Lance Archer Credits WCW And AEW Star As Major Influence

For any modern-day wrestler, a common question to receive is, "Are you more of a Shawn Michaels guy or Bret Hart guy?" Both legends had compelling careers that were often imitated but never duplicated by today's generation. Coming from the current era of grapplers, AEW's Lance Archer gave his take during a question-and-answer session with "One True Sport." "Really, neither," Archer said. "I guess to some small degree Shawn [Michaels]. That's no knock on either one of them. They're obviously the amazing wrestlers that are way above and beyond anything that I have ever been or ever will be. But I just, I never watched them." As a fan-turned-wrestler, Archer's exhilaration came from another Hall of Famer. A face-painted avenger often dubbed "The Franchise of WCW."

"When I started watching wrestling, like watching, watching wrestling was WCW, and it was when Sting took on the whole 'Crow' persona," Archer added. "He was the guy that I was watching; his fights with the nWo, and things like that. So, those were the guys that I was watching 'cause I really wasn't watching, you know, it was WWF back then, so I wasn't watching that at all. I know Bret was in WCW, but he wasn't somebody that really, at that time, piqued my interest — no disrespect to who he is ... he's one of the best ever to step in the ring. I could never technically come close to being what Bret Hart is. Don't take that as any negative knock towards him; it just wasn't my cup of tea."

In March, Sting finished his three-decade-long career as one-half of the AEW World Tag Team Champions alongside protégé Darby Allin. Although Sting will not return to in-ring action, the possibility of staying with AEW under a non-wrestling role remains open. As for Archer, he remains active on the AEW and ROH roster, with a recent showing against Will Ospreay on "AEW Dynamite."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "One True Sport" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.