Showing posts with label Wrestler Profiles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wrestler Profiles. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Bring it Doc!

Last weekend at AWL 114, the devious Dr. Jigoku brought in a brand new Augment!  We knew Darkness Ryu was only the first, but now this new creature has come among us.  We received a message from Dr. Jigoku himself.  It was a long rambling mess, but here are the cogent details:

1. The new Augment is called Project Tetsu.

2. It was built to be an "Improved" version of Ganba.

3. Project Tetsu is some kind of partially artificial life form (Dr. Jigoku's message included a LONG list of technical details that were quite frankly over my head).

4. This is in contrast to Darkness Ryu, who is apparently an altered clone of the original Dragon.  Where he got the genetic material to make this work, I have no clue.

Now I have no idea how much of this is true, but as far as I know, Dr. Jigoku hasn't lied to us yet.  But I have some extra information for you.  By order of the AWL Commissioner, Project Tetsu WILL be in action this weekend at AWL 115.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

AWL by the Numbers

The Animated Wrestling League is one of the few (and perhaps only) professional wrestling organizations where wins and losses matter above all else.  We also make the assumption that our viewers are both paying attention and capable of holding various bits and pieces of data in their minds.  But to make life a little easier on everyone, the AWL is proud to present this handy dandy guide to all the facts and figures that you need to know to keep up on the goings on in the Animated Wrestling League.

Heavyweight Division:
Current Champion: Wonder Kid.
Length of Title Reign: 292 Days as of 27/09/2013
Number of Title Defenses: 7.

AWL Best 4: (The top 4 contenders to the AWL World Heavyweight Championship)
1. Ma-Ji-Ku
2. Dragon
3. Ultramantis Black
4. ???? (Currently vacant)

Tag Team Division:
Current Champions: Crisis Gundan (Jack Butcher & HAKAISHA)
Length of Title Reign: 138 Days as of 27/09/2013
Number of Title Defenses: 4.

3-Point System: (Borrowed from CHIKARA, teams must earn 3 points to challenge for the AWL World Tag Team Titles.  One Win = One Point.  One Loss = Loss of All Points)

The Technicos (Lee Masters & Sammy Nix): 2 Points.
Big & Spicy (Curry Man & Tiny): 1 Point.
The All Americans (American Beetle & Hassan): 1 Point.
All Other Teams: 0 Points.

Light Heavyweight Division:
Current Champion: El Rudo Rojo.
Length of Title Reign: 2 Days.
Number of Title Defenses: 0
NOTE: The reign of former champion Ma-Ji-Ku lasted for 682 days from Nov. 11th 2011 to Sept. 29th 2013.

Batsumania: At the end of each season, the 4 AWL Wrestlers with the worst win-loss records (Wins minus losses) must fight in a match where the loser is fired.

Danger Zone as of AWL 70:
1. El Santo Azul 13-20
2. Tiger Mask 9-15
3. American Beetle 12-17
4. THUG LIFE Tanaka Kenichi 3-8


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profiles: YTM Inc.

Sorry this has taken a few days folks, but Yarina refused to "approve the language" of these profiles.  But you know what?  I don't care!  The show must go on.  So please enjoy the final AWL Wrestler Profiles:

 Yarina
              From: Kyoto, Japan.
              Finisher: N/A
              Affiliation: Yarina Talent Management Inc.
              Style: N/A
              Championships: N/A
              I’m not even sure if Yarina should even be given a profile as she isn’t technically a wrestler.  But if we are going to profile all of Yarina Talent Management Inc. in one post, then it would be silly to leave out the president of the company and woman with her name on the door and stationary.
              Born in Osaka to a corporate tycoon of a father and a trophy wife of a mother, Yarina learned quickly the ways of business and of manipulation.  Once she hit puberty, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life: Control big strong men like an organ grinder controls his little monkey.
              Bursting on to the scene in Season 2 as manager for Wonder Kid, we all assumed she was just his girlfriend.  But no, we quickly learned that Yarina fas far more.  In fact, she is now the most powerful person in the AWL.  She controls the AWL World Heavyweight Title through Wonder Kid and the AWL World Tag Team Titles through her more recent clients: Crisis Gundan.
              No one knows where she found those two monsters but the took the AWL tag team division by storm in Season 3 and now stand tall as undefeated tag team champions.
              Yarina has even forged a professional and personal rivalry with the AWL Commissioner himself.  Yarina has held the Commissioner up for ever increasing “Appearance Fees” and regularly holds the AWL belts for ransom.
              Speaking of holding the title hostage, Yarina is the genius behind the 10-Minute Challenge that has allowed Wonder Kid to go a full season while defending his title a grand total of 4 times.

              There’s no telling what this little witch will come up with next.

 “The Man Muscle Mountain” Wonder Kid.
              From: Spokane, Washington.
              Record: 28-11
              Finisher: Kinniku Buster/Kid-A-Tonic (Former)
              Affiliation: Yarina/DA (Former)
              Style: Pick ‘em up/Put ‘em down/Make it hurt.
              Championships: AWL World Heavyweight Champion x3! (Current)
                            When people think of a professional wrestler, they think of a man like Wonder Kid.  A towering giant of a man with more muscles than brains and a talent for throwing people around like lawn darts.
              Coming to the AWL from the Spokane Washington, the origin point for all known forms of human misery, Wonder Kid made what is probably the most impactful debut in AWL history.  WK is the first man ever to debut in the New Year’s Tournament and win the whole thing (He did this in Season 0, retroactively established as 2009, though that could change due to the current instability of the space time continuum).  Wonder Kid then embarked on a 27 match winning streak (a record unequaled in the AWL before or since) before fulfilling The Prophecy and winning his first AWL World Heavyweight Championship less than a year into his wrestling career.
              He held that title for 364 days.  His championship reign came to an end at the hands of another wrestler backed by The Prophecy, Ganba (Winner of the 2010 NYT).  Wonder Kid has never gotten over this loss.  A few weeks later, WK would regain the title before losing it back again to Ganba at the end of Season 0.
              Season 1 was not a good time for the former champion.  He was cursed by the Angel of Death and forced to join the Dark Alliance as “Ubermensch” until the DA was disbanded at the end of that season.
              His fortunes turned around in Season 2 with the debut of Yarina.  At first, everyone assumed Yarina was just Wonder Kid’s valet/casual sex partner.  But we all quickly learned that she is a ruthless business woman who more than makes up for what Wonder Kid lacks in the brains department.
              At AWL 40, Wonder Kid once again became the AWL World Heavyweight Champion.  He has held that title ever since.
              In the ring, Wonder Kid is a machine and the very definition of a power wrestler.  While “Pick em up, put em down, and make it hurt” may sound like a cheap way of hinting that he doesn’t know any actual wrestling holds (which he doesn’t) it also accurately describes the obviously effective wrestling style of the champ.  With an arsle of high impact slams throws and drops like the Kinniku Buster, the Superplex, the and the Giant Swing.  Wonder Kid has amassed the best win loss record in the AWL today, many of his wins coming by knock out.
              Wonder Kid has reached the pinnacle of the AWL, but his goal is something even greater.  Beating his own record for the longest title reign in AWL history.  Unfortunately, in order to go as long as possible without having to defend the title, Wonder Kid has begun employing the 10 Minute Challenge as a way to not only stymie potential challengers, but to scout those he eventually does have to defend the gold against.
              Will Wonder Kid be stopped before the end of the year?  There’s only one way to find out.  Stay tuned . . .

 Jack “Break Down” Butcher.
              From: Sidney, Australia.
              Record: 8-0
              Finisher: Butcher Bomb (elevated power bomb)
              Affiliations: YTM Inc. /Crisis Gundan.
              Style: Pick ‘em up, put ‘em down, make it hurt.
Championships: AWL World Tag Team Championship x1 (Current) w/Crisis Gundan.
              Yarina has kept the personal life and past of Jack Butcher a “Closely Guarded Company Secret.”  All we know for sure is that he was born and raised in Sidney.  Beyond all that, the rest is chemically infused supposition.
              As for Butcher’s AWL career, he is undefeated in all forms of competition and the co-holder of AWL World Tag Team Championship.  Of the two members of Crisis Gundan, Jack is the most likely to resort to needlessly dirty tactics.  Judging solely by their actions in-ring, this may not sit well with his more honorable partner. Of course, that’s just a guess at this point.

HAKAISHA
              From: Tokyo Japan.
              Record: 9-0
              Finisher: Tatsumaki (tornado)
              Affiliations: WTM Inc./Crisis Gundan.
              Style: Pick ‘em up, put ‘em down, make it hurt.
Championships: AWL World Tag Team Championship x1 (Current) w/Crisis Gundan.
              Known as “The Japanese Destroyer” for good reason, HAKAISHA is responsible for ending the career of Striker and putting Wrestler X on the injured list indefinitely.  Possessed of ungodly strength, his choke slam is deadly, to say nothing of his gravity defying finishing move, the Tatsumaki.  What’s more, for a man his size, he has been gifted with tremendous agility as seen by his habit of climbing to the top rope to deliver either an elbow drop or a spear.  HAKAISHA is easily one of the most dominant wrestlers in the AWL today.  The problem is that he knows it.  If HAKAISHA has any weakness whatsoever, it is his ego and tendency to showboat in the ring.
              It is likely that very same ego that Yarina appealed to when she recruited this genetically unlikely man and his equally improbable partner into the AWL.  Yarina promised Crisis Gundan the star treatment and so far she has delivered.  I wonder what would happen if they weren’t undefeated tag team champions?
              As with his tag team partner, much of HAKAISHA’s past is a closely guarded secret of YTM Inc.  All we know for sure is that he is from Tokyo, but so is roughly 25% of the population of Japan so that doesn’t exactly narrow it down much.  Perhaps someday more of this man’s true identity will be revealed, but not if Yarina maintains her vice like grip on her talents’ lives and contracts.  It’s a real shame because in this reporter’s opinion, HAKAISH has the potential to be the greatest wrestler the AWL has ever known.

Friday, July 12, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Wolf

“The Lethal Lycanthrope” Wolf.
              From: Transylvania.
              Record: 16-9
              Finisher: Lycanthro-Bomb.
Affiliation: Wild Pack Returns/Team World (Former)/Dark Alliance (Former)/Wild Pack (Former).
Style: None
Championships: AWL World Heavyweight Champion x1/AWL Tag Team Champion x1/AWL Anarchy Champion x2
              The only werewolf in professional wrestling history!  Wolf does indeed hail from Transylvania where he and his pack once ate a family of peasants while they were at home watching WCW (A mercy killing if you think about it).  Thus began Wolf’s interest in professional wrestling.  As for training . . . What training?  The AWL Commissioner just saw a real life werewolf with an interest in wrestling and (with dollar signs in his eyes) signed the guy.  He figured the training could come later.
              During Season 0, Wolf entered the AWL and immediately began feuding with Ganba, who saw Wolf as an insult to scientific wrestlers everywhere.
              Later, Wolf teamed up with fellow violent nut bag Bubba Reese to form the original Wild Pack tag team.  This unstable combination even managed to win the AWL World Tag Team Titles and held them until the start of Season1.  However, Wolf fell under the influence of the Dark Alliance and split from his partner while they were still champions.  In order to decide custody of the AWL World Tag Team Titles, the AWL Commissioner booked the first ladder match in AWL history for AWL 1, Wolf lost.
              After the DA was disbanded, Wolf wandered the mid card for a while before lucking into a match with Tiny for his AWL World Heavyweight Title.  In a feat of strength still talked about today, Wolf managed to lift Tiny over his head and deliver his finishing move, the Lycanthro-Bomb!  While Wolf only held that title for a short time (the most famous moment of his reign was the AWL Commissioner confiscating the physical belt because Wolf kept leaving teeth marks in it), he is still a member of a very small and exclusive fraternity of AWL World Champions.
              Today, Wolf has formed yet another tag team with yet another rubbish wrestler, THUG LIFE Tanaka Kenichi, as “Wild Pack Returns.”  To say they have been a successful team . . . would be a lie.  But with someone as insane and unpredictable as Wolf, anything could happen.


Thursday, July 11, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Tiny

Tiny
              From: Los Angeles, USA
              Record: 7-8
              Finisher: Titan-o-slam/Murder Drop
              Affiliation: Big & Spicy
              Style: Sports Entertainment
Championships: AWL World Heavyweight Champion x1/AWL Anarchy Champion x1
                            Following in the footsteps of everyone from Vader, to The Big Show, to Andre, to . . . other large people, Tiny is the Animated Wrestling League’s loveable giant.  Known as “The Largest Athlete on the Roster” for his deceptive agility and wrestling skill, Tiny is one of the most accomplished veterans in the AWL today.
              After spending most of Season 0 as the beleaguered employee of the now defunct tag team “Big Business” (Who gave him the nickname Tiny as a cruel joke) he entered the modern era of the AWL as a free agent and singles wrestler.  Over the course of Seasons 1 & 2, he obtained great and golden glory as the AWL Anarchy Champion, and even climbed to the top of the mountain for a brief taste of the Promised Land as AWL World Heavyweight Champion.  He defeated none other than Matt Classic himself for that title, a day Tiny still considers the finest of his career.

              Tiny’s time at the pinnacle of animated wrestling was short lived however as he lost the title in his first defense against Wolf.  More recently, he has decided to go after the only AWL championship he qualifies for that he has never held: The AWL World Tag Team Championship.  To wit, he has joined forces with Curry Man (The two originally bonded over their hared love of J-Rap) and formed “Big & Spicy!”  As of this writing, they are jointly scheduled for a tag team #1 contender’s match at AWL 61.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Tiger Mask

Tiger Mask
              From: The Tiger’s Cave.
              Record: 4-14
              Finisher: Tiger Bomb
              Affiliation: Super Tiger Brothers/Team Japan (Former)
              Style: Tiger Style
              Championships: W.W.E. Tournament Winner (w/Team Japan)
                            Anyone who knows anything about Japanese wrestling knows who Tiger Mask is.  That’s why we call him “The Japanese Legend.”  Our Tiger Mask is, in reality, Tiger Mask V.  Raised and trained from childhood alongside dozens of other children in the Tiger’s Cave Dojo to be a master of the Tiger Style of professional wrestling.
              When the AWL Commissioner contacted the Tiger’s Cave searching for a Tiger Mask to add credibility to his fledgling wrestling company the trials began to select a new man to shoulder the mantle of Tiger Mask.  Naturally, our Tiger Mask was the victor and became a member of our roster.  The boy he narrowly beat out would eventually go on to become the man known as Black Tiger King.  For more information on that, please see BTK’s profile.
              Tiger Mask was a bone fide star of AWL Season 0, but shortly before the AWL’s jump to YouTube, Tiger Mask decided to pass on what he knew to a young wrestler in whom he saw great potential.  As you may have figures out by now, that was Tiger Jr.  Again, see that wrestler’s profile for more information.
              During Season 2’s W.W.E. Trios Tournament, Tiger Mask was the leader of Team Japan and went on to lead his team to VICTORY!!  While he kept the gold medal for himself, Tiger Mask donated his entire 3,000,000 yen prize fund to several Japanese orphanages and other children’s charities.
              Despite early success in Season 0, Tiger Mask has had little luck in his matches as of late.  In fact, he and Shin Tora were lucky to escape Batsumania but they paid a heavy price in the form of a severe beating at the hands of Crisis Gundan in the guise of an AWL Tag Team Title Match.

              Thankfully, both members of the Super Tiger Brothers escaped serious injury and the off season has proven more than enough time for them to heal and they have both been cleared for action in Season 4.

Monday, July 8, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Wrestler X

 Wrestler X:
              From: Parts Unknown.
              Record: 6-4
              Finisher: Varies
              Affiliation: N.R.E.
              Style: Gimmick Infringement.
              Championships: None.
              With a name like Wrestler X you expect a full bio?  We know almost nothing about this guy.  He showed up during Season 3 and competed as a singles wrestler for a while before joining up with the N.R.E.
              Wrestler X’s most notable trait is that he always copies the move set of his opponent.  And I’m not talking about the odd stolen finisher here, I’m talking about every single move, hold, counter, and strategy.  If you know how to do it, so does he.

              In the latter half of Season 3, Crisis Gundan was hired by the AWL Commissioner to eliminate the N.R.E.  In the ensuing battle, Wrestler X suffered a choke slam from HAKAISHA on the floor outside the ring.  The resulting injuries put Wrestler X on the injured list where he remains to this day.  When . . . or if . . . he will return to action is currently unknown.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: THUG LIFE Tanaka Kenichi

 “THUG LIFE” Tanaka Kenichi
              From: “The Mean Streets” of Niigata.
              Record: 3-5
              Finisher: Niigata Street Cutter
              Affiliation: Wild Pack Returns/The Best (Former)
              Style: None
              Championships: None.
              You’re kidding me!  Do I really have to write a profile for this yutz?  OK, fine.  Tanaka Kenichi was born and raised in the northern Japan prefecture of Niigata.  Contrary to whatever he chooses to tell you, he comes from a rural village populated mainly by rice farmers.
              A delinquent in school, he and his friends adopted a “gangsta” persona copied from American movies, TV, and music.  They all came from middle class families and were about as “gangsta” as Wesley Crusher.
After failing to get into high school (Japanese compulsory education ends after middle school), Tanaka Kenichi moved to Tokyo to try and live out his gangsta (or Thug Life) fantasy.  Apparently, said fantasy mostly boiled down to handing out packets of tissues outside a train station for minimum wage.
Outside that train station was exactly where he was discovered by Bruce Hoyt and then AWL Wrestler Rick Flare.  Flare and Hoyt (collectively known as “The Best”) were in the midst of a feud with The Technicos and they needed a third man for a trios match against Masters, Nix, and Matt Classic.  They walked out of the train station and grabbed the first guy they saw that looked kind of in shape and said “You wanna be a wrestler?”
Seriously.  That was it.
              As you might expect, The Technicos won that particular feud and that should have been the end of “THUG LIFE” Tanaka Kenichi’s wrestling career.  But the AWL claimed he saw some potential in this less than loveable loser and decided to keep him around.  To this day, no one is quite sure why.
              Recently, Tanaka has been tag teaming with Wolf as “Wild Pack Returns” (a reimagining of the original Wild Pack combination of Wolf and Bubba Reese).  However, Wolf’s lack of teamwork and Tanaka’s lack of skill have led to precious few victories.
              Will Season 4 be the season of THUG LIFE?
.
.
.

No.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Silver Potato

Silver Potato
              From: Boise Idaho
              Record: 7-10
              Finisher: Au Gratin Kick.
              Affiliation: None
              Style: Sports Entertainment
              Championships: None
              Much like American Beetle, Silver Potato comes to the AWL from Kaiju Big Battel.  Formerly a member of the noble Team Hero, Silver Potato was once a mild mannered factory worker for Shingles Potato Chips until one day he fell into a vat of discarded radioactive potato peelings.  He gained super human strength, endurance, agility, and (somewhat surprisingly) , super human dancing skills and a knowledge of professional wrestling holds.  Because potatoes can totally do that!
              Those of you who follow Kaiju Big Battel may be asking yourself “Didn’t Silver Potato get eaten by a zombie plantain?”  Yes.  Yes he did.  But that was not OUR Silver Potato.  Ours was pulled out of an  earlier point in his timeline by the events of the movie Ghilli (which was so bad it ripped the universe a new time hole).  This version of the Uber Tuber never went evil, never joined Dr. Cube’s Posse, and never died in an off camera cut scene like a *****.
              In the AWL, Silver Potato has competed primarily as a singles wrestler and has had memorable matches with everyone from Wonder Kid to Luke James.  But the thing that stands out the most is the fact that the AWL’s ring announcer seems to have a massive crush on him, nearly having an orgasm every time he introduces the Idaho Icon.  Perhaps one day our ring announcer will have the guts to actually talk to his hero, but nobody really cares.
              Silver Potato was the final man to survive Batsumania at AWL 60 where he knocked out Maglubiyet Jr. with an Au Gratin Kick to send the little creep back to the Infernal Plains of Hoboken New Jersey for good.

              In Season 4, Silver potato has vowed to return to his heroic roots . . . whatever that means.

Friday, July 5, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Shin Tora

 Shin Tora:
              From: The Tiger’s Cave/Tokyo Japan.
              Record: 7-15
              Finisher: Tora Bomb
              Affiliation: Super Tiger Brothers
              Style: Tiger Style.
              Championships: None
              Oh man, where do we start with this guy?  OK.  The man currently known as Shin Tora entered the AWL during Season 0 as “Tiger Jr.” an apprentice to the Japanese Legend Tiger Mask.  As the elder tiger taught his student the Tiger Style of professional wrestling, they formed a tag team known as “The Tigers Team” (They came up with that name and remember, English is not their native language).
But over time, Tiger Jr. grew frustrated with his training.  He thought he was more than ready to drop the junior from his name and become the AWL’s Tiger Mask II.  His sensei disagreed.  Eventually, Tiger Mask faced his student in a “Graduation Match.”  If Tiger Jr. won, he would be acknowledged as a full Tiger Style Master.
He lost.
Enraged at his failure, Tiger Jr. rebelled against his master and donned the mantle of the Tiger Mask Dynasty’s greatest enemy.  He became . . . Black Tiger!
After months of tormenting his former friend, it came to light that Black Tiger was the first man to fall under the influence of the Angel of Death and the Dark Alliance.  That brings us to AWL Season 1, where Black Tiger was a loyal minion of the DA . . . and their personal scapegoat.  Any failure was met with a severe beating from his teammates and when you consider that his assignment was to wrest the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship from Ma-Ji-Ku . . . that’s a lot of beatings.
Eventually, Black Tiger grew tired of the abuse and rebelled against his masters.  Since he was a willing convert to the group and not under the magical effects of the Angel of Death, this was possible.  Again, his treason only lead to severe beatings, but it was the first crack in the DA’s armor and the first sign of hope for the AWL in those dark days.
At AWL 21 (the Season 2 Premire), Black Tiger was forced to challenge his erstwhile mentor to another one on one match with this AWL contract on the line and this time was victorious!  The very next week he debut a new mask, costume, moveset, and name to become Shin Tora (Japanese for “New Tiger”) and reformed his tag team with his former teacher and reconciled friend, this time under the name “The Super Tiger Brothers.”

After both tigers avoided Batsumania by winning their way into an AWL World Tag Team Title Match at AWL 60, the future looks bright for these two young fighters.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Sammy Nix

 “Suplex Master” Sammy Nix
              From: Brooklyn NY.
              Record: 13-13
              Finisher: Capture Suplex.
              Affiliation: The Technicos.
              Style: Suplex Specialist.
              Championships: AWL World Tag Team Champions x2.
              A man of few words, Sammy Nix’s primary claim to fame in the AWL is as a member of The Technicos alongside Lee Masters and under the tutelage of Matt Classic.  This partnership has led to two reigns as AWL World Tag Team Champions.
              Like many of today’s generation of wrestler, Sammy Nix wanted to get into pro wrestling from an early age.  But, unlike many, he figured out quickly that he would need something to help him stand out.  He (in addition to a ridiculous haircut) decided his best chance to get noticed was to become the best in the world at a one category of wrestling moves.  He chose the ever popular, and infinitely versatile, suplex.  After a few years of training, he caught the eye of the AWL Commissioner and was offered a contract.
              The Technicos came together during the latter days of the AWL’s time on YouTube (henceforth referred to as Season 0).  Matt Classic was looking for the best young scientific wrestlers that he could mold and train into future stars.  Sammy took to the training like a fish to water and now has a relationship with Matt Classic that borders on father and son rather than coach and athlete.

              The birth of The Technicos was not without labor pains however.  In Season 1, Lee Masters’ ego manifested in severe teamwork issues that threatened to destroy the team and forced Sammy into single combat with his friend and partner.  Nix was victorious in that rivalry and as such has a much better win-loss record than his partner.  This has led to Sammy Nix getting a lot more in the way of singles division opportunities.  Sammy Nix has even challenged for the AWL World Heavyweight Championship on a few occasions.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Matt Classic

Matt Classic
              From: Parts Unknown/The Smoke Filled Arenas of Yesteryear.
              Record: 16-5
              Finisher: The Classic Claw.
              Affiliation: The Technicos/Team World (Former).
              Style: American Rasselin.
Championships: AWL World Heavyweight Champion x2/AWL Anarchy Champion x1.
              The oldest wrestler still active today, Matt Classic began wrestling in 19 ought whatchamacallit and has been wrestling since the carnival days at the turn of the 20th century.  He has been an active wrestler ever since (save for a few years of service in World War II).  Matt is called “The Inventor of Professional Wrestling” because he was the man who either invented or first used in a pro wrestling context most of the common moves that today’s young whippersnappers take for granted.  HE taught Fritz Von Eric the Classic Claw.  HE taught Lou Thesz the Matt Classic Press.  HE taught Jake Roberts the DDT (Although he never told Jake what DDT really means).
              Matt has wrestled all over the world from the NWA, AWA, WCCW, Mid-South, WWWF, WSX, ROH, CHIKARA, NJPW, NOAH, AJPW, various American independents, and now the AWL.  Matt is still a much requested star around the world including an annual appearance in Chikara’s King of Trios tournament.
              Behind the scenes, Matt is known as . . . well, a cantankerous old fart.  But his knowledge of old school wrestling is second to none and the younger men on the roster can and do learn a lot from him (Though modern and foreign styles of wrestling like lucha and hardcore confuse him).
              Matt Classic has held many titles around the world in his decades long career, but his greatest championship victory came at AWL 20, the Season 1 Finale, when he defeated the Angel of Death in a 2 out of 3 falls match including a final fall that literally broke the steel cage.  He still dreams of climbing the mountain one last time, but knows there are fewer days ahead then there are behind.

              Now in the twilight of his career, Matt Classic wrestles a part time schedule and focuses his attention on training the next generation of scientific wrestlers.  To this end, he has found Lee Masters and Sammy Nix and has coached them through trial and tribulation to multiple AWL World Tag Team Championships.  Matt sees his students as his children and takes great pride in them and their accomplishments.  As long and storied as Matt’s career has been, there is always some new trick, secret, or technique up the sleeve of the Inventor of Professional Wrestling.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Ma-Ji-Ku

Majiku
              From: Mexico City, Mexico.
              Record: 25-7
              Finishers: Endless Light/Hikari no Spiral/STF.
              Affiliation: Masters of the Mask/Team Mexico (Former).
              Style: Lucha Libre
Championships: AWL Light Heavyweight Champion x1 (Current) (Longest Champion in AWL History)/AWL Anarchy Champion (Last)/AWL World Tag Team Champion x1 (w/ Masters of the Mask).
              The Man.  Ma-Ji-Ku is quite simply the man in the AWL.  The Warrior of Light has held the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship since November 17th, 2011!  That’s 593 days!!  1 year, 7 months, and 15 days!!!  He will be well over 600 days by the time Season 4 begins.  That is the longest title reign in all of professional wrestling today.
              Hands down the best lucha libre practitioner in the AWL Ma-Ji-Ku is an artist in the ring and his moves often appear to defy gravity.  Ma-Ji-Ku is undefeated in his division, all 7 of his losses coming when he fought outside of his weight class.
              When he came into the AWL at the beginning of Season 1, he rose to the top of the light heavyweight division winning the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship from “Boxing Bastard” Bruce Hoyt at one of our last “Supercard” events Obonnanza III.
              Later in that season, Ma-Ji-Ku became the great silver hope of the AWL against the Angel of Death and his Dark Alliance.  After being pinned in a world championship match after eating a tombstone pile driver, Ma-Ji-Ku fell under the mystic influence of the DA and became an evil shade known as “Necromancia” and giving the DA control over the AWL Light Heavyweight Championship.  Thankfully, when Matt Classic defeated the Angel of Death for the AWL World Heavyweight Championship, the spell was broken and Ma-Ji-Ku was returned to his heroic self.
              During Season 2, Ma-Ji-Ku became the leader of Team Mexico.  Sadly, the building tensions between Lucha and Libre resulted in Team Mexico coming in dead last in the W.W.E. Trios Tournament.  But Ma-Ji-Ku would end Season 2 on a high note as he became the last man ever to hold the AWL Anarchy Championship before that title was discontinued between Seasons 2 & 3.
              Season 3 saw Ma-Ji-Ku forge a tag team with Libre known as The Masters of the Mask.  The MOTM formed both a professional relationship and a personal friendship that helped propel them to the AWL World Tag Team Championship making Ma-Ji-Ku one of only two Triple Crown Champions in the AWL.

              A hero to the children of Mexico and to wrestling fans around the world.  Ma-Ji-Ku enters Season 4 still champion and with his sights set on regaining the AWL World Tag Team Titles and one day even the highest goal of all wrestlers: The AWL World Heavyweight Championship itself.

Monday, July 1, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Luke James

 “Peacemaker” Luke James
              From: Nashville, Tennessee.
              Record: 6-8
              Finishers: Spear/Jaw Breaker Clothesline.
              Affiliation: Team USA (Former).
              Style: American Southern.
              Championships: None
                            A son of a Christian pastor from Nashville, Luke James was attending a wrestling training camp in the Memphis when he met American Beetle and Hassan as they were searching for a third man to help them compete in the W.W.E. Trios Tournament.  James jumped at the opportunity to not only be paid to be a professional wrestler, but to travel the world.
              While Team USA did not win the tournament, Luke James impressed the AWL Commissioner enough to be signed to a full time contract.  Since then he has become a respectable wrestler considering his lack of experience.  In fact, he’s even caught the eye of Dragon, the original AWL Champion, who has taken Luke James under his wing as a friend/mentor.

              “The Peacemaker” barely escaped Batsumania at the end of Season 3, but this only served to light a fire under his ass as we move forward into Season 4.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Jose Huerta

 Jose Huerta (Formerly: Lucha)
              From: Guadalajara, Mexico.
              Record: 11-12
              Finishers: Fighter’s Finale/Guillotine Leg Drop.
              Affiliation: N.R.E./The Free Fighters (Former)
              Style: Lucha Libre.
              Championships: None
                           The second youngest son of lucha libre legend El Santo, Jose is the black sheep of the family.  Sure, he shares his entire clan’s passion for the wrestling industry, but his heart belongs to the devious and dastardly, the despicable and dishonorable . . . the Rudos.  Taking the name Lucha, he traveled to Japan to escape the long shadow cast by his father.  Of course, his little brother Libre wanted to earn a reputation all their own, but Lucha just wanted to get the hell away from his home and family.
              Upon his arrival in the AWL, Lucha joined with his brother as “The Free Fighters” and tried to play the part of the technico.  But his true colors shone through in their tag team matches as Lucha would frequently use dirty and underhanded tactics to gain an unfair advantage behind the backs of both the referee and his brother.
              Eventually, the Free Fighters broke up after Lucha nearly broke his brother’s skill with a steel chair.  Finally “free” of his family, Lucha went about forging a new family.  A family of evil composed of those in the AWL who are not only heels/rudos/villains/whatever, but are PROUD of that fact.  He found two new brothers in Bruce Hoyt and Wrestler X, an excessively violent cheater and a shameless thief respectfully.
              Together, the N.R.E. blazed a trail of destruction through the AWL, eventually adding attempted murderer Bubba Reese to their number, but Lucha’s march of madness was stopped by one man . . . his baby brother.
              Libre (occasionally aided by Ma-Ji-Ku & Ganba) challenged Lucha to a Best of 7 Series.  At first, Lucha assumed this was a joke and didn’t take his brother seriously as an opponent.  However, Lucha eventually found himself up against the wall when the series was tied at 3-3 and Libre (Per the rules of the contest) chose a Mask vs. Mask match as the stakes for their final encounter.  Jose was defeated in that contest after AWL senior referee Joey Babaganoush declared him knocked out after a Standing Star Press.  Jose became the first wrestler in this history of the AWL to be unmasked.

              Only time will tell if Jose can recover from the humiliation, but something tells me that we haven’t seen the last of the Red Rudo.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Libre

 Libre
              From: Guadalajara, Mexico.
              Record: 12-17
              Finisher: Freedom’s Wing/Final Flight/ Standing Star Splash.
              Affiliation: Masters of the Mask/The Free Fighters (Former)
              Style: Lucha Libre.
              Championships: AWL World Tag Team Title x1 (w/ Masters of the Mask)
                            A young practitioner of the Mexican wrestling style known as Lucha Libre, this young man and his brother came to the AWL to hone their craft and to “pay their dues” in professional wrestling.  As a second generation wrestler, Libre deliberately choose an obviously fake ring name so as to avoid any potential nepotism due to his famous father.
              Coming into the AWL as a tag team wrestler, Libre and his brother also joined with Ma-Ji-Ku to form Team Mexico in the 2012 W.W.E. Tournament.  While they were unsuccessful, Libre forged a friendship with Ma-Ji-Ku that planted the seeds for their future as The Masters of the Mask.  It was that pairing that won Libre his first and so far only taste of AWL Gold as one half of the AWL World Tag Team Champions.
              During the 2012 New Year’s Tournament, Libre made a name for himself as a singles star by defeating Curry Man in an impressive first round match and holding his own against super heavyweight Warrior in the second round.  This led to Libre being given a host of new opportunities as a singles wrestler.  Unfortunately, his brother Lucha became jealous of his little brother and all of this culminated in Lucha smashing his baby brother in the face with a steel chair while “Helping” him in a match against Shin Tora.

              Libre saw Lucha’s rudo-like actions as an insult to the family honor.  After suffering a defeat at his brother’s hands at AWL 40, Libre challenged his brother to a Best of Seven Series that concluded at AWL 60 in a Mask vs. Mask match.  Libre inflicted the ultimate karmic justice upon his brother, but at the same time revealed one of his own greatest secrets: He is the youngest son . . . of El Santo!

Friday, June 28, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Lee Masters

 “Penultimate Fighter” Lee Masters
              From: Minneapolis, MN.  Now living in Las Vegas, NV.
              Record: 12-14
Finisher: Whatever Works.
              Affiliation: The Technicos.
              Style: MMA
              Championships: AWL World Tag Team Titles x2
                            It seems like every wrestling company has one of these nowadays.  The failed (I’m sorry, “up and coming”) MMA guy that decides for whatever reason to try his hand at professional wrestling.  Lee Masters is ours.  Having trained in Mixed Martial Arts for about 2 years before coming to Japan to try and seek his fortune in one of the many small time fighting organizations that exist in this country, Lee soon discovered that he had spent $800 on a one way plane ticket for nothing more than a slightly subsidized ass kicking.
              Fortunately for Masters, the AWL Commissioner was looking to expand his rapidly growing wrestling company and its nascent tag team division.  Fortunately, this was long before the AWL was even on YouTube, much less in its current form so the fast majority of you never saw such “Legendary” tag teams as Dan Dynamo & Mr. Showtime, the Battle Brothers, or Drag & Dream (the only combination of a pre and post op transsexual in pro wrestling history).  But one team that stood out as having potential to become future stars were The Young Lions, Lee Masters and his partner (believe it or not) “Wild Card” Bubba Reese.
              As you can imagine, The Young Lions quickly broke up.  Lee tried bringing his brother Sam in as a new tag team partner but that didn’t work out either.  Lee Masters floundered around the midcard for a while until Matt Classic began his quest to assemble the best technical wrestlers in the AWL for his new stable, The Technicos.  Lee was the first recruit.
              During Season 1 of the AWL, the Technicos suffered from some severe teamwork issues, mostly stemming from Lee’s ego run amuck.  Eventually, his partner pounded some sense into him and The Technicos went on to become multi-time AWL World Tag Team Champions.

              Oh yes, and for the last time, Lee Masters is NOT related to Chris Masters.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Kid Canada

Kid Canada
              From: Calgary . . . Alberta, Canada.
              Record: 2-3
              Finisher: Code Breaker aka Canadian Crunch.
              Affiliation: Team World (Former)
              Style: Hart Style Submissions.
              Championships: None.
                            Sorry.  We know almost nothing about this man other than the fact that he is Canadian.  VERY Canadian.  His wrestling style, especially his love of submission holds, is somewhat similar of the style taught by the late, great, Stu Hart.  Kid Canada claims to be one of the last students to come out of The Dungeon, but nobody has been able to independently confirm that.

              Since debuting in the AWL, Kid Canada’s only claim to fame was a strong performance as part of Team World in the 2012 W.W.E. Trios Tournament.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Hassan

 Hassan
              From: New York City, born Bagdad, Iraq.
              Record: 16-13
              Finisher: Paradigm Shift.
              Affiliation: All Americans
              Style: American Pro Wrestling
              Championships: Tag Team x2 (w/ All Americans)/Anarchy Title x1
                           Most AWL fans know Hassan’s story.  He was born in Bagdad during the reign of Saddam Husain.  At great personal risk to life and liberty, his parents managed to smuggle the family out of Iraq and to the land of opportunity, the United States of America.  After arriving in New York City, the family lived the happy lives of hundreds of immigrant families before them.  Hard work, struggles to adapt to their new home, but a fierce pride and sense of patriotism that can only be found in those who became American by choice.
              Young Hassan became a fan of the American art form known as professional wrestling when he was still in grade school.  Upon reaching adult hood, he enrolled in medical school as per his parents’ wishes, but took the “Living allowance” granted to him by the student loan sharks and invested in wrestling school.  After a few years of bouncing around the U.S. independent scene desperately looking for anyone who would book him as anything other than an “Iron Sheik” type foreign heel he started to become disillusioned with the business.
Eventually, he found himself attending a Kaiju Big Battel show where he caught the eye of American Beetle.  AmB was looking for a partner to bring to Japan and go after the AWL World Tag Team Championship.  Together as The All Americans, Hassan and American Beetle have proven themselves MORE than worthy of being considered one of the top tag teams in not only the AWL, but all of professional wrestling today.
In addition to his two Tag Team titles and one Anarchy title, Hassan has literally come within seconds of being AWL World Heavyweight Champion on more than one occasion.

There is no telling what the future holds for this young fighter, but one thing is certain.  Step into the ring with Hassan and you will face a Paradigm Shift. 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

AWL Wrestler Profile: Ganba

Ganba
              From: Tokyo, Japan.
              Record: 16-7
              Finisher: Ishokenmei/Ganba Kani.
              Affiliation: None.
              Style: Japanese Strong Style
Championships: AWL World Title x2/AWL Anarchy Title x1/AWL World Tag Team x1.
              The quintessential Japanese hero of the squared circle.  Ganba (who takes his ring name from the ubiquitous Japanese expression “ganbatte” or “Do your best”) is the personification of the world famous Japanese work ethic.  Deciding at a young age that he wanted to be a professional wrestler, Ganba dove into everything to do with the sport.  He not only studied tape of every wrestling match he could get his hands on, he made a point of learning every mainstream fighting style he could.
              When he finally came of age, he left home and went to any Japanese pro wrestling dojo that would take him.  Modeling his style on Japanese legends Antonio Inoki and the Original Tiger Mask, Ganba’s wrestling style seamlessly blends high impact power wrestling and the high speed junior heavyweight style.
              When he first came to the AWL, Ganba came into immediate conflict with those wrestlers who had NO sense of style or technique, first with Wolf and then with Wonder Kid.  In fact, it was Ganba (after winning that year’s New Year’s Tournament) that ended Wonder Kid’s first and so far longest title reign.  This sparked a rivalry that continues to this day.

              But Ganba would meet his greatest enemy in an unexpected place: A parking lot miles away from the AWL Arena.  That is where “Wild Card” Bubba Reese, enraged with jealousy at being leapfrogged by Ganba in the AWL Best 4, would ambush Ganba mere hours before a scheduled title match with then World Champion Matt Classic.  Injuries from that attack put Ganba on the shelf for half a season and he has never fully recovered.  Ganba and Reese have been out for each other’s blood ever since.