Nigel McGuinness still has it, but hes not IWGP World Champion.
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door went down at the O2 Arena in London. The IWGP Title was on the line tonight as Nigel McGuinness stepped up to Zack Sabre Jr.
Fans were all behind Nigel as he made his way to the ring. Daniel Garcia stood in his corner for this massive match in his career. McGuinness was there, in his home city of London, England, to prove that he still had what it takes to compete at the worlds highest level.
Bryan Danielson, who sat in on commentary, had nothing but amazing things to say about Nigel McGuinness, but he also had a ton of respect for Zack Sabre Jr. In the end, this match between two Englishmen had the crowd split down the middle in a lot of ways.
This was an even back-and-forth match, and McGuinness looked as though he had the upperhand. He even played the the crowd, baiting Sabre into running at him for a clothesline. They went to mat wrestling eventually, and it was a clinic as fans clapped to keep the energy in the O2 Arena going.
Daniel Garcia was reprimanded by the referee for getting involved in the match, but then they carried on. Bryan Danielson said his uppercut is better than both Sabre Jr and McGuinness as they traded blows, as McGuinness seemed to win the exchange as he laid out the champion with a stiff lariat for a near fall.
In the end, the match ended as Zack Sabre Jr pulled off a pinfall after the two traded roll-up and cradle pins. This was a big match for both competitors, as Bryan Danielson called it a beautiful pinfall.
McGuinness had retired from in-ring competition for years due to a health issue. However, Tony Khan gave him quite a spotlight at Forbidden Door.
Nigel McGuinness last match was on August 14, 2025, when he challenged Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Before that, he won a four-way contendership match on AEW Collision in Cincinnati and later teamed with Daniel Garcia in a loss to FTR at AEW Double or Nothing 2025. His return began at ROH Final Battle 2024, where he was defeated by Lee Moriarty for the ROH Pure Title.
Whats your take on Nigel McGuinness performance at Forbidden Door? Do you think that he should wrestle more often in AEW? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
