Lance Archer explains several aspects of his character.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Archer touched on the "Everybody Dies" catchphrase that he keeps saying on AEW programming. Archer said the phrase is the idea of take advantage of the opportunities presented to you right now and not let it pass by.
"There's kind of that underlying meaning to the phrase 'Everybody Dies' that's like everybody's career ends at some point. I've been lucky and blessed over 20 years now and still going strong and at a top level with a top company in the business of professional wrestling but at some point, it will come to an end. I don't know when and I don't plan on it being any time soon, but this has been my biggest and best opportunity and the waves that AEW is making in the whole world of professional wrestling from the very first All In event, I was very supportive of that, simply for the fact that I knew what it could do to change the business of professional wrestling... going back to the mantra of 'Everybody Dies', it's like take your chances now. Don't let anything pass you by. Kick ass now and apologize later if you have to," Archer said.
As far as his "Murderhawk Monster" nickname, Archer said it came from his desire to re-define himself as he was getting ready to compete in the 2019 G1 Climax. It included a change in hair and when he described the mohawk he had as a "Murderhawk," the name stuck with him and added the monster at the end.
"So last year when the G1 happened it was one of those situations where I took it upon myself, I was like 'This is a big opportunity'. Initially I wasn't even in the G1 for that year, they were starting in Dallas, I was going to be on that show and then I was included into the G1. I had been part of a great tag team, KES, Killer Elite Squad for many years and this was my first real coming out part as a singles wrestler in New Japan since before Davey Boy Smith Jr. had joined New Japan back in 2012 and KES had just gotten started. I just did everything I could to change every part of me that was known to the wrestling world and the G1 was such a huge platform. We were going to be live on AXS TV in the United States of America so it was just one of those situations where I was like I am going to change everything. The initial hair was not the braid, it was more of a crazy poofed up Mohawk thing and we started calling it this crazy Mohawk and this and that and I was like, 'It's not a Mohawk, it's a Murderhawk' and then it morphed into the Murderhawk Monster. Everybody's had their 'monster' monikers in professional wrestling world throughout history but I just thought it was fun to say; Murderhawk Monster," Archer said.
You can check out the full interview in the video at the top of the page. Credit to Chris Van Vliet for the transcription.
