Tony Schiavone Calls Nigel McGuinness the Best Color Analyst He Has Ever Worked With

All Elite Wrestling commentator Tony Schiavone has identified colleague Nigel McGuinness as the most proficient color analyst he has worked with during his broadcasting career.

Schiavone shared this assessment during an April 2026 episode of the What Happened When podcast, which he co-hosts with Conrad Thompson.

The discussion took place while Schiavone, Thompson, and McGuinness were reviewing older matches featuring Bryan Danielson. During the segment, McGuinness remained in character for the majority of the appearance, directing heavy criticism toward Danielson.

As part of this persona, McGuinness claimed that Danielson had paid to have the Best Technical Wrestler award in the Wrestling Observer Awards renamed as the Bryan Danielson Award.

Schiavone on McGuinness’s Professionalism

Despite the in-character antics, Schiavone offered high praise for the former Ring of Honor Champion, focusing specifically on McGuinness’s level of preparation and his contributions to the broadcast team.

Nigel is probably the best color analyst I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve worked with a lot of them. I say this because no one is prepared to do his job like Nigel McGuinness is. I know that I do not have to always get you [Nigel] up to date on the storylines, because I know Nigel is always prepared to do that [himself]. That means a lot to a guy in my position. An old guy can’t remember everything, and I can always lean on Nigel because he’s got these notes. That’s why I think he’s the best

Tony Schiavone

Schiavone emphasized that McGuinness’s habit of maintaining detailed notes and staying current on complex storylines provides significant support to the play-by-play announcer.

By independently managing the narrative details of the show, McGuinness allows Schiavone to rely on his colleague’s preparation, reducing the need for constant updates on plot developments during the broadcast.