Nigel McGuinness returned to in-ring action in the Casino Gauntlet Match, which stipulated that the winner could cash in for a World title match at any time, at the AEW All In: London 2024 pay-per-view event from Wembley Stadium.
While younger fans may know him for his commentary work, he had been a top wrestling star for ROH and later had a run in TNA. His retirement came years after McGuinness was offered a WWE deal in September 2006 to wrestle. The deal was pulled after he didn’t disclose a previous biceps injury during a medical pre-screening.
His doctor thought the injury was healed and that he was good enough to wrestle.WWE’s doctors instructed Nigel to undergo surgery to repair the old injury. He couldn’t afford the surgery, and he declined. WWE pulled the offer.
After his TNA run, he felt he had few options left after this and decided to retire instead. In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that “almost nobody knew he’d be in the gauntlet as that was kept secretive.”
AEW President Tony Khan teased during the media scrum that something could be going on with Nigel and Christian Cage. Nigel had praised Christian in the past on commentary, but Christian turned on him during the match.
