WWE Releases

As many of you may know, WWE has released dozens of wrestlers and backstage staff in the last 24 hours.  As of this writing, the list currently stands as:

- Drake Maverick (James Curtin)
- Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers)
- Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra)
- Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson)
- Heath Slater (Heath Miller)
- Aiden English (Matthew Rehwoldt)
- Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz)
- EC3 (Michael Hutter)
- Lio Rush (Lionel Green)
- Kurt Angle 
- Sarah Logan (Sarah Rowe)
- Mike Chioda
- Primo (Edwin Colon) 
- Epico (Orlando Colon Nieves)
- Rowan (Joseph Ruud)
- Mike Kanellis (Mike Bennett)
- Maria Kanellis
- Zack Ryder (Matthew Cardona)
- No Way Jose (Levis Valenzuela)
- Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev)
- Deonna Purrazzo 
- Aleksandar Jaksic
- Dave (Fit) Finlay
- Lance Storm
- Mike Rotunda
- Shane (Hurricane) Helms
- Scott Armstrong
- Pat Buck
- Sarah Stock
- Shawn Davari
- Billy Kidman

This is total BULLSHIT!  WWE is sitting on half a billion dollars of cash reserves.  This is an obvious move meant to placiate mark stockholders who don't realize that talent costs represent a LUDICROUSLY low 10% of expenses.  In Japan, WWE would be called a "black company" and well deserved.  I hope some good comes of this.

Speaking of which, and moving back into continuity, will any of these talented wrestlers make their way to the AWL?  The answer: Maybe.

All AWL footage through Golden War 2020 has been filmed and is in the proverbial can.  As for what happens afterwards, I have no idea but it's certainly possible and I'd be lying if I didn't say that there were names in that list that any booker would be drooling to have on their rosters and I'm no exception.  Hopefully some of them will make it to the AWL Dojo or preferably the AWL Arena.

Until then, please support independent wrestling and your favorite wrestlers directly if you can.  Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember: We're all in this together.

AWL Special: Clash of Styles Tournament 2018

AWL 232: Shorter Than Last Week AND LWP WM Fleur dis Lis Review LIVE...ish.

First and foremost, the AWL:


And now my thoughts on Wrestlemania:

AWL 226 & Last Wrestling Podcast 3 Elimination Chamber 2018

Last Wrestling Podcast Ep. 2: Rebooking Ronda/Rumble

The second episode of The Last Wrestling Podcast.  This is my first foray into fantasy booking (or, in this case, re booking) an angle or story line.  Following up from last episode, I'm rebooking the end of the 2018 Royal Rumble and the following week of TV (at least where Asuka and Ronda Rousey are concerned).

This thing is taking it's sweet time to encode.  If it's not showing up, please check back later. My apologies.

The Last Wrestling Podcast Episode 1: Royal Rumble 2018

Trying something new for this site, everyone and their dog has a wrestling podcast the days, so why not a person who has been making wrestling shows on the internet for the better part of ten years?

Several reasons actually, but I've done it anyway.

Match card, promos, and a big thank you.

Before we begin today's news post, on behalf of myself and everyone here at the Animated Wrestling League (which is pretty much just me), I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Daniel Bryan AKA Bryan Danielson who announced his retirement from professional wrestling earlier this week.

To say that The American Dragon changed professional wrestling is an understatement. Not only was he a leader of a class of independent wrestlers (Alongside the likes of CM Punk, Samoa Joe, and Nigel McGuinness) that showed the world that work rate and storytelling ability could trump steroid riddled muscularity in terms of drawing power and entertainment value. He spent his entire career proving that not only does the W outweigh the E, but the W IS the E. As Sami Zayn said on twitter, without Daniel Bryan, most of the top NXT talent would never have been hired. Men like Zayn, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Kalisto, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Kevin Owens, and A.J. Styles would not be where or who they are today.

Throughout his career, Bryan took seemingly ridiculous material and made it work (The sign of a great performer). From odd music choices like Final Countdown and Flight of the Valkyries, to reminding the referee "I have till FIVE," to declaring in the face of all English grammar "I am the tag team champions," to making two of the most common words in the English language into the most over catchphrases of a generation. Everything this man touched turned to gold.

While I wish WWE had had the wisdom of ages gone by and had let the fans decide who they should push, I'm overjoyed that Daniel Bryan got to stand in the ring victorious at Wrestlemania 30. It was a victory not only for him, but for all wrestling fans.

Bryan may be gone, but his career will never be forgotten. Hopefully WWE will find a way to use him and his special connection with wrestling fans going forward.

Now on to the news:

The full match card for AWL 161 has been revealed:

AWL 161:

Main Event

Bullet Club (C) vs. The All Americans (3)

AWL World Tag Team Championship Match

Kid Canada vs. 山田二郎

Intercontinental #1 Contender's Match

The Strike Warriors (0) vs. The Augments (2)

Points in Play

Wyvern vs. Bruce Hoyt

Non-Title Match

Now, as per AWL tradition, we open the floor to both champions and challengers in theis weekend's tag team championship match. First, the champions:

Karl Anderson: The bug man and the...well, you know? No, not a change in hell. Now those cat guys, they may have stood a chance against us. Not much of a chance, but a chance. WWE may have signed off on me "fulfilling my obligations" or whatever, but there's only so long before they want me either on the road or at NXT. This belt is going to look so good on my wall. Or maybe I'll take it to Monday Night Raw and toss it in the garbage. Nah, who am I kidding? That'd probably only make it to Superstars. You got anything to say big man?

Bad Luck Fale: Wyvern, don't let those RUZAI losers distract you. You and me got a date with destiny. Keep my belt polished for me.

And now the challengers:

Hassan: The next 20 AWL events are going to make or break my career. Last season I put so much of myself into establishing my AWL IC Title, that I frankly neglected my tag partner and our team. But with the 2 points we picked up at the Tag Matsuri and the point we got back home in the good old USA, we're ready to take the gold and I'm ready to become a double champion!

American Beetle: It's an election year in America. A time when the power of democracy flows through me and brings me to the peak of my powers! The speeches, the debates, the people participating in the single greatest system of government in the world...OH MAN! It makes me feel like I could take on the entire roster myself!! Those Bullet Club disgraces won't know what hit them...in America!

Hassan: Bro, the match is in the Arena. You know...in Japan.

American Beetle: I DON'T CARE!!! AMERICA!!!!!!!

It's going to be an interesting show. See you Sunday morning Japan time for AWL 161!

AWL 159: Rojo vs. Capt. AWL/Vacant vs. Dragon vs. Okada

AWL 158: Rojo vs. Captain AWL/Vacant vs... 投稿者 AWLBoss

Biggest Match in the History of Wrestling

And no, I don't consider that to be hyperbole. This just in from the AWL Commissioner's office, last week WWE World's Heavyweight Champion Vacant offered an open challenge to the AWL Roster. Well, the AWL Commissioner has jumped on this and made a match that future generations will call historic!

For AWL 158:

Vacant (WWE) vs. Rainmaker Okada (IWGP) vs. Dragon (AWL)

Champion vs. Champion vs. Champion

Interpromotional Match

By Special Order of the AWL Commissioner, this match will have an extended time limit.

Mic drop.

AWL 157

AWL 157: Dragon vs. Ben Nelson 投稿者 AWLBoss

A Challenge from Hassan

Hey their AWL Fans! Hassan here, your WWE Intercontinental Champion. Last week I took the first step toward gettin my title recognized when I knocked Captain AWL back to the dojo. This week, I'm after bigger fish. I want you!

A.J. Styles!

You lose titles, I win titles. You lose matches, I win them. I'm not taking away from any of your accomplishments, but facts are facts. You re not a champion, I am. That makes me better than you and this weekend I plan to prove it.

There's a NEW phenom in the AWL and he's the Arab American Dream, Hassan!

So what to you say red neck? You ready to get a taste of New York? Or are you just gonna run back to your little club house like a scared little boy?

What the hell just happened?

I know exactly what you want to read about today. What the hell happened at the end of AWL 136? Well, I'm going to bury the lead on that and first cover the condition of Kid Canada.

During the scheduled main event of AWL 136, HAKAISHA delivered his signature triple power bomb to Kid Canada. During this manuver, Kid Canada's head bounced off the middle rope in a dangerous way. Concerns were immediatly raised regarding the health of the Most Candian Man in the World.

Well, I have good news. AWL CMO Dr. Mark Feelgood has checked KC out and found neither concussion nor neck damage. He's fine and has been cleared for competition.

But now for the real reason you're probably all here: No. You didn't imagine it. Yes. It really happened. Yes. The AWL's own Hassan is now the WWE Intercontinental Champion!! "But how is that possible?" I hear you ask. Well, it's actually fairly simple:

1. Daniel Bryan loses the IC Title to Vacant on the 5-11-2015 episode of WWE Monday Night RAW.

2. Vacant is currently under an AWL Contract and therefore can defend the title on AWL shows.

3. The AWL Commissioner contacts Hassan (who is further ahead on his rehab than previously reported and just last week got his visa renewed) to give him the opportunity to fight for the gold.

4. Hassan accepts and the match is on.

5. Hassan wins, the title changes hands.

That brings us up to the present. Vacant WAS scheduled to defend the IC Title in an Elimination Chamber Match in two weeks on the WWE Network (available now for an undisclosed amount of money). It remains to be seen how WWE will address the issue of the new champion. Since the IC Title was treated as still belonging to Vacant on the most recent episode of RAW, we assume they are trying to ignore us. Even going so far as to pass off a duplicate belt for the real one. As of this writing, the Animated Wrestling League recognizes Hassan as the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Please stay tuned for more updates as this on going story unfolds.

AWL 136: HAKAISHA! vs, Kid Canada

AWL 136: Watch till the end. 投稿者 AWLBoss

I some how left an old graphic in the video track so there's something weird in the first 3 or so seconds.  Please ignore this and watch until the end of the show.  Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

This is what I was talking about.

And he wonders why ratings are down and network subs are in the tank.

If you don't get this, don't worry, it'll go viral in about an hour.

I may not be the greatest wrestling promoter in the world, but I've never had to interrupt my own show and yell at the fans:

"HAVE SOME FUN HERE TONIGHT DAMMIT!!"

Stay classy Vince!