FULL CARD for AWL Sakuramania Wrestlegenesis 2021! Also, AWL 348.

Our traditional spring Supercard will begin April 5th.  Today, we reveal the COLOSSAL matches that will make up the card on each day:

Monday: 4 Match #1 Contender's Series.  Winners will challenge at AWL 350 Champion's Week!

Grand Championship: Matt Classic vs. Shin Tiger Jr.

World's Tag Team Championship: House Classic vs. The Flying Yukis (Yes, Matt must wrestle twice the same day, such is the life of a top challenger).

Joshi Championship: Koroshi Machine vs. Nekomusume

Joshi Tag Team Championship: Modern Day Warriors vs. Tiger & Bunny

Tuesday: Purosentai Resurangers vs. The Pit in an Elimination Atomicos Match.

Wednesday: Dragoness vs. Akira Merune in a 30-MINUTE IRON WOMAN MATCH

Thursday: Shynron (AWL) vs. Shun Skywalker (Dragon Gate Pro Wrestling)

Main Event Friday: Kid Canada (C) vs. Ganba Hisshi DARK (#1)

AWL Grand Championship Match--4th Title Defense

And here now AWL 348:

A CHALLENGE!

    First of all, allow me to assure anyone who follows the news coming out of Japan, that everyone here at AWL HQ is fine and there was only minimal damage from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck late Saturday night.

    Now, to business.  This morning, the AWL Commissioner received an official letter of challenge from Gisei.  It reads:

    THE DARKNESS SPREADS.  THE SHADOW FALLS.  ACCEPT OUR CHALLENGE IF YOU HAVE THE BALLS. 

    5 WARRIORS AWAIT.  SEND YOUR BEST.  CHAMPIONS OR LEGENDS.  THEY'LL FALL LIKE THE REST.

    A GOD OF THE PIT.  HIS SHADOWS IN TOW.  A LAPIN YOUKAI.  YOU SHALL BE BROUGHT LOW.

    2 MORE HAVE JOINED.  OUR POWERS HAVE GROWN.  WHO FIGHTS AT OUR SIDE?  IT SHALL NOT BE KNOWN!!

--GISEI

    Translating that into plain English, the AWL has been challenged and the AWL Commissioner has accepted.  While it's fairly last minute, the boss has made the necessary phone calls to the AWL Roster and booked the following 5 matches to happen THIS WEEK on AWL 343:

Monday: Ganba Hisshi DARK vs. Kid Canada (Non-TItle Match)

Tuesday: Ganba's Shadows vs. Monster Union (Non-Title Match)

Wednesday: Gyokuto vs. Erupcion Solar

Thursday: Hassan vs. X

    It should be noted that Hassan volunteered to take on one of the mystery opponents as soon as he heard about the challenge.

Friday: "THUGLIFE" Tanaka Kenichi vs. X

    It should also be noted that Tanaka Kenichi was drafted and only agreed to be part of this match if it was scheduled for Main Event Friday.

Hassan Risks it All

     A lot of wrestlers cut the new year's resolution promo every year and it never matters a week later.  But this is going to last.  I've been Grand Champion, Tag Team Champion a bunch of times, and I INVENTED the Intercontinental Title (Speaking of which, good call by The Commissioner letting the belt switch between gender divisions.  Wish I'd thought of that.)

    The only thing I haven't done in the AWL is win the New Year's Tournament.  Which sucks because this year I washed out in the first round.  One way or another, that's not going to happen again and I need to put this out on the blog so it's offical.

    If I do not win the 2022 New Year's Tournament, I will RETIRE from professional wrestling.

--Hassan

BREAKING NEWS! Title Match Set for AWL 341!!

     The following news just came across the proverbial wires here at AWL HQ from one of the 8 men who failed to advance to the second round of the New Year's Tournament (The following was translated from the original Japanese by the AWL Translation Team:

    I don't need to win the New Year's Tournament to put myself into the title picture.  At 341, I am cashing in my Golden Opportunity.  Kid Canada, out of respect, I'm giving you fair warning.  You had better tune up your wrestling game, because this is going to be a SUBMISSION ONLY MATCH and your first defense of the AWL Grand Championship will be your last.

--Chiba Akagi 

2021 New Year's Tournament News Flash

    Yesterday was a VERY long night for the Animated Wrestling League.  16 of the best wrestlers in the AWL returned to the AWL Arena for the 2021 New Year's Tournament.  The full tournament is in the can and I'm under a MASSIVE non disclosure agreement so don't expect any spoilers on this blog.

    But there are some things I can tell you about this year's tournament.  First, the tournament will be broadcast over 2 weeks worth of videos beginning this Monday, January 4th, 2021.  This will be the first event of Pre-Season 18.  More importantly, I can announce 15 of the 16 wrestlers in the tournament AND the randomly selected 1st round matches:

Tiger Mask II vs. Jigoku DESTROY

Erupcion Solar vs. Resu Yellow

Wyvern vs. Project 鉄

Ganba Hisshi DARK vs. Shynron

Matt Classic II vs. Sammy Nix

Azteckaizer NEO vs. Hassan

Chiba Akagi vs. Project-Z

Matt Classic Sr. vs. X

    The wrestling gods have blessed us with some interesting matches.  6 former tournament winners and 8 former AWL Grand Champions made the cut this year.  The winner of the New Year's Tournament will have to win 4 matches in one night.  That's a tremendous challenge in any sport, but more so in a combat sport like professional wrestling.

    However, as daunting as the task is, the rewards are so much greater.  Not only does the winner of the tournament win the 2021 NYT Championship Belt, which he will carry for one full year, but they immediately insert themselves into the AWL Grand Championship picture.  In the past, every NYT winner has gone on to hold the top title in the AWL at that time, either the AWL Grand Championship or its predecessor the AWL World's Heavyweight Championship.

The Future of the AWL IC Championship

                 Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am the AWL Commissioner.

As we approach the conclusion of the 17^th season of the Animated Wrestling League, we look forward to a main event where the Animated Wrestling League Intercontinental Championship will be cashed in for the right to challenge for the Grand Championship.  As exciting as this is for all of us here at Animated Wrestling League Headquarters, even more exciting is the prospect of crowning a new Intercontinental Champion after the title is cashed in.  It is for that reason that I have chosen to address you all today.

                First, the by then vacant Animated Wrestling League Intercontinental Championship will be awarded to the winner of a 6-Way Scramble Match that will take place during the pre-season to Season 18 of the Animated Wrestling League.  That means we will have a freshly minted Intercontinental Champion when Season 18 officially begins at AWL 341.

                Second, and I beg your forgiveness for burying the lead on this story, as of the conclusion of the cash in at AWL 340, THE ANIMATED WRESTLING LEAGUE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP SHALL BECOME THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE JOSHI DIVISION!

                I have amended the AWL Rule Book to reflect the following change: As long as the Animated Wrestling League Roster remains split into gendered divisions, the Intercontinental Championship shall switch divisions every time it is cashed in.  That means that the first woman to successfully defend the Animated Wrestling League Intercontinental Championship 5 times will become The Complete Intercontinental Champion and will earn the right to cash in for a shot at the Animated Wrestling League Joshi Championship under the stipulations of her choosing.  At which point the championship will revert to the men’s division.

                THIS!  I have COMMISSIONED!!  BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

--XOXO AWL Commissioner

Kid Canada announces stipulations for AWL 340.

 The day has finally come!  The Complete AWL Intercontinental Champion Kid Canada has the right to name the stipulations for his cash in match for the AWL Grand Championship at AWL 340.  He's taken his time to come up with something that will insure a fair fight for the biggest prize in the Animated Wrestling League.  This morning, the following message arrived in the inbox at AWL HQ (we've removed the several paragraphs of apologizing for the delay):

    Sorry, but I'm not going to play Jigoku's game and cheat in my favour, eh?  Sorry, I need this to be a fair fight, eh?  Sorry, but none of your friends...or mine...will be involved in this match because it's going to happen in a big old STEEL CAGE, eh?       

    Sorry, but it means a lot to me to know I'm a better professional wrestler than Hakaisha (or whatever Jigoku is calling him this week), eh?  Sorry, but I'm not going to beat you once, I'm going to do it twice, eh?  Sorry, this match is going to be 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS, eh?

--Kid Canada

    He really is the most Canadian man in the world, isn't he?  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a main event for AWL 340:

AWL 340: Season 17 Finale

MAIN EVENT

Jigoku DESTROY (Grand Champion) vs. Kid Canada (IC Champion)

AWL Grand Championship Match

11th Title Defense

Intercontinental Title Cash-In

2 Out of 3 Falls Steel Cage Match!

The Final Challenge is Set!

Back at Obonnanza 2020, Kid Canada announced that he wanted to make the AWL Intercontinental Championship truly intercontinental by defending against wrestlers from 5 different nations.  Well, it looks like that was a mistake during a pandemic as we appear to have run out of countries from which to draw challengers.

OR SO WE THOUGHT!!

This past weekend, the following letter of challenge arrived at AWL HQ:

That Canadian clod has gotten my attention.  That was a serious miscalculation.  You seek competition based on arbitrary lines on a piece of paper?  Foolishness if you ask me, but so be it.  Despite its recent failures, my Project-Z is originally from Australia.  If you wish to prove that you deserve to face my Destroyer, prove it by beating one of my Augments this week at AWL 334.

--Dr. Jigoku

Tag Matsuri Main Event Announced!

 Greetings Grapple Fans!

The AWL Commissioner has announced that AWL 335 will be this year's TAG MATSURI!  For those of you who are new to the Animated Wrestling League, the Ta Matsuri is our annual fall event where we celebrate the tradition and artistry of tag team wrestling.  Naturally, both AWL Tag Team Championships will be defended.

Additionally, AWL Head Trainer Dragon has announced that 4 wrestlers have made sufficient progress in their training that they are ready to advance to the main roster.  Therefore, there will be a Tag Team Graduation Match at the Tag Matsuri.  I should point out that the last team to win a Tag Team Graduation Match, the Flying Yukis are now former AWL World's Tag Team Champions.

In the past, the Tag Matsuri has always featured a tag team gauntlet contested to 3 points under our old 3 point system.  Since that system has fallen into the dustbin of history,the AWL Commissioner has come up with a new gauntlet that will take advantage of the tag team edition of the AWL Best 4:

2020 Tag Team Gauntlet:

Match 1: Best 4 #4 vs. Best 4 #3

Match 2: Winner of Match 1 vs. Best 4 #2

Match 3: Winner of Match 2 vs. Best 4 #1

Match 4: Winner of Match 3 vs. House Classic (C)

    AWL World's Tag Team Championship Match

    1st Title Defense

Format Notes

Ok, quick update to how things are going to work around here.  Once a week, either Saturday or Sunday Japan time, the full 5 video episode of the Animated Wrestling League for that week will be posted.  Additionally, each Monday there will be a preview for the following week’s AWL show.

 

If you wish to keep up day by day and match by match, the YouTube channel is probably your best bet.

 

This week on the Animated Wrestling League:

We have reached the half-way point of the season and that means the DANGER ZONE is once again in play.  Some familiar faces occupy the bottom of the AWL Win-Loss Rankings this season:

1. THUGLIFE Tanaka Kenichi 53-82 (-28)

2. Hasaiki 16-31 (-15)

3. Mr. Smiles 20-32 (-12)

4. Hifumi Ryuji 15-22 (-7)

All 4 members of the Danger Zone will be in action at AWL 331.  For some, this represents an honest chance to save themselves.  For the rest, it’s a chance to warm up for the career threatening Batsumania Match at AWL 340.

 

In addition, this week on Main Event Friday, a special 5-Way Scramble Match between 5 of the AWL’s top second generation wrestlers.  4 falls to a finish and this will be a Fight for 4!

AWL By The Numbers

Ever since we started the match-a-day format here in the Animated Wrestling League, I know haven’t been getting the extra content that this blog is known for out there.  I’m sorry.  To hopefully help make it up to you, here’s a quick look at the Animated Wrestling League…by the numbers.

 

AWL Grand Championship:

AWL Grand Champion: Jigoku DESTROY

Champion since: AWL 305

Title Defenses: 7 (Current Record!)

 

BEST 4:

1. Matt Classic Sr.

2. Tiger Mask II

3. Lee Masters

4. Chiba Akagi

 

AWL Joshi Championship:

AWL Joshi Champion: “Lady Smooth” Jessica Kidd

Champion since: AWL 324

Title Defenses: 0

 

BEST 4:

1. Tormenta del Fuego

2. Joya

3. Emily Nagasaki

4. Akira Merune

 

AWL World’s Tag Team Championship:

AWL World’s Tag Team Champions: The Augments (Project Tetsu & Project-Z)

Champions since: Sakuramania Wrestlegenesis 2020

Title Defenses: 6

 

BEST 4:

1. House Classic

2. Tiger Brothers

3. Monster Union

4. The New Classics

 

AWL Joshi Tag Team Champions:

AWL Joshi Tag Team Champions: Tiger & Bunny

Champions since: AWL 326

Title Defenses: 0

 

BEST 4:

1. Yin & Yang

2. UK Gen 2

3. Queens of Wrestling

4. TBD

 

AWL Intercontinental Championship:

AWL Intercontinental Champion: Kid Canada.

Champion since: Obonnanza 2020

Title Defenses: 3 of 5. 

AWL 322 Pt. 1

This Week’s Card:

Monday: Familia vs. Ganba’s Shadows—Light vs. Dark

Tuesday: Lee Masters (#1) vs. Project Tetsu—Guard Dog Match

Wednesday: K&K vs. The Flying Yukis

Thursday: Shin Jidai vs. Bullet Club—Trios Match

Friday: IC #1 Contender’s Battle Royal.  Winner challenges at AWL Supercard: Obonnanza 2020

That’s right wrestling fans, for the first time in over 2 years, Wyvern, Azteckaizer NEO, and the newly rechristened Matt Classic II will team up as Shin Jidai to take on Gedo, Ishimori, and Takahashi of Bullet Club.  This will be a one night only reunion so don’t miss it!

AWL 321 Pt. 4

NEWS FLASH:

                AWL Wrestler Tiger Mask II has made the following announcement (Translated from the original Japanese by the AWL Translation Team):

                “Shin Tiger Jr. and I were entered into the Forge because we had a point in the old system.  That point was a relic from the time Tiger the Dark and I were training our students and it was a terrible idea.  The philosophy of the Unified School of the Tiger Style is that, while we wear the gold and black colors to remember our history, there is no Golden Tiger Style or Black Tiger Style, only THE Tiger Style.

                We should never have been in that tournament and we certainly should not be in the Best 4.  Therefore, I have requested that the AWL Commissioner remove my name from the rankings and insert Black Tiger Justice.  It’s time for the young generation to take the lead.”

                And the AWL Commissioner has granted this request.  Therefore, the AWL Best 4 for the Men’s Tag Team Division now looks like this:

1. Bullet Club

2. The New Classics

3. Monster Union

4. The Tiger Brothers

AWL 321 Pt. 1

                Welcome back to the Animated Wrestling League and our new match-a-day format!  Beginning this episode, all AWL programs will be transmitted as single episode batches.  Of course, you can check out the playlist on the YouTube channel if you want to watch an entire show all at once.

                Starting this week, the full card will be posted to this blog either on Monday when the first match of the week airs, or the Sunday before depending on how organized I get.

                This week’s card:

Monday: Dragoness vs. Jessica Kidd

Tuesday: Satoshi Tobu vs. THUGLIFE Tanaka Kenichi

Wednesday: Solar Wings vs. X & X—Tag Team Match

Thursday: Black Tiger Justice vs. Ishimori Taiji—Fight to the Finish

Friday: Jigoku DESTROY (C) vs. King Akira (#1)—AWL Grand Championship Match—6^th Title Defense

AWL News Flash!

Full Card for AWL 319

                Nothing as long or complex as the updated season final card I posted yesterday, but here’s what you can look forward to this weekend on the Animated Wrestling League:

AWL 319:

The New Classics vs. The Pit

Atomicos Match

Dragoness vs. Yang vs. ResuPINK vs. Nekomusume

Joshi #1 Contender’s Scramble Match

Purosentai Resurangers vs. The Augments

Atomicos Match

The Best 4 vs. The Danger Zone

Atomicos Match

AWL 320 Card So Far

                The finale card is almost complete!  This weekend at AWL 319, we’ll learn who will challenge for the AWL Joshi Championship.  While there might be room for one or two more matches, this is what we know so far:

AWL 320: Season 16 Finale!

MAIN EVENT

Jigoku DESTROY (C) vs. ResuRED (GO)

AWL Grand Championship Match

5^th Title Defense

Golden Opportunity Cash-In!

The Augments (C) vs. ResuBLUE (GO)

AWL World’s Tag Team Championship Match

4^th Title Defense

Golden Opportunity Cash-In!

Matt Classic Sr. vs. Ganba Hisshi DARK

Lucha de Auesta

Matt Classic’s Mask on the Line!

Akira Merune (C) vs. TBD

AWL Joshi Championship Match

2^nd Title Defense

UK Gen2 (C) vs. The Ladies of Lucha (3)

AWL Joshi Tag Team Championship Match

2^nd Title Defense

Hebitsukai (C) vs. TBD

AWL Intercontinental Championship Match

1^st Title Defense

Lee Masters vs. King Akira vs. Wyvern vs. Tiger Mask II

LADDER MATCH

Winner earns a title shot at AWL 321

“Thuglife” Tanaka Kenichi vs. Mr. Smiles vs Hasaiki vs. “Australian Dynamite” Michael Dunne

BATSUMANIA!

Throw Them Together and See What Happens!

                It’s the show before the big show, so we all knew this was coming.  PREVIEW MATCH WEEK!

The New Classics vs. The Pit

Atomicos Match

                Ganba Hisshi DARK will step into the ring for the first time in months as he and his minions face the man who will wager his mask at the Season Finale.

Purosentai Resuranger vs. The Augments

Another Atomicos Match

                Champions vs. Challengers.  Sometimes it really is that easy!  The Purosentai Resurangers will cash in two of their Golden Opportunities at AWL 320 to try and stop the Augments once and for all.  The heroes came up short in a trios match last weekend, will they have better luck when it’s 4 on 4?

The AWL Best 4 vs. The Danger Zone

You Guessed It, An Atomicos Match

                There will be two 4-way matches at AWL 320.  The traditional Batsumania Match where one of the 4 worst wrestlers in the AWL will lose their job (and, as announced yesterday, another will earn an IC title shot and the chance to wrestle twice for no additional money).  On the other side of both the ring and the card, the 4 men in the AWL Best 4 will face off in a Ladder Match for the #1 Contendership and a title match at next season’s premier!  That they’re both 4-way matches is all the flimsy excuse the AWL Commissioner needs to make this match.

All Titles Will Be Defended at AWL 320

                Last weekend, Athena Jane threw a spanner in the works of the season finale by insisting on getting her title shot two weeks early.  Unfortunately for her, she came up short and left the AWL Commissioner with a bit of a problem.  You see, all three remaining members of the Joshi Division Best 4 are involved in the AWL Joshi Tag Team Championship Match at the finale, so there’s nobody to challenge for the singles title.

                Fortunately, the AWL Commissioner has a back up plan.  He has assembled the wrestlers with the four best win-loss records who are not already booked for AWL 320.  At AWL 319, they will compete in the following match:

Dragoness vs. Yang vs. ResuPINK vs. Nekomusume

SCRAMBLE MATCH

                3 falls to a finish with the winner challenging Akira Merune for the AWL Joshi Championship at AWL 320!

                But that’s not the only title that’s been left off of the card at AWL 320.  Hebitsukai has no opponent for his newly won AWL Intercontinental Championship.  The AWL Commissioner has a plan for this as well.  While it’s AWL style to punish failure, it’s also our style to reward success.

Hebitsukai (C) vs. TBD

AWL Intercontinental Championship Match

1^st Title Defense

                How is TBD TBD’d?  Simple, the winner of the first fall of Batsumania will challenge for the AWL IC Title!  That’s right, the IC Title is meant to be the road less traveled.  The way wrestlers who normally wouldn’t get a sniff of a title match can write their own stories and earn their own shot.  What could better embody that philosophy than someone who goes from being on the brink of losing their job to possibly becoming a champion?

Full Card for AWL 318

                A short card this week with only 3 matches, but the thing about gauntlet matches is that they tend to go on for a LONG time so we need to plan the show accordingly.

AWL 318:

MAIN EVENT

AWL Joshi Division GAUNTLET MATCH!

To be contested to 3 points!

Winners challenge UK Gen2 at AWL 320!!

The Augments vs. Purosentai Resuranger

Trios Match

Matt Classic Sr. vs. Gyokuto