Lance Archer tells all during an interview with NJPW.
Killer Elite Squad and Suzuki-gun member Lance Archer has been a part of New Japan Pro Wrestling dating back to 2011. Throughout his time in the company, Archer has captured the IWGP Tag Team Championships on three separate occasions with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and he also won World Tag League in 2011 with Suzuki-gun leader Minoru Suzuki.
New Japan Pro Wrestling interviewed Archer for a feature on their English website and Archer spoke about the experiences that he has had working with Minoru Suzuki and shared that Suzuki has been something of a father figure to him in wrestling. Lance Archer recalled the first time he stepped into a ring with the former IWGP Intercontinental Champion and said he attempted to break up a hold that Suzuki had locked in but was not aware of Minoru's history.
"I didn?t know much about his history at first. So I remember he was in the ring beating up my partner, I came in to kick him and break it up -- he just looks at me, doesn?t break his hold on my partner. It was just like, ?Oh, sorry?... He?s a father figure to me in wrestling." Archer said. "He?s taken such good care of me and all the members of Suzuki-gun. He?s offered a lot of advice, about how to protect my character. He has such a high level of respect for all of pro wrestling so he?s very eager to give advice. In Suzuki-gun, in NJPW, it?s really been the best time of my career."
Lance Archer still works the independent scene in the United States but he is content with finishing out his wrestling career in Japan. He feels confident and added that things have happened the way that they have in his career for a reason.
"For me, it might be that I end my career in Japan." Archer stated. "I?d be very happy with that. If I had started in Japan and then gone to WWE, it would have been a different story. My confidence now is so high, which it wasn?t when I was over there before. I?m a veteran now, but I?m always working hard to prove myself again and again, which is why I?m proud of that match with Ospreay."
To check out Lance Archer's full feature, click here. Archer will be in action at WrestleCircus' 'Encore' show tomorrow night in a Three Way against Peter Avalon and Colin Delaney.