Kurt Angle worked with some of the top names of TNA and had a blast working with current AEW commentator Nigel McGuinness.
On a recent edition of his “The Kurt Angle Show” podcast, the Olympian recalled working with McGuinness, who competed as Desmond Wolfe in TNA. He said,
“I loved working with him. He was so good technically, actually too good. He was such a great chain wrestler, what he forgot is some psychology. I’ll give you an example. He was a heel, I was wrestling him as a baby face, and he would be chain wrestling me. We would go back and forth, and he would put me in something and put a lock on it so I couldn’t reverse it. I’m like, ‘What are you doing Desmond? I’m the babyface. I’m supposed to out-wrestle you. You have to give me an opening.’
“And he wasn’t quite understanding it, but after a while, he started picking it up. He was like, ‘Oh okay, I got you. I’m the one that needs to be out-wrestled. You need to be the better technician because you’re the baby face.’ I said, ‘Exactly.”’
One of the pair’s more iconic TNA matches was the ‘Three Degrees of Pain’ match, a two-out-of-three falls match where the third fall had to be by escaping a steel cage.
Wolfe would retire from wrestling in 2011 due to medical issues. He would later work with WWE as part of NXT UK before joining AEW/ROH.
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Kurt Angle Reflects on Working with Nigel McGuinness in TNA
Kurt Angle, a legendary professional wrestler and Olympic gold medalist, recently shared his thoughts on working with Nigel McGuinness, also known as Desmond Wolfe, during their time in TNA (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling). Angle spoke about McGuinness’ technical skills and the importance of psychology in wrestling.
During an episode of his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” Angle expressed his admiration for McGuinness’ technical abilities. He described him as an exceptional chain wrestler who was almost too good at it. However, Angle pointed out that McGuinness sometimes overlooked the psychological aspect of wrestling.
Angle recalled a specific instance when they were working together. McGuinness, playing the heel, would engage in chain wrestling with Angle, who portrayed the babyface character. However, McGuinness would lock Angle into a hold without giving him an opportunity to reverse it. Angle had to remind him that as the babyface, he should be out-wrestling his opponent and that McGuinness needed to provide an opening for him.
After some time, McGuinness began to understand the concept and adjusted his approach. He realized that as the heel, he should be the one getting out-wrestled, while Angle, as the babyface, should showcase superior technical skills. This understanding allowed them to create more compelling matches together.
One of the most memorable matches between Angle and McGuinness in TNA was the “Three Degrees of Pain” match. This bout was a two-out-of-three falls match where the third fall had to be achieved by escaping a steel cage. The match showcased both wrestlers’ abilities and added to their legacy in TNA.
Unfortunately, McGuinness had to retire from professional wrestling in 2011 due to medical issues. However, he later found success as a commentator for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH). His contributions to the wrestling industry have been highly regarded, and his technical prowess continues to be appreciated by fans and fellow wrestlers alike.
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