their 3 points and challenge Yarina's undefeated monsters HAKAISHA and Jack "Breakdown" Butcher for the tag titles. Will the yanks finally wrest some of the gold away from Yarina Talent Management inc.? Looking at the tale of the tape, I'd say it doesn't seem likely. But The All Americans are 2 time AWL World Tag Team Champions so it looks like this match will come down to Power vs. Heart. Find out which prevails at AWL 75.

“Big" Ben Nelson vs. Ultramantis Black

The #3 and #2 contenders in the AWL Best 4 face each other in a grudge match stemming from the beating that Nelson gave UMB in the 3-way match two weeks ago. The mysterious machinations on the malevolent mantis are still a mystery to all of us, but this week, UMB will be in a straight up fight with a straight up brawler in Ben Nelson.

The Super Tiger Brothers vs. The N.R.E—2 on 3 handicap match.

Finally, we will start this weekend's show with a weird match. After losing the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship to Tiger Mask last week, El Rudo Rojo and the N.R.E. are understandably upset. According to my sources, the "Proud Heels" marched into the AWL Commissioner's office and DEMANDED this match. Now for the weird part: The Commissioner agreed! It was just last season that the Commissioner was hiring Crisis Gundan to take out the N.R.E. (and in the case of Wrestler X, successfully so) and now he's granting them the advantage in a handicap match? It doesn't make any sense to me. But the AWL Commissioner has never steered us wrong before so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

All that and more on AWL 75, coming to you via your computer screen this Sunday morning (Japan Standard Time).

--RyuSensei

P.S. If you haven't checked it out yet, Mid-Week Wrestling episode 2 is up and features The Technicos vs. Big & Spicy in tag team action.

Mid-Week Wrestling 2: The Technicos vs. Big & Spicy

Mid-Week Wrestling 2 by AWLBoss

AWL 74: El Rudo Rojo vs. Tiger Mask

AWL 74 by AWLBoss

Happy Saturday everyone! AWL commentator, webmaster, interviewer, and all around minion RyuSensei here. First of all, sorry about the technical glitches known collectively as Real Life that delayed the posting of the first episode of Mid-Week Wrestling. New show, bugs to work out, I hope you understand.

Now for today's interview: AWL Veteran and #1 Contender to the AWL Light Heavyweight Champion Tiger Mask is my guest this week. As always, many thanks to the AWL Translation Staff for making this interview possible.

RyuSensei: Tiger-senshu, thank you for coming today. First of all, you won the 4-Way match at MWW1 and you are now #1 Contender to the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship. What are your thoughts on that match?

Tiger Mask: It was a great match. I think I can speak for all four of the men in that match when I say that we were honored to not only be chosen for the #1 Contender's Match, but to be the first match ever on Mid-Week Wrestling. Azul, Curry Man, and Fire Ant are skilled wrestlers. Any of us could have won the match, I'm just happy it was me. Ever since El Rudo Rojo won the AWL Light Heavyweight Title, I've wanted a chance to fight him and teach him a lesson.

RyuSensei: Yes, speaking of El Rudo Rojo, he has angered many of the AWL Wrestlers with his antics. Specifically, deliberately getting himself disqualified in order to retain his title. I know you are one of the wrestlers upset with this and that you have said so in the locker room. Is there anything you'd like to say about this matter publicly?

Tiger Mask: As you wish. professional wrestlers are first and foremost athletes. Many of us have been training for this since we were teenagers or younger. The first thing that any athlete training in ANY sport learns is the importance of sportsmanship and playing by the rules. When people like Rojo run around the AWL flagrantly flaunting their lack of sportsmanship it not only reflects badly on them, the title, the AWL, and the entire sport of professional wrestling.

This weekend I'm going to show that little punk that being a "Rudo" is nothing to be proud of.

RyuSensei: Moving on to the Tag Team Division. You and Shin Tora currently have zero points and have faced AWL World Tag Team Champions, Crisis Gundan, twice in recent memory and both times you've been . . . pardon the expression . . . slaughtered. In light of these events, do you and Shin Tora have any plans to continue as a tag team?

Tiger Mask: Of course we do! A couple of failures aren't going to stop us. Crisis Gundan are an amazing tag team. They are strong, skilled, and have the hearts of warriors. It's such a shame that they are working for someone like Yarina. Shin Tora and I will continue to train and wrestle together and I'm sure some day we will be AWL World Tag Team Champions.

RyuSensei: Speaking of your partner, Shin Tora is also active in the Light Heavyweight Division. Have you given any thought to the possibility that, should you win the title this weekend, that your friend and partner may be one of your future opponents?

Tiger Mask: No, I haven't. It would be a serious mistake to look past any opponent, especially a cheater like Rojo. But now that you mention it, I don't think it will be a problem. Shin Tora and I have wrestled before and we spar with each other every day. If I am so fortunate as to become AWL Light Heavyweight Champion, then I think I would enjoy defending the title against my friend. But for right now I am focused on defeating El Rudo Rojo this weekend.

RyuSensei: OK, I can certainly understand that. There's one final topic I'd like to discuss with you today and that's Ultramantis Black. UMB claims that the persona of Black Tiger King and the story of his childhood rivalry with you were complete fiction. Were you aware of this deception and what are your thoughts on it?

Tiger Mask: I had no idea Ultramantis Black was Black Tiger King. When I said I didn't remember him from my childhood training, I meant it. Now we know the real reason and it has nothing to do with my memory. As a man who hides his face behind a mask, I have no right to be angry with Ultramantis for keeping his identity a secret. Also, now that we all know why he felt the subterfuge was needed, I can easily find it in my heart to forgive him and to move on. In fact, I'd love the opportunity to face him in the ring some day. Now if you will excuse me, I need to prepare for my match at AWL 74.

RyuSensei: Thank you for your time Tiger Mask. Good luck this weekend. I think it's safe to say that most of the locker room and all the AWL fans are supporting you.

Tiger Mask: I hope so. I, like any athlete, will draw strength and power from my fellow wrestlers and from the people. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to talk to you and to them. Goodbye.

At that point, Tiger Mask returned to the Tiger's Cave to continue his training.

AWL 74 Preview

Another great and glorious Friday has come upon us wrestling fans and that means that it's time to preview this coming weekend's AWL event!

The main event of AWL 74 was decided last night on the first episode of Mid-Week Wrestling. The Japanese Legend Tiger Mask pinned Fire Ant in a 4-Way Match to become #1 Contender to the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship! Early this morning the AWL Commissioner made it official:

Main Event:

El Rudo Rojo (C) vs. Tiger Mask—AWL Light Heavyweight Championship Match

Tomorrow, we will have an exclusive interview with Tiger Mask about this match.

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The semi final match this Sunday (JST) will showcase the tag team division. The AWL Commissioner has appearently grown somewhat impatent waiting for tag teams to earn the necessary 3 points to challenge for the gold so he has booked the following match to ensure that SOMEONE becomes #1 Contenders this weekend:

Semi Final:

The All Americans (2) vs. The N.R.E (2)

Points in Play

That's right! No matter who wins, someone will have 3 points. In a related story, we can also announce that Crisis Gundan will defend the AWL World Tag Team Championships at AWL 75 against the winners of this match.

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Rounding out the card, we also have two matches that will impact the AWL World Title situation. First, Dragon takes the 10-Minute Challenge. Second, there will be a Fight for 4. The strange thing is that we don't exactly know who will be in that Fight for 4 match. The message we received from the Commissioner's office this morning was incomplete.

Ganba vs. ????

Fight for 4

Naturally, I called the Commissioner's office looking for some answers, but all I got was that the mystery competitor was a former AWL World Heavyweight Champion and therefore more than qualified for a chance to enter the Best 4. I guess I'll just have to wait until Sunday to see who it is along with all of you.

To sum up this news report, the full card for AWL 74 is as follows:

Main Event:

El Rudo Rojo (C) vs. Tiger Mask—AWL Light Heavyweight Championship Match

Semi Final:

The All Americans (2) vs. The N.R.E. (2)—Points in Play, someone must win a 3rd point!

Dragon vs. Wonder Kid—10-Minute Challenge.

Ganba vs. A former AWL World Heavyweight Champion—Fight for 4.

Join us this Sunday (Japan Time) for AWL 74. Things are starting to pick up in the AWL and you are going to want to be a part of it!

Mid-Week Wrestling ep 1

Mid Week Wrestling 1 by AWLBoss

A day late and a dollar short.  Hopefully I'll have the kinks worked by next week.  Enjoy the show!!

Post AWL 73 Report

I have good news, bad news, and great news.

Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Wonder Kid is still the AWL World Heavyweight Champion. On top of that, there're only 7 more weeks until Wonder Kid reaches his coveted goal of one full year as champion (Yes, I am aware that means the last chance to dethrone him will be AWL 80, that is a case of 100% serendipity!). At the moment, Dragon is the #1 ranked member of the AWL Best 4 and is due to take the 10 Minute Challenge next week.

But there is good news to be had. For the first time in months we have not one but TWO tag teams with two points! The All American's defeated The Colony and (unfortunately) The N.R.E. bested Big & Spicy in a Two Point Match.

We don't yet know how, when, or if these teams will earn the all important third point, but I think it's safe to say that the days of Crisis Gundan being on vacation are close to over.

And now the GREAT news: The AWL is EXPANDING!!!

Beginning this week, we will begin posting bonus videos containing full matches under the title of AWL Mid-Week Wrestling! This isn't going to be just another Heat/Velocity/Superstars throwaway C-show. These matches are going to matter and to prove it, the first episode of Mid-Week Wrestling will feature a Light Heavyweight #1 Contender's Match with the winner facing El Rudo Rojo for the AWL Lt HvWt. Championship in the main event of AWL 74!!

See you soon with a whole new era of the AWL!

AWL 73: Wonder Kid vs.Ma-Ji-Ku

AWL 73 by AWLBoss

AWL 73 Preview

Happy Thursday AWL fans! In celebration of this most momentous of days, we here at the Animated Wrestling League are pleased to present to you the full card for AWL 73! Hazzah!!

Main Event:

Wonder Kid (C) vs. Ma-Ji-Ku—AWL World Heavyweight Championship Match

After surviving the 10 Minute Challenge last week, The Warrior of Light gets another chance to be the one who dethrones Wonder Kid and stops his quest for a 365+ day title reign. Wonder Kid and Ma-Ji-Ku have the best and second best win loss records in the company respectfully. However, in the past, Ma-Ji-Ku has struggled when he has fought outside of his weight devision. Will the former Light Heavyweight Champion topple the Man Muscle Mountain and become the new AWL World Heavyweight Champion? Tune in this weekend and find out.

Semi-Final:

The N.R.E. (0) vs. Big & Spicy (1)—TWO Point in Play!

Last week these two met in a match that ended in a double countout. In what is fast becoming an AWL tradition, this week these four will face each other again in a rematch where two of the precious three points needed for title contention will be up for grabs.

One look at the current scores tell the story of this match. Big & Spicy (who were screwed out of the titles last time they fought Crisis Gundan) already have one point. So all they need to do is win this match and they will get their long overdue rematch. The N.R.E., on the other hand, is looking to expand their quantity of gold by bringing home their first taste of Tag Team glory.

Dragon vs. Ultramantis Black vs. Ben Nelson—Triple Threat Match

A special gift from the AWL Commissioner to the AWL fans. The three members of the AWL Best 4 who are NOT challenging for the championship will face each other to decide who is the best of the best.

The All Americans (1) vs. The Colony (0)—Points in Play!

Our second tag team division match of the evening. The former two time AWL World Tag Team Champions, The All Americans, face one of the best teams in this history of Chikara, the impeccable insects, The Colony. Seriously people, what else can I say? Watch it!!

Eddie Kingston vs. Kid Canada

This will be Eddie Kingston's first match in the AWL since his humiliating string of losses to "Big" Ben Nelson. I can only imagine the rage that is currently boiling in the heart of the Chikara Grand Champion. I wouldn't want to be Kid Canada this weekend, that's for damn sure.

It looks to be an action packed night of pro wrestling action so tune in right here on AWLWrestling.blogspot.com this weekend (Sunday morning Japan Standard Time) and see it all for yourself. I promise the Big Show won't run in and end the show in an unbelievably stupid way.

Updated tag team point totals.

A whole lot happened at AWL 72 last week.  Not the least important was the impact on the tag team division.

First, the double countout in the N.R.E. vs. Big & Spicy match means that no points were won or lost in that encounter.  It also means that the AWL Commissioner has booked a rematch for next week where TWO points will be at stake.

Second, the Colony's win over the Technicos means that Fire Ant & Green Ant are back on the board with 1 point while Masters & Nix lose both of their points and are back to zero.

As a result, the current tag team point totals are:

Big & Spicy: 1pt.
The All Americans: 1 pt.
The Colony: 1 pt.
All other teams: 0 pts.

With another two tag team matches scheduled for next week, those numbers are bound to go up.  So tune in this weekend to AWL 73 and see who rises to the top of the heap and readies themselves to challenge Crisis Gundan.

AWL 72: El Rudo Rojo vs. American Beetle

AWL 72: El Rudo Rojo vs. American Beetle by AWLBoss

The first title defense by the NEW AWL Light Heavyweight Champion.

Ma-Ji-Ku takes the 10 Minute Challenge.

And not 1 but 2 tag team matches with points on the line!

Enjoy the show!

AWL 72 Preview

OK folks, it's that time of the week again. The time when I tell you what matches will take place on this weekend's AWL show! YAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

But before we get to that, I have just received an e-mail from the AWL Commissioner's office saying that the AWL Commissioner has personally appointed "Big" Ben Nelson to the #4 position in the AWL Best 4! Appearently, this is due to his dominating performance in his feud with Eddie Kingston. So the AWL Best 4 currently looks like this:

1. Ma-Ji-Ku.

2. Dragon

3. Ultramantis Black

4. "Big" Ben Nelson

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Now at long last, the full card for AWL 72:

1. Main Event: El Rudo Rojo (C) vs. American Beetle

AWL Light Heavyweight Championship Match

2. Semi-Final: The Technicos (2) vs. The Colony (0)

Points in Play.

3. Wonder Kid vs. Ma-Ji-Ku

10 Minute Challenge

4. The N.R.E. (0) vs. Big & Spicy (1)

Points in Play

5. "Big" Ben Nelson vs. El Santo Azul

With a Light Heavyweight Title Match, a 10 Minute Challenge, and a chance for The Technicos to earn their third point, AWL 72 is sure to be a news worthy show. Tune in this weekend for all the action from the Animated Wrestling League.

Sitdown Interview with Ma-Ji-Ku

Hello Internet, this is RyuSensei bringing you a very special interview with former AWL Light Heavyweight Champion Ma-Ji-Ku.  Before we begin, many thanks to the AWL Translation Staff for their excellent work providing real time two-way translation for this interview.  Without all of you this company would fall apart at the seams.  Now on with this special sit down interview:

RyuSensei: Good afternoon Ma-Ji-Ku, thank you for agreeing to join me today.  First, as everyone who saw AWL 70 knows, you recently lost the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship to El Rudo Rojo after holding it for nearly two years.  What are your thoughts on your title reign and how it ended?

Ma-Ji-Ku: Thank you for the invitation.  I must admit to some strongly mixed feelings.  I knew all along that I would lose the Light Heavyweight Title some day, that's just the nature of any sport including wrestling.  I'm extremely proud of my time representing the AWL as one of its champions.  I've fought and beaten the best light heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world.  Everyone from Amazing Red, to Tiger Mask, to Curry Man, to El Santo Azul.  Until AWL 70 I was undefeated in my weight class.  I have the longest title reign in modern professional wrestling, not even CM Punk can claim that.

RyuSensei: But . . .

Ma-Ji-Ku: But I'm frustrated at how it all ended.  El Rudo Rojo was having a fantastic match.  I barely avoided some of his attacks and DIDN'T avoid most of them.  Truth be told, Rojo probably could have beaten me in a fair fight.  But no, he felt he HAD to hit me with a low blow.  I don't mind losing, I can even move past losing the title, but what I simply can not abide is the fact that a perfectly able athlete took a shortcut that he didn't need to take!

RyuSensei: Interesting, I expected you to be, well, angrier than this.

Ma-Ji-Ku: Of course I'm angry.  That championship was the crowning accomplishment of my career, everything I've worked for since I was 14 years old.  But anger serves nothing.  Anger doesn't win wrestling matches, skill does.  Wrestling at its best is human chess and I don't see how giving into anger is going to help me now or in the future.

RyuSensei: Wise words.  But speaking of the future, I'm sure you're aware that former champions do not get automatic rematches in the AWL and since you didn't win the Beat the Clock Sprint last weekend, American Beetle is now the #1 Contender to your former title.  Taking that into account, what are your plans for the future?

Ma-Ji-Ku: At the moment, while I would love to get back in the ring with El Rudo Rojo, my plans lie outside the Light Heavyweight Division.  I'm currently the #1 Contender to the AWL World Heavyweight Title and if any accomplishment could possibly top being Light Heavyweight Champion for so long, it would be dethroning Wonder Kid for the top prize in the AWL. This weekend I take the 10 Minute Challenge.  I must but the chaos of my recent past behind me and focus on the task before me.

RyuSensei: I'm sure all the AWL fans are looking forward to you providing a true challenge for Wonder Kid.  But does this mean you are finished with the Light Heavyweight Division?

Ma-Ji-Ku: For the time being, yes.  But I'll be back.  El Rudo Rojo and I have a score to settle and one day I will show him the error of his ways.

RyuSensei: Thank you very much for your time Ma-Ji-Ku.  For the Animated Wrestling League, this is RyuSensei.  See you this weekend for AWL 72.

Possible future upgrades

With the recent announcement by 2K Sports that the WWE 2K14 video game will feature the return of a proper Create-a-Championship feature among the many other excellent resources of their creative suite, I am currently making plans to upgrade the AWL to this new and improved platform.  The long poles in the proverbial tent, however, are that WWE video games have not been sold in Japan since 2009 or so and that I don't currently have either a PS3 or a method of capturing video from said system.  Further research will commence immediately and, if all goes well, the first episode of the new and improved AWL will be the 2014 New Year's Tournament.

Post AWL 71 report

Well wrestling fans, it looks like a dark era has begun for the AWL Light Heavyweight Division. In the main event of AWL 71, new champion El Rudo Rojo made it sent clear message to the AWL locker room that he will resort to any means to retain his championship including blatantly fouling his opponents in order to get out of a match. That's what happened to Ultramantis Black yesterday, but the great & devious one's reaction was not what I expected. I caught up with Ultramantis Black after the show to get his thoughts on the match, expecting a long verbose speech but he was just sitting there in the locker room, in his ring gear, fingers steepled in front of his face, completely unresponsive. But there was a fire in his eyes that told me he had by no means lost his wits and was infact so deep in thought that there was no hope of getting any answers to my questions.

But there is some good news coming from last night. American Beetle (currently working without pay due to the American government shutdown) won the Beat the Clock Challenge to become the #1 contender to the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship. He will face El Rudo Rojo in next week's main event.

Also on next week's show, Ma-Ji-Ku sets his sights on the highest of heights: The AWL World Heavyweight Championship! He faces Wonder Kid in a 10 Minute Challenge at AWL 72.

We'll have more news, promos, and more throughout the week so stay tuned to AWLwrestling.blogspot.com.

--RyuSensei.

AWL 71: Beat the Clock/Rojo vs. Ultramantis Black.

AWL 71 by AWLBoss

Just so everyone is clear.  I am in no way affiliated with the real Ultramantis Black.  He along with any real world wrestlers featured in my show are 100% fictional.  No offense or infringement is meant or implied.  Thank you and enjoy the show.

8 Promos from 8 Contenders

AWL 71 is this weekend and the majority of the show will be the Beat the Clock Challenge for the #1 Contendership to the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship. Here now, comments from all 8 participants in this event (Translators used where appropriate):

1. Ma-Ji-Ku: Anyone who saw what happened at AWL 70 knows that El Rudo Rojo fouled me. He punched me in the nuts and pinned me before I could recover. Of course I'm angry about that. But that anger will fuel me and motivate me to do what must be done. I will win this challenge. I will get my hands on Rojo. And I will take my title BACK!!

2. American Beetle: Unavailable for comment due to furlough

3. Tiger Mask: I am honored by this opportunity. For years the AWL Light Heavyweight Title has been an unobtainable goal for so many of us. But now we have an excellent chance to reach the top of the mountain. I have never been a champion in the AWL, but this weekend I will take the first step down the path to changing that. To my 7 competitors, including you Shin Tora, come at me and bring your best. Let the most worthy warrior prevail.

4. Shin Tora: I couldn't agree more old friend. The odds aren't high that we will have to fight each other, but if we do it won't be the first time and probably not the last. I'm going to be the first Tiger to wear gold in the AWL and none of these other challengers are less than 100 years from being a challenge to me.

5. Fire Ant: arrrrgghlablarrrrrrrrghgrrrrrrrrrrrr (Translator's Note: He went on like that for about 5 minutes. We have no idea what he meant and Green Ant wasn't around to translate).

6. Curry Man: Curry Man is King of Spice. Curry Man is next Tag Team Champion. Curry Man is next Light Champion. Curry Man still TNA Fired Champion. Curry Man #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. El Santo Azul: Every single person reading this knows my history with my brother. They also know that I've beaten him before more than once. Most importantly, they know I beat him for his mask, a mask that still sits on a shelf in my living room. Put me in the ring with my brother one more time and I promise, history WILL repeat itself.

8. Bruce Hoyt: Hey man, this is bull****! Everyone knows me and Rojo be tight with each other. N.R.E. brothers for life. That commish musta lost his f**king mind even thinking of putting the two of us in the same ring with each other. But that don't mean I ain't gonna fight. That belt was MINE before the Mexican Jumping Bean beat me and I've been catching crap about it for 2 f**king years! That belt is coming home bit*h!