Nigel McGuinness was a fantastic wrestler, which somehow worked against him in TNA.
That sounds absolutely bizarre. Why would being one of the best technical wrestlers in the world be a hindrance to one’s career? The answer is simple.
Hulk Hogan.
When the Hulkster joined TNA in late-2009, everything changed. The six-sided ring went away, his old buddies from WCW all joined the show, and young stars like Nigel McGuinness were pushed to the side.
Nigel McGuinness spoke to Deadspin in 2013 about what happened in TNA. They reported that when Hulk Hogan joined the company in late-2009, he completely cancelled McGuinness’ push.
He claimed that he wrestle too well, and that McGuinness didn’t wrestle in the same way that 1980s heels would. This cost him his main event push in the company, and less than a year later was fired.
“His monster push ended almost as soon as Hulk Hogan debuted in TNA in January 2010. Hogan had an unclear role. He wasn’t wrestling or exactly booking the shows but he held considerable power and planned on using former WWE talent to attract casual wrestling fans. He also carried certain viewpoints about wrestling.”
“One specific tenet was that heels can’t outwrestle baby faces. Back in the 1980s, bad guys mostly kicked, punched, or eye-gouged; King Kong Bundy didn’t chain wrestle. McGuinness, on the other hand, would go from an arm bar to an arm lock, showing off his repertoire. It didn’t go over well in Hogan’s locker room, and McGuinness was nearly fired. He languished in the undercard for a few months. By September 2010, he was off television.”
While this seems ridiculous, it does seem exactly what Hulk Hogan would do.
