AEW commentator Nigel McGuinness has revealed that he recently trained in the ring and felt “perfectly okay” following rumors about his in-ring return.
With McGuinness teasing a return to the ring ahead of All In London 2023, and McGuinness’ feud from behind the desk with Bryan Danielson, many fans have speculated that the former ROH World Champion could step back between the ropes during his time with AEW.
Speaking on Wrestling Weekly with Les Thatcher and Victor Sosa, McGuinness opened up about his in-ring retirement, and how he felt when working for WWE.
McGuinness noted that he can still wrestle today, revealing that he felt perfectly okay following a recent in-ring training session.
He said:
“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.”
There has been heavy speculation about McGuinness and Bryan Danielson potentially wrestling each other in AEW, with the duo often taking shots at one another.
McGuinness commented on his relationship with Bryan Danielson, noting:
“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.”
McGuinness hasn’t wrestled since December 2011. He faced Danielson on many occasions in ROH, including in Danielson’s final match for the promotion at ROH Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown in 2009.
It was reported in August 2023 that McGuinness had been taking measures that indicated he was considering a return to the ring.
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