Former WWE Star Addresses ‘Frustrations’ With AEW Booking

WWE, AEW

A former WWE star has addressed their frustration with not being used frequently on AEW TV.

The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer was a featured player in AEW upon joining the company in 2020 – competing against Cody Rhodes in a match to determine the inaugural TNT Champion, as well as challenging for the AEW World Title during Hangman Page’s run as champion.

However, over time his presence has not been felt as much on AEW TV, with 2023 representing his most inactive AEW year yet – competing just 10 times across AEW programming – with only one of those being on Dynamite.

While Archer did recently compete in the All-Star Scramble match at the Revolution pay-per-view, he recently spoke with WrestlePurists and was asked whether he gets frustrated when not being used on AEW TV.

Archer, had a stint in WWE as Vance Archer in 2009 and 2010, said:

“I think it’s frustrating for anyone that has a passion for anything, and then in this business, because we feel like … sometimes we feel like it’s an out of sight, out of mind scenario. But it’s more, just because we’re passionate.

“We want to be out there, we want to be performing for the people, we want to be … whether it’s in AEW or New Japan or one of the independents that I get to go and work in, which is why I do enjoy working independent shows and still going out to Japan and things like that because there are different outlets for the passion for the business of professional wrestling.”

Archer then continued to say that although he isn’t always featured on AEW TV, the company does offer him the chance to compete elsewhere – something he has done frequently since joining in 2020.

Archer said:

“I can still be the Murderhawk Monster, whether it’s at AEW or New Japan or around the independents. And that’s one of the luxuries of working with AEW is that we’re still allowed to do that.

“So while there’s times when I’m not one of the mainstays in AEW, I’m still working, I’m still out there, I’m still visible, I’m still a part of it.

“How I feel is that my character, in the way I’ve presented myself, is always valuable at any moment. I feel like the Murderhawk Monster as a character, as a personality, and me myself is somebody that anytime I show up, doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, at that moment, everyone believes that I could take down any one of the stars AEW.

“I could be fighting Samoa Joe for the championship, and if I beat him, everyone would believe it, even if I hadn’t been there in months. Or if I’m fighting Orange Cassidy or if I’m fighting Darby Allin or if I’m fighting any one of the number of amazing stars that are in AEW. When I step in there, I’m always a threat.

“So it’s not necessarily (that) I have to be there all the time. I can come in and out and then when I do show up, I’m a threat, I’m ready to go.”

Archer recently stated that his contract with AEW is coming up “pretty soon”, with no news as of yet on a renegotiation between the two parties.

For more information on Archer’s contract situation click here.

All other AEW news can be found by following this link, in what already looks set to to be a big year for WWE and AEW departures signings.

Transcript via WrestlingINC

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• Booking
• Lance Archer
• AEW
• wwe

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