Following his long-awaited comeback to the ring earlier this year, AEW commentator Nigel McGuinness has spoken openly about his plans as an in-ring performer. In an interview with The Magic Of Wrestling, the former ROH World Champion made it clear that he has no intention of returning to a full-time schedule, instead choosing to wrestle only when it makes sense from a storyline standpoint.

McGuinness, whose original career was cut short more than a decade ago due to health concerns, explained his approach to stepping back into the ring. “I don’t think there’s any benefit to me wrestling a full-time schedule,” he said. “With the part-time schedule that I’m currently on, if an opportunity presents itself and it makes sense from a storyline perspective, then I’ll do it.”

Although he admitted his passion for performing has never gone away, McGuinness stressed that AEW’s roster is filled with younger stars who deserve the spotlight more than him. “I love doing it, but not full-time,” he added. “There’s too many guys on the roster anyway, younger guys who deserve more of those spots than me.”

McGuinness returned to action at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium in 2024, marking his first match in over ten years. Since then, he has competed sparingly, while continuing in his main role as the lead color commentator on AEW Collision.

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