The Death Of KES, And Rise Of Lance Archer
New Japan's resurgent monster has the G1's A Block on edge, and we're here for it.
Like the fabled steppenwolf, Lance Archer appears to be half man, half beast. And every wrestler on the planet has been put on notice: The 6'8" powerhouse is out to make a statement. Two years removed from back surgery, the former tag team champion and member of now-defunct Killer Elite Squad is crushing opponents as a singles competitor in a tour de force both outside and inside of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
His New Japan Cup match this spring with Will Ospreay – arguably the year's brightest star on the singles circuit – wildly exceeded anyone's expectations, as the two gaijins went bell-to-bell telling a story with twists and turns and near falls and choke slams and stunners and false finishes that featured some of both men's best work to date.
Dave Meltzer gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
Since then, the "American Psycho" has started a self-possessed run of singles matches that culminated this month in his first G1 Climax tournament win in a half-decade. It came in his hometown, Dallas, Texas in front of a crowd that was hooked from start to finish from the moment he entered the building, with a fresh look like he motored straight straight over from the wastelands of Mad Max.
The result? A 4.5 out of 5 star rematch against Will Ospreay that ended in an upset over the "Aerial Assassin," a triumph of evil over good and swift reminder that Junior Heavyweights and Heavyweights are two different beasts. It pits Ospreay as an underdog for the rest of the tournament, and makes you wonder what sort of dark secret is behind his menacing opponent's comeuppance.
To be sure, the former IWGP tag-team heavyweight champion has earned his newly-cemented status as a serious contender as a singles star in the G1 Climax.
"I'm ready to show the world what they never thought I could do," Archer told WhatCulture.
Will Ospreay adds yet another fantastic match under his belt against Lance Archer. ??What a year. #G1CLIMAX29 pic.twitter.com/zMNyfUbIIJ
— Z - R Ø (@The__Realest1__) July 6, 2019
Following his defeat of Ospreay, Archer promised Melzter and every other smark with an opinion on social media that he's out for blood. And that nobody should underestimate the man.
When asked by WhatCulture about his gameplan is for the rest of the tournament, Archer had just one friendly reminder for the audience."EVERYBODY DIES!"
Yikes.