Nigel McGuinness: I Got In The Ring Last Week, It Felt Perfectly Okay

The Collision commentator isn’t shutting the door on a return to action.

Nigel McGuinness is a ROH World and ROH Pure Champion, holding the latter for almost a year, but his in-ring career came to a halt in 2011 as a result of medical complications. However, given the previous comebacks of once retired wrestlers such as Bryan Danielson and Adam Copeland, fans have always wondered whether Nigel would be able to step back through the ropes at least once more, and it seems as if McGuinness still believes that his in-ring days may not be quite over yet.

Speaking on Wrestling Weekly with Les Thatcher and Victor Sosa, the former ROH World and Pure Champion revealed that he actually got in the ring ‘last week’ (as of the podcast recording date) and felt perfectly okay afterwards, saying that it was hard for him to accept the success of those around him given that he wasn’t afforded the same opportunity in WWE.

“I think there’s a lot of similarities between your career (Les Thatcher) and I certainly… All the time that I was in WWE, how difficult it was for me and I think a lot of the… I don’t want to say the jealousy and the bitterness but those sort of emotions that certainly existed between me and Bryan (Danielson) and the success that he had. Obviously, when I was in WWE, seeing so many of my peers coming up and having that level of success and that level of fame and the fortune was very difficult for me certainly to sort of accept. 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 McGuinness

Should Nigel be able to compete, the obvious match for he and AEW to step up would see McGuinness take on Bryan Danielson, and this is something the Brit doesn’t shy away from during his role on the AEW Collision commentary team. On their dynamic, McGuinness revealed that he and The American Dragon have never really gotten on, often finding themselves bickering about opposing sides to a debate when they shared a locker room.

“What? Me not liking him (Bryan Danielson)? From the first time I ever saw him… We’ve always just had that sort of bickering relationship for whatever reason. I don’t know why. We always sort of tried to take the counterpoint whenever we discuss anything. Give him his due, he’s an intelligent guy. But he has some pretty weird viewpoints and so often times, we’ll just have a little bit of fun in a car or backstage just making fun of each other and try to argue the other point, whatever it happens to be, you know? So that started since we first ever met really… To this day.”

-Nigel McGuinness

As mentioned, Nigel is now commonplace on Saturday nights as one of the prevailing voices of AEW Collision, alongside Tony Schiavone. This has become a way for the 48-year-old to keep the fire burning for a potential match with Danielson, getting in several digs at the star any time he is on the show. McGuinness’ return match against Bryan is something many fans have clamoured for for some time, and, while it may never happen, AEW All In at Wembley Stadium could prove the perfect venue for the showdown should it be possible.

As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Nigel McGuinness’ in-ring status as soon as we hear more.

H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription.