NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

NEWS

JUL.22.2021

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Lance Archer seizes IWGP US gold in AEW Texas Death 【NJoA】

New champ crowned on AEW Dynamite

RESURGENCE August 14, The Torch at L.A. Coliseum Tickets: P1, P3 SOLD OUT, P2, P6 ALMOST GONE!

Watch this match on NJPW World!

In shocking scenes on AEW’s Dynamite broadcast this week, Lance Archer defeated Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match to lift the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship for the second time in his career. The change marks the first US title change not to occur in an NJPW ring, and the first NJPW title change not to take place in the cerulean blue since La Sombra captured the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on May 31 2013. 

The rematch from Wrestle Kingdom 14 in the Tokyo Dome started fast, as Moxley went straight after his challenger before the bell with a kendo stick. Archer soon responded though, and a pounce bowled Moxley to the floor. 

Outside, more weapon shots followed for the Murderhawk Monster, but Moxley responded with a tackle through the ringside barricade, both men fighting among the people. A jumping knee followed for Moxley off the stairs, but Archer responded by grabbing a fan and flinging him at the champion to gain the upper hand. 

Archer wanted to drop Moxley on exposed concrete outside, but the champion responded with Death Rider on the floor as the referee applied a ten count. The now bloodied Archer found his feet, only to be attacked with a fork from Mox, Archer’s cut widening as the champion went to grab a table and assorted hardware from under the ring. 

Desperate, Archer battled back with a knee strike, only to be cut off at the legs by the US champion with a Dragon Screw. Cutting Archer right down to size, Moxley came off the second rope with his challenger’s leg wrapped in a chair, putting Archer down to the count of eight, but when the Texan stood up, he fired up a right hand through a trashcan lid to Moxley’s face. 

Archer and Mox traded hard hits, a German Suplex and a huge boot from Archer, before a trashcan rattled off the head of the US Champion. Archer set up for a Blackout through two chairs; he was stopped by a low blow from Moxley, but the champion had no answer to a chokeslam onto the chair backs. 

Moxley rose at eight, and landed a lariat to Archer before the Death Rider put the challenger down, albeit momentarily. The incensed champion again went under the ring, pulling out barbed wire boards which he laid on the ringside tables. Harkening back to their first Texas Deathmatch at the Tokyo Dome, Moxley wanted a Death Rider through those tables, but Archer fought back with Mox’s fork, and then  connected with a chokeslam scoring a shock victory. 

New champion Archer will now have to contend with BULLET CLUB’s Young Gun Hikuleo next week on Dynamite. Can Hikuleo bring the US title back to NJPW before Resurgence hits the Torch at L.A. Coliseum August 14?

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