Lance Archer Explains Why He Picked AEW Over NJPW

Lance Archer is undoubtedly one of the mainstays of AEW television and a true veteran in the pro wrestling world.

Prior to signing with AEW, Lance Archer largely worked in NJPW and competed in some memorable matches. He would sign with AEW back in February of last year.

While speaking on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Lance Archer talked about the main reason why he picked AEW over NJPW after receiving offers from both companies. Ultimately, it came down to him wanting to take on the new challenge of changing the pro wrestling world.

“There were a lot of pros and cons, and it took a bit for me to weigh all the goods and bads as far as making that decision. A place I’d been in for nearly nine years, a lot of friends and people that had kind of become family over in Japan, and then the opportunity that All Elite Wrestling was providing, All Elite Wrestling was changing the professional wrestling world.“I don’t even think, to a degree, I would have received the offer from New Japan if AEW didn’t exist.

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They didn’t even know that AEW offered me the deal. I’m just saying that AEW was changing the wrestling world completely from how everybody was doing business, and so that’s kind of where that came out with me.

So the opportunity to come back home, to tour the United States, this is prior to anybody knowing what was going to happen in 2020, the new challenges of coming back to the U.S. and being in AEW, a company that was growing and changing the world professional wrestling, all these things were just too enticing and something that I actually wanted to take on. I wanted to bet on myself and be a part of AEW.”

Lance Archer won the IWGP United States Championship by defeating Jon Moxley at AEW Fyter Fest Night 2. We will have to see how his reign with the title will be booked.

h/t to Wrestling Inc for the quotes.