Nigel McGuinness ‘doesn’t really want to wrestle anymore’ unless against Bryan Danielson

Nigel McGuinness discussed a possible match against Bryan Danielson in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet.

McGuinness said that when he first signed with AEW, Tony Khan confided in him that the company was set to run a show at Wembley Stadium. The possibility of wrestling at the historic venue led McGuinness to consider a return to the ring.

“I was open to the suggestion, open to the idea. When I originally signed with AEW, I took a flight cross country with Tony and he said, I’ve got to swear you to secrecy, I’m telling you something you can’t tell another soul. We’re doing Wembley Stadium and I was like, Oh, my God.”

“Then just the idea occurred to me. Could you, should you, because Wembley Stadium 1992. That was an epiphany for me. That was a moment. I went there with my friend and I sat back 50 rows back, and I just remember having this strange sensation, I talk about it during my magic show how I just have this weird feeling, this belief that somehow I knew I was going to be a professional wrestler.”

“So to go back to that venue and wrestle would just be off the charts. But the only thing that really made sense was Bryan, and he broke his arm because he’s got osteoporosis.”

Danielson missed last year’s All In after suffering a broken arm in his match against Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door two months earlier.

When asked what would have happened had Danielson not broken his arm, McGuinness responded:

“I don’t know. I mean, there’s so much of it is out of my control, really it’s whether he wants to wrestle me.”

When asked if a match against Bryan Danielson in Wembley would be his terms for an in-ring comeback, McGuinness responded:

“It certainly feels like that. You know what I mean? It certainly feels like that. All roads to me, I think certainly aimed towards him. Because there’s so much talent in AEW, so many young guys who deserve those spots. I’m very inspired by Christian Cage, obviously, and Adam Copeland as much as I’d hate to admit it. These guys can show that they haven’t lost a step. They can still go and all the knowledge that they have, they can convey and pass on to the next generation by being in the ring with them as well. I’ve been like, wow. Getting back in the ring I felt like, wow, it is so strange a realization when you figure out that the only thing stopping you being a wrestler is you. Now, having said that I’ve certainly got no desire to step away from the announcing booth. I don’t want to become a full-time wrestler. I don’t really want to wrestle anymore, to be honest with you. Other than beating Bryan, obviously, because that’s our story. There’s our history.”

In March, McGuinness was a guest on Wrestling Weekly and mentioned that he had gotten back in the ring recently and felt “perfectly okay.”

McGuinness also discusses his time in WWE, thoughts on blading, and more. The full interview is available below: