The possibility of Nigel McGuinness wrestling once more may have gotten closer for fans. Nigel was a top ROH star for years before moving to TNA Wrestling and eventually retiring from in-ring action.
McGuinness was offered a WWE contract to wrestle in September 2006, but it was canceled after he failed to disclose a previous biceps injury during a medical pre-screening. His doctor thought the injury was healed and he was fit to wrestle, but WWE doctors advised Nigel to have surgery to repair the old injury.
Nigel couldn’t afford the surgery, so he declined, and WWE pulled the offer. Following his TNA run, he felt he had few options and chose to retire. He hasn’t competed in a sanctioned match since 2011.
McGuinness became an announcer after signing with WWE in 2016, first for the WWE UK Classic and then as a commentator for various shows such as NXT, NXT UK, Main Event, and 205 Live. After being released by WWE, he signed with AEW in April 2023, where he provides commentary for Collision.
While appearing on Wrestling Weekly alongside Les Thatcher and Victor Sosa, the AEW color commentator revealed that he had recently been in the ring. Nigel was discussing how, while he is pleased that other wrestlers he created have had the opportunity to realize their dreams, he has mixed feelings about it.
“Especially when I can still wrestle today, you know? I got in the ring last week and just felt perfectly okay. Sometimes, people say it’s a lot easier if you choose yourself to quit and I don’t think that it’s the case.”
Nigel has previously stated that he would have loved to wrestle Bryan Danielson at the AEW All In 2023 event at Wembley Stadium. Perhaps that will entice him out of retirement when the promotion returns in August.
(H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription)
