Lance Archer: TNT Title is on the same level as the AEW World Title
Even if he never wins it, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Lance Archer will always have a connection to the TNT Championship.
The former IWGP United States Champion, who is still in the midst of one of the unlikeliest career resurgences that began with his run in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s 29th G1 Climax in 2019, took part in a tournament to crown the inaugural TNT Champion when he signed with AEW back in the spring of 2020, reaching the finals.
Since then, the championship has become a valued prize in AEW, thanks in large part to the effort of titleholders such as Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin, and the late Brodie Lee. In Archer’s mind, the belt holds as much weight as the promotion’s heavyweight championship.
Lance Archer says that the TNT Championship is at the same level as the AEW World Championship.
Appearing on The Rob Brown Show, Archer talked about why he thinks the company’s version of a world television championship is as prestigious as the top prize in AEW (h/t to Fightful’s Jeremy Lambert for the transcription):
"“It isn’t a secondary title by any means. It’s on the same level as the AEW Championship. Right now, Kenny Omega is the champion and he’s been very selective on who he fights. That’s how the AEW Championship has gone. The TNT Title has been seen many more times. Cody defended it on a weekly basis. Darby, once he got into the groove, he fought and defended it multiple times on TNT. That’s what makes it important in its own realm. There isn’t one that is better than the other, they just have different ways of going about things. Omega has been selective and has had an ongoing battle with Moxley and now has a triple threat with Orange Cassidy and PAC. The TNT Title has been defended against so many guys. One of the best champions the company ever had was the late, great Brodie Lee. Cody defended it honorably for a long time against so many guys. He got lucky when he beat me, we were the inaugural fighters for the title. Darby Allin defended it as he did and then Miro taking it as he did and making a statement. When Miro and I fight, we’re going to give fans that monster fight that I don’t know has happened in AEW.”"
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As of May 27, Archer has wrestled for the TNT Championship once: in the finals of the aforementioned tournament against Cody. He will get his second chance to win the title at Double or Nothing when he faces current champion Miro, who dethroned Darby Allin on the May 12 episode of AEW: Dynamite.