Nigel McGuinness spoke with Mirror on a number of wrestling topics. Here are some of the highlights:
Saying ROH instead of NXT during a live TakeOver show:
“Oh absolutely you just roll with it, you know? It’s one of those things. The positives of working for WWE are that they understand certainly at the NXT level that we’re all learning still, that’s why we’re there, we’re there to make our mistakes and learn from them. They were great about it, ha ha. I was a little embarrassed but to be honest with you I didn’t even remember saying it until after the show when I was reminded! But this happens, it’s funny actually watching a lot of the shows from the very beginning on the WWE Network, the early 80s to late 80s, you hear people say things and you think ‘that made it out, wow’. That’s part of it and perhaps that’s one of the best parts of it, that it’s often live and sometimes you don’t know what people are going to say, that makes it a little bit more exciting.”
If he misses competing in the ring:
“There are moments. Everybody who ever used to be an in-ring performer has that moment when they remember how it feels. But I think to a certain extent for me, having never actually – other than one very short match many, many years ago – ever been in the ring as WWE performer, there’s always that notion of ‘ahh… that would have been nice’. But I really do think that the commentary position makes up for it so much more because this is something I can do for the rest of my life. It’s healthy for me, I don’t have to worry about getting hurt or injured, and it’s a lot of fun. I really do think I’m growing as a person and a performer as a result of it.”
Working with Jim Ross:
“Oh it’s amazing. When I think about some of the guys I got to compete against in the ring, like Daniel Bryan or Kurt Angle… Austin Aries… I feel extremely grateful. Jim Ross is another guy I would add in that position. When you’re starting out as a fan and you say I want to be involved in sports entertainment, perhaps you could put together a bucket list of people you want to work with and Jim Ross would be high up there on that list as a commentator. To learn from him and the years of experience going back to where he started out, all the changes he has seen. There is a little bit of a correlation as well, Les Thatcher who started me out in this industry [under whom McGuinness trained at Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999] he used to commentate with Jim Ross in the past as well. He found out I was doing it and emailed me saying ‘congratulations, you’re going to have a wonderful time’. Jim is one of the best in the world at it, so it’s all good.”
Nigel McGuinness also discussed calling NXT and if he planned on being a commentator. You can read the full interview by clicking here.
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