Summary

Tony Schiavone had high praise for Nigel McGuinness while McGuinness appeared as a guest on Schiavone's *What Happened When* podcast.

During the conversation, Schiavone said McGuinness stands above every other color commentator he has worked with. He pointed to McGuinness' preparation, his command of ongoing storylines, and the chemistry the two have built together on commentary.

Quote from Tony Schiavone

"Nigel is probably the best color analyst I've ever worked with. I've worked with a lot of them, but no one is as prepared to do his job as Nigel McInness is."

Schiavone later went on to say:

"I know that I don't always have to get everything up to date on the storylines because Nigel is always prepared to handle that, and that means a lot to a guy in my position. I'm an old guy—I can't remember everything. I can always lean on Nigel because he's got his notes, and that's why I think he's the best. I really do."

He also said:

"And I'm not just saying that because he's here with us, I genuinely enjoy working with him, and I think we have a good rapport back and forth."

Nigel McGuinness' value to AEW commentary

Schiavone's remarks underline how important McGuinness has become to AEW's broadcast team. The clearest takeaway from Schiavone's comments is that McGuinness gives the booth consistency and storyline detail, which matters on a weekly television product where announcers help connect long-running angles for viewers.

It also says plenty about the trust inside the booth. When Schiavone openly says he can lean on McGuinness for notes and context, it shows AEW has a commentary pairing that is working as more than just a lineup on paper.

Sources

Tony Schiavone on the What Happened When Podcast