AEW’s Lance Archer reveals how car accident derailed plans to join Shawn Michaels’ wrestling academy

Lance Archer, a current AEW star, recently shared a story about how he nearly joined Shawn Michaels’ wrestling academy in the late 1990s. Michaels, a wrestling legend, had established the academy after retiring from in-ring action in 1998. Archer had been accepted into the second-ever class at the academy, which Michaels was still heavily involved with at the time. However, an unfortunate car accident derailed Archer’s plans.

The accident left Archer without a car and unable to afford the $3,300 tuition fee for the academy. Despite being contacted by Michaels’ mother Carol, who was part of the staff, Archer had to decline the opportunity due to financial constraints. Fortunately, Archer was not injured in the accident and eventually found another training school in Texas to begin his wrestling career.

Although his first experience in a wrestling ring was challenging and painful, Archer persevered. He went on to have a successful career, wrestling for various promotions including TNA, WWE, and in Japan, before ultimately signing with AEW in 2020. This story highlights the unexpected twists and turns that can shape a wrestler’s career path.

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