With Nigel McGuinness likely stepping back into the ring soon, we’re looking back at some of his best matches in wrestling.
The former ROH Champion has been retired for the past 13 years. During his career, he was considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, and looked certain to make it in the WWE.
Sadly, an injury took that opportunity away from him, and he retired with little fanfare in 2011. However, with rumours he could face Bryan Danielson at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium, interest in his wrestling career has spiked.
In this article, we’ll detail the best matches from Nigel McGuinness’ career. Let us know your favourite in the comments section after reading this post!
5. vs Tyler Black – ROH Take No Prisoners 2008
You probably didn’t know Seth Rollins battled Nigel McGuinness, given their recent standings in the wrestling world. However, the Englishman taught this young upstart a lesson in the ring during their clash at ROH Take No Prisoners.
This match was just one of the 40 matches of McGuinness legendary ROH title reign, and he was not going to let a young Tyler Black end it prematurely. He beat the young star up and down that ring, not letting up for the full 21-minute match.
This only fuelled the crowd’s desire to cheer for Black. His fiery comeback at the end had them on their feet, and despite coming up short, fans found a new respect for one of the best WWE Champions of all time.
4. vs Austin Aries – ROH Rising Above 2007
Austin Aries vs Nigel McGuinness from ROH Rising Above 2007 is a fantastic match, but is something that could never, ever happen today.
One thing that does bring this match down is a horrific bump McGuinness takes from a suicide dive. Aries clatters into the back of the Englishman, knocking him face-first into the guardrail.
He looks out in the crowd, dazed and confused. It is likely he suffered a concussion, but they were not taken seriously during that era. He still continued the match, putting on an all-time great performance that is hard to look back on.
Austin Aries is like a shark in the water following the injury, and it plays into the match perfectly. It is one of the best matches in wrestling in 2007, although one that nobody should ever try to emulate.
3. vs KENTA – ROH 7th Anniversary Show
Nigel McGuinness had an iconic match against KENTA at the ROH 7th Anniversary show.
The match told a simple, but effective story. Nigel McGuinness had defended his ROH title 38 times, and was aiming for a 39th against the Japanese star. However, the title reign had taken its toll, and injuries to both arms had taken the Brit past his limits.
KENTA targeted his arms with big, stuff kicks. McGuinness, wrestling as a babyface due to the injuries, valiantly fought through the injury to try and keep his title.
Despite little use of his arms, he worked the shoulder of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, eventually forcing him to tap out after nearly 30-minutes of action. It was a fantastic match, deserving of five-stars and one McGuinness’ best in ROH.
To read a more in-deptch analysis of why Nigel McGuinness vs KENTA is so good, click this link!
2. vs Kurt Angle – TNA Turning Point 2009
Nigel McGuinness wrestled Kurt Angle multiple times in TNA. However, their best bout came at TNA Turning Point 2009, in what was the peak of McGuinness TNA career.
He was known as Desmond Wolfe during this time. He joined TNA after being rejected by the WWE due to injury, and was immediately put into a main event program with Angle.
Wolfe defeated Angle numerous times, usually via cheating, in the build up this match. It showcased his incredible technical wrestling skills, going toe-to-toe with an all-time great in the ring.
The match put Wolfe’s technical prowess against the power, which is an odd story to tell, but one they did beautifully. Wolfe worked the arm all match, with Angle utilising suplexes to get the upper hand. They told a fantastic story, and put on one of Kurt Angle’s and Nigel McGuinness’ best matches.
1. vs Bryan Danielson – ROH Unified
The question isn’t whether or not Nigel McGuinness had his best match against Bryan Danielson. The real question is to figure out which one is the best.
They had numerous classic matches against one another, but the clash in Liverpool at ROH Unified is what we consider the best of the bunch. The show was named for this match, as McGuinness’ Pure title was up for grabs, alongside Danielson’s world title.
It even took place in England, giving the Englishman the home court advantage over the American Dragon. Danielson even worked the match heel, making McGuinness an even bigger babyface.
The match started out as a technical masterclass, but soon descended into violence. It was a bout filled with drama, and one you should go well out of your way to watch as soon as possible.
