2-time United States Champion talks his return to NJPW (Exclusive)
NJPW has been making waves amongst the United States audience in recent years, especially with their AEW partnership. Lance Archer recently detailed his experience returning to the Japanese promotion after years away.
Outside of his tenure in WWE and AEW, Archer made a name for himself in NJPW. The Murderhawk Monster has so far won the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. He has also obtained the IWGP Tag Team Championship three times alongside Davey Boy Smith Jr. and the G1 Tag League with Minoru Suzuki in 2011.
Speaking to Sportskeeda's Bill Apter in an exclusive interview, Archer recalled his history with NJPW and how it made him feel to return to the promotion after 2020:
“I actually started with New Japan Pro Wrestling back in 2011, and competed with them on the regular until January 2020 – that was my last regular match there. Then signed on with AEW, the world went nuts, and then I actually got to go back to Japan last summer for the first time [since] competed in the G1 Climax, also competed in the World Tag League last year. It’s cool to be able to work with New Japan here, but I’m hoping to go back to Japan soon.” (00:28 onward).
Check out the full interview below:
Lance Archer last appeared under the Japanese promotion's banner when he took part in NJPW Collision in Philadelphia. It's unclear when he'll be back in AEW, but he clearly seems pumped to continue his career.
Missed out on last night's AEW Dynamite? Catch up with the results right here.
Before returning to NJPW, many fans believed Lance Archer would be parting with AEW
Archer's portrayal in AEW has been vastly criticized by fans online, with many pointing out how often he's received title shots only to lose in the end. Unfortunately, things haven't changed yet, but not too long ago, fans believed it was a done deal.
In a surprising tweet, The Murderhawk Monster seemed to hint that his absence wasn't his own, leading some fans to believe that he was unhappy in AEW:
"51 days since I laced up my boots last! NOT by choice!" Archer tweeted.
Since Lance Archer is still signed to the promotion and has since returned, it doesn't seem like the former IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion will soon part ways with AEW.