Why Nigel McGuinness Has Disappeared From WWE

McGuinness hasn't been seen or heard from since mid-April.

Nigel McGuinness
WWE

Nigel McGuinness hasn't been seen or heard from on WWE television since April, with other voices filling his role as a colour commentator on NXT.

The reason for this is simple: McGuinness was furloughed by the company as part of their Black Wednesday cuts on 15 April, hence why the likes of Tom Phillips have been doing commentary for WWE's back-and-gold brand.

It was reported at the time of the cuts that several NXT names had been released or furloughed that the company wouldn't make public. McGuinness would appear to be one of them, with Dave Meltzer breaking the story in this week's edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

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McGuinness has been with WWE since 2017. Brought in on Michael Cole's personal recommendation, his Stamford career began with an announcing gig for the United Kingdom Championship Tournament before joining NXT in February, later playing colour roles on 205 Live and Main Event. 2019 saw the release of his documentary, Chasing the Magic, on WWE Network, and he remains one of the most acclaimed television analysts in the business.

It is expected that McGuinness, like the rest of WWE's furloughed staff, will return once the global health crisis eases.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.