Three years and a few broken bones. That’s how long it took Jayden Archer, a freestyle motocross star, to perfect a triple backflip. Owing to his exceptional dedication, he became the first rider to land a triple backflip in competition at the Nitro World Games in Brisbane in November 2022. Unfortunately, he died while practicing the distinctive stunt that became synonymous with his name. The accident took place in his hometown of Melbourne. He was just 27.
Archer had been a member of the Nitro Circus crew for more than a decade and was a star in the Australian motocross scene. From landing a sponsorship deal with Kawasaki at the age of 15 to becoming a medallist at the X Games in 2023, he dedicated his life to his craft. As his fans mourned the tragic death, UFC CEO Dana White took to social media to express his grief.
Dana White met Jayden ‘Jayo’ Archer in 2023
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Dana White met the Motorsport legend back in 2023 and since then White has been a fan of ‘Jayo’. The UFC head Honcho took to his Instagram story to share some words for Jayden Archer. He shared an image of ‘Jayo’ and added a quote that read, “Rest in Peace, Jayo”
The accident occurred suddenly on Wednesday, and there are hardly any statements available. Even Victoria state police kept their mum regarding the matter, stating that they would not release any further information on the accident because of sensitivity and privacy.
The news about his death was broken by ‘Nitro Circus’ on Instagram. “The Nitro Circus family is mourning the loss of Jayo Archer. Jayo was the epitome of passion, hard work & determination. He pushed what was possible on a dirt bike to heights never seen before. A positive influence to those around him. And above all else a great human being and friend to us all. Sending our thoughts and love to Jayo’s family and friends. We love you mate. Ride in peace,” they wrote.
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Further, ‘Nitro Circus’ founder, Travis Pastrana, posted a tribute on Instagram for his late friend. “Thank you for the memories friend 💔 Thank you for being such a great human and positive role model for all of us,” he wrote. Along with the caption, he posted a video of Archer’s historic triple backflip. It was his career’s biggest highlight.
Right after completing the trick back in November 2022, ‘Jayo said’, “I’ve dedicated my entire life the last three years to this moment… and I would do it 100 times over to relive that moment again.” Right after the interview, the star rider took the microphone and proposed to his girlfriend, Beth King. Their wedding was set for this year.
Upon his passing, Beth King took to Instagram to share some of their best memories with the world. “My beautiful, beautiful boy,” she wrote. Archer had a lot going on in his personal and professional life. He aspired to reach greater heights in the freestyle motocross sport.
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Jayden Archer wanted more records to his name!
Simply perfecting the triple backflip was enough for him. He wanted to test his limits and, hence, he was planning to attempt a world-first quadruple backflip later this year. And with regards to his triple backflips, he was working on more control and on slowing down the speed. As shared by Pastrana, Archer grew up at a time when action sports were at their peak. He aspired to do some of the biggest tricks, even though the opportunities were a bit limited to showcase them.
The rider would wake up at 4 a.m., go to the gym on his dirt bike, and later go to work. Archer stayed with Pastrana when he was in Maryland to train. For Pastrana’s kids, Archer was a role model. ‘Work Hard, Dream Big’ was his motto.
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According to his X Games biography, he also worked as a suspension technician and mechanic for Raceline Performance and Factory Husqvarna Racing Team in Australia.