Quotes from Lance Archer

For me, to be the first G1 match ever in the United States was a really cool experience. And Will Ospreay and I, I think, went out there and tore the house down.

I work with kids in camps and help in training seminars and situations going to schools and stuff like that, there's guys and girls that do some amazing, amazing wrestling.

I had some amazing opportunities through TNA, even my time in WWE. Just to be able to go out there and walk out there in a WWE arena is an opportunity in itself but I don't think I was ready to capitalize on that.

AEW is creating more eyes and more opportunities and more chances for the business to grow.

I think that's the most interesting part about social media these days. You have such direct contact with anybody and everybody.

I really hope with New Japan - I was really considered a tag team guy, Killer Elite Squad had an amazing run for seven years.

One of the best talkers to ever step foot in the ring is Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, and he proves it every time he steps out there and cuts a promo.

Pro wrestling is pro wrestling and it's one of those industries where things change on a dime. I'm coming up on 19 years in a business with various companies and often one day you're there and the next day you're gone.

Luckily, I have been a part of New Japan Pro Wrestling for eight years and it's been a great run with a lot of cool things and amazing experiences.

Everybody goes through ups and downs and wins and losses, bumps in the road, and I don't let anything like that slow me down.

Yeah, I went for the TNT title and didn't work out, but I kept kicking some butt, throwing people in ceilings and waiting my turn.

So, you never know what the future holds for cross-promotional situations. I think it would only benefit everybody if and when that situation happens.

Everything that was happening with AEW in the world of professional wrestling and the worldwide attention that it was grabbing, for me, like I said, when it all came about, when the opportunity to sign with AEW came, and it came like out of nowhere.

Everybody in this business has lost. Undertaker's lost at WrestleMania, and that was never supposed to happen, but it did.

He's got the look. He's got the ability to speak. He's got the ability to step in the ring and back it up with his wrestling skill. It's an amazing, unique combination that Ricky Starks has.

And when you asked why I signed with AEW, that's what I saw, was chance for a new future and everything has been extremely cool with me in AEW so far.

The only semi serious injury I have had was when I strained my MCL. But I'm always beat up in some form or another.

So it was really cool just reinventing myself, changing my look, my image, my intensity, my ring-work style, everything that went along with it.

You had to have two VCRs, and you had to tape everything, and you had to make a choice - you either watch WWF or you watch WCW, or you watch one half of one show and the last half of the second show or whatever the case was back then.

I've been kind of a journeyman. My five-year stint at TNA. My short cup of coffee in WWE. The last eight-and-a-half years in Japan. I wanted to prove to the world that I absolutely belong as a singles competiton.

That first match there in Dallas for the G1 was the first time they'd really seen me work as a singles competitor in a really long time. This was kind of a coming-out party. I took it as an opportunity to really kind of reinvent myself. And really start the journey that is The Murderhawk Monster.

I love Japan. I loved going out there and I love the fan base, and I loved everything that I was doing out there, but the opportunity to come home and to be on U.S. television and see my friends and family, the idea was to be able to tour the U.S. and be a part of that.

When I started with New Japan in 2011, there was a total of five or six foreigners on the roster.

I was actually in Japan when I had the conversation with the TNA brass about my situation coming to an end with them.