Lance Archer Attacks AEW Star And Takes Them Out Of Action

Lance Archer's backstage attack on "Absolute" Ricky Starks — his first-round opponent in the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament — earlier this week has temporarily knocked Starks out of action and put their match on hold for the time being, according to AEW's social media.

Just before Wednesday night's "Dynamite" main event, the show cut to a backstage to interviewer Alex Marvez. However, right in front of him, Archer had Starks on the ground with a handful of hair before the "Murderhawk Monster" slammed Starks' skull into a metal garage door, prompting AEW medical personnel to rush to his aid.

This afternoon, AEW tweeted that due to Archer's heinous attack, Starks "has not been cleared by medical to compete in tonight's AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament, and his match has been postponed until next week." The finals of the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament are set to take place at Full Gear on November 19. The winner of that match will earn a shot at the AEW World Championship at "Winter Is Coming" in December.   

Coming into this contest, Archer has been undefeated in singles competition in AEW since he last lost to Wardlow in April, including a victory at Forbidden Door over Nick Comoroto. Starks, on the other hand, has become somewhat of a beloved underdog among AEW fans in recent months, ever since his longtime tag team partner Powerhouse Hobbs turned on him in July at Fight for the Fallen. Hobbs' heel turn came moments after Starks lost the FTW Championship to Hook, who answered the former champ's open challenge. 

Starks has appeared on AEW television with newfound energy since the attack and has been undefeated in singles action himself, minus a loss to Hobbs at All Out. But the former Team Taz member would avenge that defeat at "AEW Rampage: Grand Slam," where he beat Hobbs in an unsanctioned Lights Out match.