Lance Anoa’i Explains Why He Decided To Leave MLW

In an interview with WrestlingNewsCo (via Fightful), Lance Anoa’i explained why he asked for his release from MLW, which was recently granted. Several members of the roster have announced their departures in recent weeks, including Anoai’s tag partner Juicy Finau. Here are highlights:

On his relationship with MLW: “My experience with MLW was awesome. I always did one-offs since 2018. I was never under a contract, but I’d been with them on and off since 2018. My first match with them was against MJF in Orlando, Florida. Then I wrestled Rich Swann, [and] I wrestled Myron Reed. I enjoyed all the opportunities they gave. I have been the only MLW superstar to compete in every single Battle Riot. I held the MLW Tag Team Championships with my cousin Juicy Finau. Jacob was also there. Just being in the building with them, in the same company, it just livened it up. We brought the party to MLW. I loved every opportunity they gave me.”

On asking for his release: “So the release was asked for because I was traveling, I was in Japan. I told them when I was getting back from Japan. They had no dates for me, they had nothing for me. Nothing was planned. I knew once I dropped the tag straps, I wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. But since they didn’t give me no dates or anything, no vision, because at first, when we signed, the vision was The Samoans versus The Von Erichs, The Samoans versus 5150, the SATs. It was a big tag division, and then slowly it started chopping down. It was The Samoans versus FBI, who was a great tag team also. We still wrestled great tag teams. But they pitched a good selling looks to us when we were there, and then slowly everything just started dying off, and then we started dying off, and I said, ‘Hey, man, right now, I’m in Japan, but I don’t want my value to go down. I’m enjoying it, travel back and forth, I don’t want no conflicts with Japan and MLW.’ They granted me as many tours as I want with Japan, and they granted that for me. But just more of the freedom. Maybe a possibility, man. We just be able to throw it up [makes Bloodline sign]. But who knows? [laughs] I just wanted that freedom, mainly for right now. Especially with my family being at the top of the best company there is. I missed a few opportunities being with MLW on A&E, I missed possibility of being on the Tribal Court they were doing, with bringing in the family. I missed that opportunity. Now, I can do it all. I can be at extra work, I can be at tryouts. Nothing’s stopping me now, so I’m just ready to go.”