AEW star Lance Archer names 8-time world champion his 'toughest strong style opponent' (Exclusive)
Lance Archer has been in the wrestling business for over two decades and has faced some of the best in the industry during his career. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, the star named Hiroshi Tanahashi as one of the toughest Japanese opponents he's ever faced.
The Murderhawk Monster and The Ace of NJPW clashed back in 2019 on Night Seven of the G1 Climax tournament. Archer, unfortunately, couldn't beat Tanahashi, but the two put on an entertaining bout for the audience.
Speaking to Sportskeeda's Senior Editor Bill Apter, Lance Archer recalled the atmosphere of the well-received clash between himself and the 8-time world champion.
"I have to say, the man is here today, and it was my favorite memory of the 2019 G1 Climax, and it was with Tanahashi – who’s considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time. He and I got to compete at the G1 Climax in 2019, and we had a split crowd, they were chanting, ‘Tanahashi, Let’s go, Archer.’ It was one of the coolest moments I’ve had in all of professional wrestling." (01:55 onward)
Check out the full interview below:
Not too long ago, many fans believed that Lance Archer was unhappy with AEW after the star took to Twitter to claim that it wasn't his fault that he had been away from the action for months.
Missed out on last night's AEW Dynamite? Catch up with the results right here.
Lance Archer is very familiar with the Japanese strong style and also explained how it differs from wrestling in the US
After years in Japan, The Murderhawk Monster adopted the country's unique wrestling style. It could also be argued that this is where he fine-tuned his current persona, making him a dominant force on the AEW roster.
Lance Archer and Jake the Snake Roberts cut a Promo Tonight on #AEWDark saying he's done with the scrubs he wants some real competition in AEW https://t.co/rharAfhuEg
In the same interview, Lance Archer explained what defines the Japanese strong style.
"Strong Style just means the competition. I think the Westernized style that is in the US now has infiltrated all over the world, so it’s been adapted everywhere it’s gone. But Japanese wrestling traditionally has that Strong Style where the guys step in the ring, they’re called fighters, they’re competing against each other, they hit each other hard." (01:07 onward)
Could Archer be in for a monumental run as soon as he permanently returns to AEW? Fans have been clamoring for him to capture gold, so has his time arrived?
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