NJPW Champion Uncertain About Future With The Company

NJPW is holding their Wrestle Kingdom event for the next two nights. Lance Archer will defend his IWGP United States Title against Jon Moxley on the show in a Texas Deathmatch. That could be a brutal affair and both men are likely to put each other through a lot of pain.

While speaking with Fightful, Lance Archer revealed that his future with NJPW is uncertain. This could add an extra dynamic of intrigue to his upcoming title match.

Archer is on a tour-to-tour deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He’s a champion with the company, but not under a traditional contract for someone in such a high profile spot.

“As of right now, it’s the exact same as its always been for the last eight and a half years in New Japan. How that changes, possibly, in the next month or so—who knows? But, as of right now, going to Wrestle Kingdom, my situation is the same as it’s always been. It’s kind of a tradition that’s changing because of the environment of professional wrestling right now, with the big contracts that are being signed in WWE.”

Advertising

Advertising

“AEW being a true player in the business, both on the show level and the financial level; the guys and girls around the world, the hot independent scene that exists everywhere. In the States, you have IMPACT! Wrestling, and IMPACT! Wrestling’s doing better than its been doing in a long time. You got MLW doing its thing, and so on and so forth. So, there’s a lot of avenues for guys and girls to go and make a living in this business. But, as of right now, I don’t have an annual style contract. I’ve just been a tour-by-tour style guy for eight and a half years.”

Lance Archer has a hard-hitting style that could fit in a lot of places. We’ll have to see if NJPW signs him to a better deal to lock him in. In the meantime, all we can do is wait and see what his next move is.