More on original creative plans for Alex Hammerstone and MLW releases. (Patreon)

There's been a little shakeup on the MLW roster, but much of it has been factored in to MLW's plans for quite a while.

This past weekend, MLW granted the releases of Lance Anoa'i and Juicy Finau, the former tag team champions of the company. There had been some in MLW that indicated there were some conduct issues that the two sides worked through this year, but that the WWE lawsuit complicated Anoa'i's release. Finau had expressed to MLW that he was open to returning before the release, and was slated to be involved in the company in 2024, as the creative for 2023 was already set. Finau had been open to returning earlier as well.

We'd noted this weekend how there were some issues regarding Hammerstone requesting off a September show, and then wanting added back to it, but the budget had been set by then. So Hammerstone was at least willing to work that show at one point. However, it would appear based on his Twitter that's no longer the case. We're told that he's not been granted his release, and there were big plans in the fold for him earlier this year.

After dropping the MLW World Title to Alex Kane, Hammerstone was to be involved in a World Titan Federation stable with Matt Cardona and Davey Boy Smith Jr. We're told he was open to the idea at first, which would see him go heel. However, the claim was that he changed his mind sometime in the Spring, preferring to work with Alex Kane or Jacob Fatu again. On the MLW side, a few said that it seemed like he'd checked out by the time he was gone, and they offered him support to help him. Hammerstone, however, asked for his release. 

We're told that Hammerstone's contract was to see a big bump in pay coming up as well.

MLW is set for a return to Philadelphia for Fightland November 18, NYC for One Shot December 7 and a location TBA for Blood & Thunder January 6. Hammerstone is not currently booked for those shows.