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Nigel McGuinness Admits AEW In-Ring Return Didn’t Pay Off

By Lyle Kilbane • Published 26th August 2024
Nigel McGuinness

Nigel McGuinness has addressed his hugely emotional return to the ring as he shocked the AEW fans in Wembley Stadium at All In.

The Casino Gauntlet match is one open to surprises and that came to pass at All In as ex-WWE star Ricochet made his AEW debut in the bout. However, before that, if Wembley Stadium had a roof it would have been off and floating down old Mother Thames when Nigel McGuinness made his return to the ring for the first time in 13 years.

McGuinness was the third entrant in the match following Orange Cassidy and Kazuchika Okada and impressed everyone as he took several stars to the Tower of London. Ultimately, it was not to be Nigel McGuinness’ night as Christian Cage won the match but for the English star, his moment was worth so much more.

Nigel McGuinness Says In-Ring Return Proves There’s Always Hope

Speaking in a digital exclusive with Alicia Atout, Nigel McGuinness addressed his shock return to the ring and admitted his Wembley moment has been in his head for over three decades:

What you saw tonight was a long time coming you know what I mean? 13 years since I was in the ring and 32 years since I was in this stadium and first had that dream, that epiphany that somehow I was going to be a professional wrestler.

There was a good portion of my life, after I retired 13 years ago that I just had to put that to bed, you know? You get some things and you have to just look at the positives, and you know when we first found out we were coming to Wembley and that was a possibility, like I said what you saw tonight was only a short part of it.

It’s been a year and a half that I’ve been thinking about that moment, walking out in front of my home crowd and it was surreal it really was. I’m still not – I can’t believe it really happened, you know what I mean? But the show’s over now and I took my shot, I shot my shot as they say and it didn’t pay off but I will take with me a memory for the rest of my life.

You never know how life is going to work out and I think if anything it proves there’s always hope.

Tony Khan noted at the post-show media scrum that Nigel McGuinness will be back on commentary duties for AEW following his return to the ring.

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