IWGP United States Champion Lance Archer vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi is slated to take place at Saturday’s NJPW Resurgence event in Los Angeles.
The NJPW star spoke with Sports Illustrated to promote the event. Here are the highlights:
The forbidden door between AEW and NJPW:
“I think, now more than ever, it’s important for all of pro wrestling to come together and get past all the troubles COVID has presented,” Tanahashi says through a translator. “I think the best way we can do that is to bring the fans the best possible matches, and those dream-match scenarios. I think being able to wrestle in all these organizations can only be a good thing.
I predict that once COVID is behind us, you’re going to see even more movement and exchanges between Japan and America,” Tanahashi says. “The U.S. heavyweight title is the key to those doors being unlocked, and that’s what makes it extra important.”
Potentially wrestling Jon Moxley:
“I’d love to wrestle Moxley someday,” says Tanahashi, who was particularly impressed last May when he watched Moxley wrestle Yuji Nagata on AEW’s Dynamite. “Nagata can really do it all. He can get rough with you or he can rely on his perfect technique. Moxley was able to overcome that and win, and that shows how great he is.”
Facing Archer:
“However many times we wrestle, I always think he’s great,” Tanahashi says. “This time it’s in the states, on his home turf, so I have to be careful of him having the home field advantage. I’m excited to find out what will be different this time.”