AEW star Lance Archer has advanced to the finals of NJPW’s tournament to crown a new #1 contender to IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega.
Tonight’s NJPW Collision In Philadelphia pay-per-view saw Archer defeat Fred Rosser to advance to the tournament finals to be held at the NJPW Dominion pay-per-view.
Archer was originally scheduled to face Juice Robinson, but he was issued a storyline suspension for his attack on Rosser at Saturday’s Capital Collision pay-per-view. Tonight’s match saw Rosser replace Robinson, but Robinson ended up helping Archer get the win. Archer vs. Rosser was given a Street Fight stipulation and because of that, Robinson’s interference did not get Archer disqualified.
After the match, Archer cut a promo to send a message to Omega and AEW President Tony Khan, promising to take the title from the AEW Executive Vice President at Forbidden Door II. Archer also knocked Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, noting that Omega needed The Good Brothers to defeat him, and now they’re “in jail up north,” which was a WWE jab. Omega was referring to the February 10, 2021 edition of AEW Dynamite, which saw Omega and current NJPW Strong Openweight Champion KENTA defeat Archer and then-IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley in a No DQ Falls Count Anywhere Mach. Omega pinned Ache to win after multiple attacks by Gallows and Anderson to assist Omega.
Archer will now advance to the tournament finals at NJPW Dominion on Sunday, June 4 in Osaka. He is set to face the winner of Will Ospreay vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgence on Sunday, May 21 in Long Beach. Ospreay vs. Tanahashi is up in the air after Tanahashi was pulled from tonight’s show due to a broken rib suffered on Saturday at Capital Collision. Ospreay has been out with a shoulder injury, but it was announced today that he is now medically cleared to compete.
Below are several shots of Archer vs. Rosser from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia earlier tonight:
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