Nigel McGuinness Isn’t Ruling Out His In-Ring Return After WWE Exit

Nigel McGuinness made a name for himself on the independent circuit in mid-2000’s thanks to stellar matches against the likes of Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe. Nigel’s brutal in-ring style, coupled with Hepatitis B, forced him into early retirement nearly a decade ago. It seems that the former Ring of Honor World Champion is contemplating his return to the squared circle.

Nigel McGuiness made headlines when he was released by the WWE in October 2022. His last assignment prior to his release was to call matches for NXT: Level Up. Nigel was also a major part of NXT UK as he had given a unique voice to the brand thanks to his broadcasting alliance with Andy Shepherd.

Most recently, Nigel appeared on the Two-Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast to talk about many things including a potential return to the ring in the wake of his WWE departure. The former ROH Pure Champion noted that he won’t rule out a comeback, but is letting cooler heads prevail at the moment.

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Yeah, everybody’s asked me that as soon as I went my separate ways from WWE, said Nigel. “I can’t give a definitive answer other than to say that I certainly feel my strengths at this point in my life or in other aspects of the industry, but I wouldn’t rule it out 100% either, you know? There’s always that part of you that wants to have that final moment, but sometimes, cooler and smarter heads have to prevail. So it’s a cliche, of course, just to say ‘never say never.’ We’ve seen a lot of people, Edge, Lita, Trish, a lot of people come back and have really really good matches, have a really positive influence on the industry, and in a way are able to help the next generation. I think that’s fantastic. So only time will tell, John, what really happens from here. I’ve got a lot of strings to my bow, and I’m getting ready to fire.”

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Elsewhere on the show, Nigel said he wasn’t shocked by his WWE release. As a matter of fact, he is incredibly grateful for the experiences he had during his time with Vince McMahon’s company. The former TNA star is preparing for his upcoming “CELEBRATION: The Magic of Nigel McGuinness” in Santa Monica, California on Thursday, as well.

The 47-year-old will also be appearing at Progress Wresting’s Super Strong Style 16 Weekend from May 27th to May 29th. You can read more on that by clicking here.

Do you want to see Nigel McGuinness make his in-ring comeback? Which promotion should the former ROH World Champion join now that he’s no longer with WWE? Sound off in the comments!