Thoughts on The Murder-Hawk Lance Archer

[Davey Wrestling]

So, Lance Archer, "The Murder-Hawk"... he's been around a while, TNA, WWECW for a cup of coffee, New Japan, Noah and now AEW (just feds he's been in off the top of my head).

I haven't enjoyed the guy since I first saw him when he was Dallas with Kid Cash - fair play, he was only learning the ropes then, but he wasn't believeable to me then and he's never been believeable to me ever since.....

The time I most enjoyed him was with DBS jnr in the Killer Elite Squad because two massive guys crushing people is what every tag-division needs. But even with his lack of experience Smith still carried the team (in my opinion).

Now AEW have brought him in, teamed him with Jake and given him a massive push to the point that he'll be taking on the companies golden child for a title at the next PPV... everything they've done should have legitimised him as a massive threat and a credible big guy... but I'm still not buying him.

I've recognised that the issues I have and have always had with him are twofold. .

1. His face doesn't look right, Maybe it's the eyes but the dude never looks angry, which is exactly what he should be every time he's on screen. He also looks too well groomed to play a monster that doesn't give a shit about others.

2. He doesn't quite move properly. It's hard to explain what I mean but it's almost like he doesn't complete the animation sequence (only way I can think of to put it) - it's like every movement he does isn't quite exagerated enough for me to buy what he's doing. - Randy Orton suffered with this when he first arrived on the WWE main roster too, but Orton grew through it and Archer hasn't yet.

So, for me, everything AEW have done with this "monster that dominated in Japan" has been right, a masterclass in how to book a new monster, but I just don't buy him....

What do you guys think about The Murder Hawk?

 

[Lady Redfield]

I hate him and I hate that they put a legend in Jake with him. I don't think he could ever be appealing to me, no matter what.

 

[Hoss]

I buy him. I think he's going to be a great piece of the AEW upper card for the foreseeable future. His style is very exciting. He's intense and he has impressive athleticism, but unlike a lot of guys nowadays (I guess I'm going to be that guy), he doesn't overdo it with the spots and mostly wrestles a brawling style with the occasional flashy move. Jake Roberts is definitely going to help him out a lot in the character department. I would compare him to like Matt Morgan in TNA. I don't think he'll ever be the World Champion. Big, athletic, competent worker who can mostly hold down the midcard and contend for the World Title if you need someone for a month or two.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

This actually is a good pairin'. They just need to drink on TV

 

[Chris]

Archer won me over during the KES run easily but I still preferred Davey. From what I've seen Archer has kept improving as a singles guy and doesn't look out of place at all in the upper mid card of AEW so good for him

 

[Benoit's Weight Machine]

Not crazy about his booking. The whole monster destroying everyone angle never ends well (Warrior and Goldberg being prime examples). He will either lose to Cody or have a long title reign but he will fall flat as soon as he loses.

The biggest mistake they made is putting him with Jake who is so good that he is completely overshadowing him. Put Jake with someone who can't talk and works a more psychology-based style.

I would have had Archer come in as a face and feud with Hager and the inner circle. Their constant gang beatdowns are getting old real fast. Archer could have evened the odds and occasionally made the save for Moxley or the elite. A mini program with Jericho would do wonders for him. He would come out of that with some main event credibility and then you could turn him heel.

 

[Benoit's Weight Machine]

Also, the Murderhawk Monster is a really stupid name. They need to do better than that.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

He should be the Murder Hornet. Duh.

 

[Mitch Buchannon]

He had a really surprisingly good 2019 in New Japan. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed him.


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[Hidden Blaze]

I’m shocked to see such a positive reaction to him. I’m not really sure much about where I stand with him tbh. Like I honestly at least at the moment have not much of an opinion on him. Other than he at least isn’t trash. But I’m not really a fan yet either.

 

[Apoho Creed]

You know I like Lance Archer, and I can't say I was a fan of his before his NJPW days. He felt like just another big oaf, with high impact moves and barely a personality to me. Once he got to NJPW he really found himself as a talent there. Suzuki among others taught him well and with the time in Japan he has become truly a badass. I think he can hold a World Title one of these days because he has all the tools to get it done, it's whether or not if the situation is right for it.

 

[SPCDRI]

I like that he has picked up his pace. Jericho on commentary was bagging on his pace. Its a difficult line to walk between methodical and meandering, deliberate as opposed to dull. Also, Jake Roberts has been a stellar manager for him so far, top notch stuff from him. Love it!

 

[Benoit's Weight Machine]

I like that he has picked up his pace. Jericho on commentary was bagging on his pace. Its a difficult line to walk between methodical and meandering, deliberate as opposed to dull. Also, Jake Roberts has been a stellar manager for him so far, top notch stuff from him. Love it!

Jake has been too good of a manager. The second he put that snake on Brandi, all the heat went off of Lance and onto Jake. From the looks of things on dynamite last night when Cody went after Jake while at the same time deliberately avoiding any contact with him, it does not appear that Jake is capable of taking any bumps so this heat he is building can never be properly paid off. Bobby Heenan understood this and this is why he retired as a manager as soon as he couldn't take anymore bumps.

I really don't know where they are going with this angle but I don't see it ending well. If Archer wins, then we have a Goldberg/Warrior situation which will leave him flat after his first loss. If Cody wins then we will have a devalued world title as he will be pushed as face of the company.

 

[Davey Wrestling]

I'm not sure Cody winning the TNT title devalues the World title. If anything it means that the World champ can appear less frequently and be built up in vignettes and angles and advertised that "the world champion will be here" for weeks before an appearance - making him feel more of a big deal when he is on the show. Which in regular times would free Mox up to work New Japan too (not so much at the moment though....)

 

[Benoit's Weight Machine]

I'm not sure Cody winning the TNT title devalues the World title. If anything it means that the World champ can appear less frequently and be built up in vignettes and angles and advertised that "the world champion will be here" for weeks before an appearance - making him feel more of a big deal when he is on the show. Which in regular times would free Mox up to work New Japan too (not so much at the moment though....)

If Cody as TNT Champion comes out to his elaborate entrances and usually the biggest pop of the night (this pop is for him creating the company, not necessarily from any natural heat) and the world champion continues to come out and get beaten down by either the inner circle or the dark order without getting his heat back, then Cody's championship will eventually undermine the world title. This will be similar to RVD making the ECW TV championship seem more important than the ECW world championship.