He arrived at the start of Dynamite during a match between Cody and Ortiz. With him was Jake “The Snake” Roberts, making it clear that he was in fact the new client Roberts had mentioned the week prior.
Archer and Roberts sat in the crowd during the match, but eventually left before the finish, which saw Cody pick up the win with the figure four.
Roberts made his debut for the promotion last week, telling Cody that he had found a new client that would take him out. Archer was originally advertised to debut last week for the promotion, but he never appeared on the program. Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio noted that there was a change in creative direction over Archer.
Before joining AEW, Archer had spent most of the last decade working for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He last wrestled for them in February during the New Beginning USA tour.
This story was updated and corrected at 10:30 AM Eastern.
Following Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite, a big question was why the promotional debut of Lance Archer didn’t happen as planned.
According to our Dave Meltzer on Thursday’s Wrestling Observer Radio (subscription needed), it was a creative change in the last week that resulted in the non-appearance. Meltzer didn’t know if it was related to Jake Roberts’ debut and Archer perhaps being his mystery client.
Meltzer had said Hardy was pulled from Saturday’s The Big Event wrestling convention in New York City and replaced with Terry Funk due to Hardy’s possible signing with AEW. However, RF Video (one of the event vendors) has reached out this morning to indicate Hardy will indeed be at The Big Event this weekend as their guest and that Funk was booked the entire time. According to them, he was never pulled. Hardy himself confirmed his appearance there on Twitter.
On the timing of debuts, Meltzer “strongly presumes” Brodie Lee is heading to AEW, so he expects the company to spread out the debuts instead of having them all on one night.
Following the AEW tag title match from Revolution, Kenny Omega has a broken pinkie that will not require surgery, but he does need a cast. Meltzer said he expects Omega to work with the cast, but he’s not sure when Omega will return. He didn’t believe Omega was in attendance last night.
Nick Jackson is at home as he and his wife await the birth of their third child. He’s not expected on Dynamite until then as none of the four participants were scheduled to work matches last night.
Days shy of his 43rd birthday, Archer had been with New Japan Pro Wrestling the last three years working as both a singles and tag team wrestler, recently holding the company’s U.S. title before losing it to Jon Moxley at the first night of January’s Wrestle Kingdom.
News of his talks with AEW broke last month with the news becoming official Wednesday morning.
Archer’s debut was the only thing announced for next week’s Dynamite as the company has their Revolution pay-per-view this Saturday. It’s assumed matches will be announced via their social media channels early next week.
Title matches on the show include AEW World Champion Chris Jericho defending against Moxley, Kenny Omega and Hangman Page looking to defend their AEW tag titles against the Young Bucks, and Nyla Rose defending her AEW women’s title against Kris Statlander.
Former IWGP United States and Tag Team Champion Lance Archer has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling.
AEW issued a press release today announcing that Archer has signed a multi-year deal with the promotion. They also announced Archer’s signing via Twitter: “Welcome to the team. #LanceArcher is #AllElite”
“I’ve been in the business for almost half of my life, but with AEW, I’m setting my sights on the best chapter of my career so far,” Archer said in the press release. “This company champions the creative, competitive and electrifying environment that I’ve been waiting for my whole career. No matter where I go — no matter who steps in front of me — I’m the one you should be afraid of at AEW.”
“Lance Archer is explosive, dynamic and unpredictable, making him perfect for AEW,” AEW president and CEO Tony Khan said. “He’s made his mark in every corner of the world. He’s brutal, colorful and will be a factor the minute he steps into the ring.”
Archer wasn’t among the wrestlers NJPW announced for this year’s New Japan Cup tournament. He lost the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Jon Moxley at Wrestle Kingdom 14 night one and was also in action at New Year Dash and all five nights of NJPW’s New Beginning USA tour.
Archer applied to trademark the name Lance Archer in January.
A new report is indicating that Lance Archer is in talks to join AEW.
Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reported that Archer is currently in high level talks with the promotion. Although he regularly tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling, he is not under contract and thus is able to negotiate with other companies.
Archer previously has had runs with Impact Wrestling, where he wrestled under his real name Lance Hoyt, and WWE, where he wrestled as Vance Archer. After being released by WWE in 2010, he joined NJPW the following year, joining the Suzuki-gun stable. He eventually teamed with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and together they were known as the Killer Elite Squad.
Smith left NJPW last June, leaving Archer as a singles competitor. He participated in last year’s G1 Climax tournament and won his first singles title with the company later that year, defeating Juice Robinson in an impromptu match for the United States title back at King of Pro Wrestling on October 14. He lost the title to Jon Moxley earlier this month on the January 4 Wrestle Kingdom 14 card.
Archer is slated for the New Beginning USA tour that starts on January 24 in Tampa, Florida and runs through February 1 in Atlanta.
NJPW has announced the rules for Lance Archer and Jon Moxley’s Texas death match at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
It will be a no disqualification match that can only be won by 10-count knockout or via submission. There will be no pinfalls in the match.
Archer vs. Moxley will be part of the card for Wrestle Kingdom 14 night one on January 4. Archer’s IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship will be on the line.
Moxley vacated the IWGP US title in October when he couldn’t make it to NJPW’s King of Pro Wrestling event due to travel issues associated with Typhoon Hagibis. Moxley was supposed to defend the title against Juice Robinson in a no DQ match at that show, and Archer defeated Robinson after being announced as his new opponent for the vacant championship.
Moxley had won the IWGP US title in his in-ring debut for NJPW. He defeated Robinson at June’s Best of the Super Juniors finals to become champion.
Jon Moxley laid out a challenge for Wrestle Kingdom 14 to Lance Archer this morning at the World Tag League finals.
Moxley came out after a match that featured IWGP United States champion Archer and Minoru Suzuki. Moxley emerged from the crowd and confronted Archer. He eventually laid out both Archer and Suzuki with the paradigm shift DDT.
He took the microphone and said he wanted his belt back and he will get it back. He said he would get it at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in a Texas death match.
Moxley then set up a table on the outside and tried to put Archer through it. Archer fought back and they both ended up brawling around the ring. Archer grabbed a ring barricade and threw it at Moxley, and Moxley eventually returned the favor as they both brawled to the back.
Archer won the title after an impromptu no disqualification match between him and Juice Robinson at King of Pro Wrestling back on October 14. Moxley was originally supposed to defend the title against Juice, but was unable to make it to Japan due to travel issues relating to a typhoon that struck Japan that weekend.
NJPW’s World Tag League continued today in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall in front of an announced sellout crowd of 1,725.
The show featured all Tag League matches, with all 16 teams in action. Here are full results and match recaps:
JUICE ROBINSON & DAVID FINLAY DEFEATED HIROYOSHI TENZAN & SATOSHI KOJIMA
Finlay and Tenzan kicked things off. They traded shoulder tackles and knockdowns. Kojima got a tag and hit machine gun chops in the corner. Kojima missed a charge into the corner, which enabled Finlay and Juice to take over.
Finlay hit Kojima with uppercuts. Juice used a senton for a two count. Kojima came back with DDTs on both Finlay and Juice, then made a hot tag to Tenzan. Tenzan hit Finlay with Mongolian chops, then used a brainbuster for a near fall.
They traded strikes. Tenzan used a wheel kick, then slapped on an Anaconda Vice. Juice made the save for Finlay, breaking the hold. Juice tagged in. Tenzan and Juice traded strikes. Juice hit a spinebuster. Tenzan answered with a Mountain Bomb, then tagged out.
Kojima hit Juice with machine gun chops, a top rope elbow, and a Koji Cutter. He covered, but Finlay made the save for Juice. The match broke down and all four jumped in. Tenzan and Finlay brawled to the floor. Kojima hit Juice with a brainbuster for a near fall.
Juice ducked one lariat, but Kojima connected on another for a near fall. Finlay jumped in. Juice and Finlay hit a double dropkick on Kojima, who no-sold it.
The finish saw Juice hit the Left Hand of God into a Stunner by Finlay, into a Pulp Friction from Juice, who pinned Kojima. This turned into a heck of an opener by the end.
Sadly, three of these four guys have no business being in the ring, with Makabe the only exception. Honma looked as good as he has in a long time, but Nagata seems to have aged five years since his last tour, and Nakanishi is immobile.
The match was built around Honma missing kokeshis. He scored some early chops and shoulder tackles on both Nagata and Nakanishi, but missed kokeshis on both.
Nagata and Nakanishi took over on Honma. Makabe finally got a hot tag and hit 10 punches in the corner and a lariat on Nagata. Nagata answered with an exploder suplex.
Nakanishi hit a splash on Makabe for a near fall. Nakanishi put Makabe in the Argentinian backbreaker, while Nagata used a Nagata Lock on Honma. Makabe responded with a double lariat, then Honma and Makabe hit Nakanishi with a double lariat.
The finish saw Honma hit a kokeshi on Nakanishi. Makabe then hit a lariat for a near fall, a sloppy slam, then the King Kong Knee Drop for the pin.
BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI & TOA HENARE
Fale and Owens attacked before the opening bell, sending Henare outside. Tanahashi made his own comeback. Henare and Tanahashi used a tandem crab on Fale, which Owens broke up with thumbs to the eyes.
Fale and Owens isolated Henare. Fale eventually missed a splash, which allowed Henare to make a tag to Tanahashi. Tana hit Fale with strikes, a dragon screw, and tried for a cloverleaf, but Fale fought it off.
Tana tried a slam on Fale, but collapsed with Fale on top of him. Fale missed a splash, which led to Owens and Henare getting tags.
Henare hit a Samoan drop, then used a diving chop for a near fall. Owens blocked a charge into the corner, and Fale entered for a double team. Owens hit a second rope elbow for a near fall. Tana and Henare suplexed Fale.
Tana hit a slingblade on Owens, and Henare covered for a two count. Tana rolled outside to brawl with Fale. Fale tripped Henare from the floor, allowing Owens to hit a shining wizard. Owens then hit a package piledriver and pinned Henare.
HIROOKI GOTO & KARL FREDERICKS DEFEATED KENTA & YUJIRO TAKAHASHI
Let’s all pitch in and buy Yujiro a new hat for Christmas this year. The one he wears during his entrance has seen better days.
They could be setting up a Goto/KENTA NEVER title match. This whole match was built around the two of them and the finish makes no sense otherwise.
KENTA stalled in the early going, avoiding Goto. Fredericks again worked most of the match for his team. He scored early offense with an uppercut forearm and a diving chop. KENTA and Yujiro then turned this into a brawl around ringside, leading to a lengthy bit of getting heat on Fredericks.
Fredericks blocked a Pimp Juice attempt by Yujiro, then both tagged out. Goto hit some trademark offense on KENTA. Yujiro tried to jump in for a double team, but Fredericks hit him with a spinebuster. Fredericks also hit a blockbuster off the second rope.
Goto tried an ushigoroshi, but KENTA raked his eyes. KENTA used Game Over, but Goto reached the ropes for a break. The finish saw KENTA take the ref. Yujiro jumped in with his cane, but Goto blocked a shot and hit him with an ushigoroshi. Goto then pinned KENTA after two GTRs.
Yano and Cabana argued over who would start. Yano began but quickly tagged out. Tonga hit a neckbreaker on Cabana on an illegal double team, which led to a lengthy beatdown on Colt by GOD.
Yano finally got a tag and untied a turnbuckle pad. All four did some comedy spots. Yano and Cabana both took Tongan Twists. The ref took a bump, which allowed Jado to jump in and hit Yano with a kendo stick.
The finish saw Cabana take the referee, which allowed Yano to hit low blows on both Tonga and Loa. Yano rolled Loa up with a schoolboy, then Cabana jumped on top with a Superman pin to earn the victory.
This didn’t have enough comedy to be a good comedy match. It also didn’t have enough brawling to be a good brawl.
TOMOHIRO ISHII & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED JEFF COBB & MIKEY NICHOLLS
Ishii and Cobb started off by no-selling each other’s power moves. Nicholls and YH got tags. Nicholls took over on YH after a lariat. YH came back with a headhunter, allowing both to tag out.
Ishii and Cobb exchanged heavy strikes and chops. Cobb hit a massive brainbuster, then tagged Nicholls. Nicholls hit Ishii with clotheslines in the corner. He tried a brainbuster, but Ishii slid out. Ishii hit some hard strikes, but Nicholls countered with a spinebuster for a near fall.
Ishii ducked a lariat, then hit a vertical suplex. Cobb and YH both jumped in and hit superkicks. YH used a backstabber on Nicholls into a German by Ishii. Ishii hit a lariat and went for a cover on Nicholls, but Cobb broke it up.
YH hit a dragon suplex on Cobb. Cobb popped up and hit Ishii and YH with lariats. Cobb and Nicholls hit stereo standing moonsaults on Ishii for a two count. Nicholls hit Ishii with a DVD, then hit a sliding lariat for a near fall.
Nicholls teased a Mikey Bomb on Ishii, but YH jumped in to make the save. YH hit Nicholls with a lariat. Ishii then hit a sliding lariat for a two count, while Cobb and YH rolled outside. Ishii then hit the Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin.
This was a great match worth going out of your way to see — if only for the one-man show that is Tomohiro Ishii. He is unreal.
There is honor among stablemates, as neither side used an attack before the bell.
After the bell, however, all bets are off. Suzuki and Taichi started off in the ring. Suzuki went after Taichi’s hair. Taichi responded by sending Suzuki into the barricade and hitting him with a chair. Sabre used a heel hook on Archer on the outside.
Archer and Suzuki made a comeback. Suzuki used a chair on Taichi and sent him into the barricade. Archer and Sabre brawled all over the building. Back in the ring, Suzuki and Archer took turns working over Taichi in their half of the ring.
Taichi snapped and went after Suzuki’s throat, backing him into a corner. Sabre made a blind tag and used a kimura and stomped on Suzuki’s elbow. Suzuki’s facial expressions here were absolutely priceless.
Suzuki fired back with strikes on Sabre. Sabre tried to respond with stiff forearms, but Suzuki got the best of it. Sabre hit a PK, but Suzuki no-sold it. Suzuki hit a PK, but Sabre no-sold it. This was great. Sabre and Suzuki knocked each other down with simultaneous high kicks.
Archer and Taichi got tags. Archer teased the EBD Claw on Taichi. Taichi blocked and hit a kamiguri. He teased a buzzsaw kick, but Archer caught him in a black hole slam.
Suzuki tagged in and slapped the crap out of Taichi. Taichi answered with a high kick, then made a tag to Sabre. Suzuki and Sabre squared off. Sabre dared Suzuki to hit a forearm. Suzuki did, dropping Sabre. Suzuki dared Sabre to hit him. Suzuki dropped to a knee from the strike.
They continued to trade hard strikes. Sabre tried a neck twist, but Suzuki blocked and put him in an ankle lock. Sabre reversed into an octopus. Archer jumped in and hit a Pounce on Sabre. Taichi jumped in and ate a big boot from Suzuki.
Suzuki hit Sabre with kicks. He tried a misdirection spot, but Sabre answered with a European clutch for a near fall. Suzuki got a rear naked choke applied. Sabre slid out. They traded a series of cradles, with Sabre finally using an inside cradle for the pin.
This match ruled. My favorite tag match in weeks.
EVIL & SANADA DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI & EL TERRIBLE
EVIL and SANADA established the early advantage on Shingo with some very basic offense. EVIL hit some shoulder tackles. Shingo came back with a lariat on EVIL, and all four brawled around ringside.
Back in the ring, Shingo hit a slingshot stomp on EVIL, a knee lift, then a vertical suplex. Terrible and Shingo worked over EVIL’s left arm, cutting the ring in half. EVIL came back with a double bulldog, then tagged SANADA.
SANADA used the Paradise Lock on Terrible. Shingo and SANADA exchanged strikes. SANADA teased a leapfrog dropkick, but Shingo blocked. Shingo tried a dragon screw, but SANADA reversed into one of his own.
SANADA hit a springboard dropkick. EVIL got a tag and hit a lariat for a two count. EVIL and SANADA teased a Magic Killer, but Shingo fought it off, then hit both with a double lariat.
Terrible came in for some double team spots. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber on EVIL. Terrible hit a top rope splash for a two count on EVIL, as SANADA made the save.
Terrible hit his punch and chop combos on both EVIL and SANADA. EVIL and SANADA hit Terrible with a Magic Killer. Shingo jumped in to make the save, but SANADA locked him in Skull End. EVIL and SANADA then hit Shingo with a Magic Killer.
The finish saw EVIL hit Everything is EVIL on Terrible for the pin. A good main event, but it had no chance at following the previous two matches.
CURRENT WORLD TAG LEAGUE STANDINGS:
Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI — 4 points (2-0)
David Finlay & Juice Robinson — 4 points (2-0)
EVIL & SANADA — 2 points (1-0)
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toa Henare — 2 points (1-1)
Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer — 2 points (1-1)
KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi — 2 points (1-1)
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima — 2 points (1-1)
Lance Archer, who wasn’t even booked to be in this morning’s IWGP United States title match, is now the new champion.
Archer subbed for Jon Moxley at this morning’s King of Pro Wrestling event, defeating Juice Robinson for the newly-vacated United States championship. Moxley was unable to make it to the show due to travel issues associated with the typhoon that hit Japan this weekend, and was stripped of the title just hours before the show started.
Although it was announced as a singles match, Archer demanded the match become a no disqualification match like the title match that was previously advertised. Robinson agreed, and the two proceeded to have an all out brawl, with Archer getting the win following Blackout on a pile of chairs then the iron claw.
After the match, David Finlay returned to the promotion and laid out Archer with a couple of stunners. He had been out for most of the year following shoulder surgery, having last wrestled in February.
UPDATE: New Japan has also confirmed that Zack Sabre Jr. is off the card, also due to travel issues. SHO & YOH will now face Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado in the opener while the third match will feature Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito taking on Taichi & DOUKI.
Original story:
Jon Moxley is off this morning’s King of Pro Wrestling card.
NJPW tonight on their website confirmed that Moxley would be unable to compete tonight as a result of travel delays due to Typhoon Hagibis, which is still active as of this writing.
As a result, the title has been declared vacant and a match between Juice Robinson and Lance Archer will take place on tonight’s card. The winner of that match will become the seventh IWGP United States champion.
The typhoon has caused a number of pro wrestling events to be delayed. Stardom and Ice Ribbon both cancelled shows that were due to take place this weekend. NJPW released a statement this weekend confirming that King of Pro Wrestling is taking place as scheduled Monday morning.
Typhoon Hagibis is considered to be one of the biggest typhoons to hit the Kanto region of Japan since 1958. It has caused 37 deaths thus far.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express have been added to the Fighting Spirit Unleashed tour.
NJPW announced this evening that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, will be part of the Fighting Spirit Unleashed tour later this month. A short video was released with Ricky and Robert talking about the upcoming tour.
This will mark their first appearances under the NJPW banner. They previously toured with All Japan Pro Wrestling in the late eighties.
Roppongi 3K and Lance Archer were also announced for the tour. It starts September 17 in Lowell followed by the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on September 28 and the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on September 29. The full cards for the tour have yet to be released.
NJPW is continuing to ramp up their presence in the United States, as they will return to California on November 9 in San Jose and November 11 in Los Angeles.
