10 Wrestlers Who Have Become More Inspiring Since They Retired

9. Nigel McGuinness

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The circumstances surrounding why Nigel McGuinness no longer plies his trade inside a professional wrestling ring are extremely harsh, but his was a star which burned out quickly, right before it reached its highest point. All set to sign for WWE in 2009, injuries stopped him from living out his dreams.

From there, McGuinness worked in TNA, before contracting Hepatitis B. This ended his in-ring career, crushing the man's dreams of ever working in WWE, and it's fair to say he wasn't shy in showing emotion over the situation. Continuing to work as a colour commentator and authority figure in Ring Of Honor, McGuinness also released a Kickstarter-funded DVD, telling his story.

Extremely outspoken about the use of blood in pro wrestling, the man seems determined to stop others from suffering the same fate as he did, and argues that excellent stories are achievable in wrestling without claret to back them up. After a period of being bitter about his retirement, McGuinness has turned things around, looking to launch an acting career and being a staunch supporter of wrestler safety and welfare.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.