Nigel McGuinness

Real name: Steven Haworth
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 220 lbs.
Date of birth: January 23, 1976
From: London, England
Pro debut: September 1999
Trained by: Les Thatcher
Finishing move: Jawbreaker Lariat

Biography

– On July 10, 2001, McGuinness defeated Dean Jablonski in a singles match with the HWA Tag Team Championship on the line (the co-holder of the title, Chet Jablonski, was indisposed), claiming the title for himself and his partner, The Human Time Bomb.
– On July 23, 2002, McGuinness & The Human Time Bomb defeated The A Squad (Chet Jablonski & Derrick Neikirk) to regain the HWA Tag Team Titles
– On January 18, 2003, McGuinness defeated Cody Hawk to win the vacant NBWA Heavyweight Title
– On March 28, McGuinness defeated Shawn Cook to retain the NBWA Heavyweight Title
– In April 2003, McGuinness introduced the European Championship to HWA. He first defended it on April 6 against Rory Fox
– On May 2, McGuinness defeated Drew The Don to retain the HWA European Title
– McGuinness made his first ROH appearance in August 2003, defeating Chet Jablonski
– McGuinness won the HWA Heavyweight title by defeating Chad Collyer on September 6, 2003 in Batavia, OH.
– On November 2, 2003, McGuinness defeated Hoss to retain the HWA Heavyweight Title
– On January 6, 2004, McGuinness defeated Hoss to regain the HWA Heavyweight Title, having lost it just days earlier
– On January 10, McGuinness defeated Cody Hawk to retain the HWA Heavyweight Title
– McGuinness made his first TNA appearance on August 11, 2004, competing in an X-Division Battle Royal
– On October 30, 2004, McGuinness defeated Apollo Kahn to win the NBWA Heavyweight Title
– On December 10, McGuinness defeated Silas Young to retain the NBWA Heavyweight Title
– On May 29, 2005, McGuinness defeated Chris Hero in a Best of 3 Falls Match to win the vacant FIST Heavyweight Title
– At Death Before Dishonor III, McGuinness defeated Azrieal, Homicide & James Gibson in a Four Corner Survival Match
– On August 27, 2005, McGuinness defeated Samoa Joe to win the ROH Pure Title
– In September 2005, McGuinness made an appearance on WWE’s Sunday Night Heat, losing to Danny Basham
– At Glory By Honor IV, McGuinness defended the ROH Pure Title against Roderick Strong
– On September 24, 2005, McGuinness defeated BJ Whitmer to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On October 1, McGuinness defeated Jay Lethal to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On October 15, McGuinness defeated Samoa Joe to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On November 4, McGuinness defeated Claudio Castagnoli by DQ to retain the ROH Pure Title
– In late November, McGuinness embarked upon his first tour of Japan, working with Pro Wrestling NOAH
– At Final Battle 2005, McGuinness defeated Claudio Castagnoli by DQ to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On January 14, 2006, McGuinness defeated Tony Mamaluke to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On February 11, McGuinness defeated Austin Aries to retain the ROH Pure Title
– At Best In The World ’06, McGuinness defeated Claudio Castagnoli to retain the ROH Pure Title
– At the ROH Weekend of Champions event in April 2006, McGuinness defended the ROH Pure Title against Bryan Danielson and Christopher Daniels, winning both matches by countout
– On May 13, McGuinness defeated Jay Lethal to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On May 26, McGuinness & Doug Williams fought GHC Tag Team Champions Mohammed Yone & Takeshi Morishima to a time-limit draw in Doncaster, England
– On June 23, McGuinness defeated Conrad Kennedy III to retain the ROH Pure Title
– The next day, McGuinness defeated Homicide to retain the ROH Pure Title
– At Death Before Dishonor IV, McGuinness defeated Roderick Strong to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On July 28, McGuinness defeated Colt Cabana to retain the ROH Pure Title
– On August 4, McGuinness defeated Delirious to retain the ROH Pure Title
– At Supercard Of Honor II, McGuinness defeated Chris Hero
– In April 2007, McGuinness defeated Rhino, Pac, Davey Richards & Doug Williams to win the King Of Europe Cup
– At Undeniable on October 6, 2007, McGuinness defeated Takeshi Morishima to win the ROH World title.
– On October 21, 2007, McGuinness defeated Jay Briscoe to retain the ROH World Title
– On November 2, McGuinness defeated Chris Hero to retain the ROH World Title
– On December 29, McGuinness defeated Austin Aries to retain the ROH World Title
– On January 20, 2008, McGuinness defeated Go Shiozaki at a Pro Wrestling NOAH event in Tokyo, Japan to retain the ROH World Title
– On January 25, McGuinness defeated Chris Hero in a Cage Match to retain the ROH World Title
– The next day, McGuinness defeated Roderick Strong to retain the ROH World Title
– At ROH’s 6th Anniversary Show, McGuinness defeated Bryan Danielson to retain the ROH World Title
– On March 16, McGuinness defeated Tyler Black to retain the ROH World Title
– On March 22, McGuinness defeated Larry Sweeney to retain the ROH World Title
– At Supercard of Honor III, McGuinness defeated Austin Aries to retain the ROH World Title
– On April 11, McGuinness defeated Erick Stevens to retain the ROH World Title
– The next day, McGuinness defeated Kevin Steen to retain the ROH World Title. A week later, he would retain the title against Steen for a second time
– On May 10, McGuinness defeated Claudio Castagnoli to retain the ROH World Title
– On May 15, McGuinness defeated BJ Whitmer & KENTA in a 3-Way Dance at a Pro Wrestling NOAH event to retain the ROH World Title
– On June 7, 2008, McGuinness defeated Go Shiozaki to retain the ROH World Title
– A week later, McGuinness defeated Vic Viper in Dublin, Ireland to retain the ROH World Title
– On June 20, McGuinness defeated Keith Myatt & Lionheart in Edlington, England to retain the ROH World Title
– On July 25, McGuinness defeated Kevin Steen to retain the ROH World Title
– The next day, McGuinness defeated Claudio Castagnoli to retain the ROH World Title
– On August 1, McGuinness defeated Ruckus to retain the ROH World Title
– At Death Before Dishonor VI, McGuinness defeated Bryan Danielson, Tyler Black & Claudio Castagnoli in an Elimination Match to retain the ROH World Title
– On August 15, McGuinness defeated El Generico to retain the ROH World Title
– On September 14, McGuinness defeated Jimmy Jacobs to retain the ROH World Title
– On September 19, McGuinness defeated Roderick Strong to retain the ROH World Title
– At Glory By Honor VII, McGuinness defeated El Generico to retain the ROH World Title
– On November 7, McGuinness defeated El Generico, Kevin Steen & Go Shiozaki in an Elimination Match to retain the ROH World Title
– On November 22, McGuinness defeated Bryan Danielson to retain the ROH World Title
– On December 6, McGuinness defeated Jerry Lynn to retain the ROH World Title
– At Final Battle 2008, McGuinness defeated Naomichi Marufuji to retain the ROH World Title
– On January 31, 2009, McGuinness defeated El Generico to retain the ROH World Title
– On February 7, McGuinness defeated D-Lo Brown to retain the ROH World Title
– On February 27, McGuinness defeated Tyler Black, Jimmy Jacobs & Jerry Lynn in an Elimination Match to retain the ROH World Title
– On March 8, McGuinness defeated Kaio in Monza, Italy to retain the ROH World Title
– At ROH’s 7th Anniversary Show, McGuinness defeated KENTA to retain the ROH World Title
– On April 19, McGuinness defeated Johnny Moss to win the 1PW Openweight Title
– On July 11, 2009, McGuinness defeated Moss to retain the 1PW Openweight Title
– In October 2009, McGuiness signed with TNA and changed his ring name to Desmond Wolfe.
– At TNA Genesis ’10, Wolfe defeated D’Angelino Dinero.
– After a long hiatus from the ring, TNA brought back Wolfe as the Xplosion commissioner.
– In June 2011, TNA released Wolfe. A short time later, he returned to ROH as Nigel McGuinness, working a commentator
– Between November and December 2011, McGuinness wrestled several dates, billing it as the ‘Nigel McGuinness Retirement Tour’. In his final match on December 17, he lost to TJ Phillips at an APWA event
– In November 2012, McGuinness replaced Jim Cornette as ROH’s authority figure
– In December 2016, McGuinness left ROH and signed with WWE. He was unveiled as one of the announcers for WWE’s UK Title Tournament
– Following Corey Graves’ move to the main roster, McGuinness was unveiled as a new member of the NXT announce team
– With Graves expanding his main roster duties, McGuinness replaced him on 205 Live, whilst continuing on NXT
– In May 2020, McGuinness was furloughed by WWE due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but would return to NXT UK and 205 Live in September
– In October 2022, McGuinness was released by WWE
– McGuinness returned to ROH at Supercard of Honor 2023, joining Caprice Coleman & Ian Riccaboni at the announce desk
– In April 2023, McGuinness officially signed with AEW, primarily to announce for their ROH brand, but would also serve on the announce team for the new Collision show