[8.0] "Seeing these 2 wrestle each other one last time was truly an honor. It wasn't anywhere near the classics they put on in ring of honor 15 years ago but it's still a very good match/"
[9.0] "The first singles match for Nigel in 13 years and it was fantastic. Two absolute legends just going at it with no signs of slowing down. People had high expectations but this couldn't be like their brutal and bloody ROH matches due to Nigels condition, and I'm glad that this was different and it was truly a remarkable throwback to watch these two lock up once again"
[8.0] "One more time, and now Nigel's revealed a more vulnerable side of himself before this match. He's waited for a long time for revenge on Dragon, but for Dragon, it seems like his focus is a million miles away, having just been choked out with a plastic bag by Jon Moxley. Fittingly, while it's not their best match ever, I think it's still really, REALLY good. The clear story of this match was them playing off of the historic series matches & how well they know each other. Recreating spots from those matches while also incorporating new spots was very well done, and to cap the match off with Nigel saying either "Thank you" or "Fuck you" (interpret it however you like, in my mind it's best left ambiguous) to Danielson before tapping out to the LeBell Lock was a satisfying finish. I hope to see more from this comeback of Nigel's, because if his performance in this match is anything to go off, he's got more left in the tank. ****"
[7.0] "This was an alright match, I haven't seen their past matches with each other, which were probably way better than this one. This match was alright at best for me"
[10.0] "Bryan Danielson Vs Nigel McGuinness Grand Slam 2024 After 15 years, these two wrestlers will face each other again, but this time in the AEW ring. One of the good things about AEW is that if they want to hold historic matches again, they will not reduce the quality of that match. The performance of both wrestlers after all these years was amazing. Nigel had not been in the ring for 13 years, but he was the same wrestler he used to be. They re-shown many of the old sequences and even created a few new spots, which was amazing. The storytelling of the match was just like their previous matches, and in the end, Bryan Danielson was able to defeat Nigel with a submission, and this was the last match of the feud between the two. Let's not forget that before Danielson's arrival, Nigel cut a promo that was a masterpiece, and his heelwork is still great after 13 years."
[9.0] "[9.0] I imagine there will be a lot of differing opinions on this match depending on whether or not you have a connection to the ROH rivalry between the two. And as someone who does have that connection, this was fantastic. Nigel looked far better than anyone who was retired for 13 years has any right being, his technical movements were still clean and he can still throw one of the meanest lariats in the history of the business. The clear story of this match was them playing off of the historic series matches & how well they know each other. Recreating spots from those matches while also incorporating new spots was very well done, and to cap the match off with Nigel saying thank you to Danielson before tapping out to the Lebel Lock was a satisfying finish. I hope to see more from this comeback of Nigels, because if his performance in this match is anything to go off, hes gone more left in the tank."
[8.0] "Not their best match against each other but just the fact that this match got to happen one more time was amazing. Nigel's in-ring singles return facing his greatest rival and Best wrestler of all time was an awesome sight and I'm glad I got to watch this match. The in-ring was great, the moment was awesome, and overall was really fun."
[7.0] "I have great memories of these guys working in 2000s Ring Of Honor. Nigel looks great, despite being inactive for over a decade. AEW could really use him on the roster to add psychology and crowd interaction to these matches with guys that just do moves. Too bad this was the end for him. Danielson seems to just be hitting his stride as his AEW career wraps up, which is also too bad. High 7/10 for me. Having just sat through last week's card, as well as two AEW PPVs, this is one of the better, most coherent matches out of all of it."
[6.0] "This is a match built largely on its history and the prospect of this being the last time. Nigel McGuinness had made his return at All In, and this is his first singles match in what looks to be a comeback. So whatever minor issues McGuinness has in his wrestling, such as some awkward strike sequences and some loose grappling holds too. I thought he was solid for where he is though. Danielson was able to carry the load and make up for the ring rust of McGuinness. They run back some of their signature spots and work a decent match inbetween that. Itll be lying if I said that I thought this was great, because I didnt. But there are circumstances and the lure of the match takes precedence over the match itself. ***"
[8.0] "Honestly only the fact that they met one last time in the ring is enough to consider this a good match. In terms of action it was good but not anything mind-blowing but at some point who gives a damn that's not the point. Also, the ending was literally what it had to be. A good wrestling bout but an incredible show. ***3/4"
[10.0] "It was the continuation of a legendary rivalry, and they didn't go on for too long. Bryan's selling here was good. Before this, I had never seen Nigel wrestle -- Now I understand why he has so much hype on this website."
[8.0] "This was a great match. Nigel McGuinness had been out of the ring since 2011, until his return at All In. Bryan Danielson meanwhile had just won the AEW Championship and would keep wrestling full time until he lost the title. I was waiting for this match to happen, and while the journey to get to that match didn't really make sense, it's cool that we got to see this match again. The last time these two wrestled, it was 2009 and both men were leaving ROH. Even thought it's been 15 years and McGuinness has been retired for much of that time, the chemistry was still there. The technical wrestling was top notch, and the finish was great with Nigel hitting a wicked lariat but landing just in position for Danielson to put on the Lebell Lock for the submission win. I love how Nigel said Thank You right before tapping. ****1/4"
[9.0] "Strong matchup. These two had good chemistry even with Nigel's long time away from the ring. This match didn't have a ton of huge spots but was smart in how it was put together and technically very sound. Personally thought the finish was done well to subvert expectations as you thought Nigel was going to get out. Overall a very good match."
[6.0] "Meh. Danielson in this run isnt doing very much for me and the Nigel story was just kinda ok. Most of the wrestling itself did little to impress and the whole thing feels like more of an obligation than anything. Glad Nigel got this moment though, very much deserved."
[8.0] "It is exactly what they needed to do, keep it simple while telling a proper story. Nigel is obviously rusted but it was expected from a guy with a 13 years break. Their chemistry is still there, you can see they're nemesis. Nigel does his classic trademark moves and ultimately taps out to Danielson while insulting his whole family tree. This was what I expected, not a MOTN but good enough to finish the story."
[6.0] "This match wasn't anything special in terms of actual in-ring quality. It was all about emotions and the callbacks to the past. If this was a one time only Nigel's singles action return I'm not so mad about it happening so fast but if he stays active a little longer I'd say that it happened too early with too little of this "short-term" build-up. Some sequences looked a little rough but it's justified concidering Nigel's break from wrestling. Danielson picked up a victory and managed to save his career as it should've been."
[8.0] "[****] Nigel had some obvious ring rust, but their chemistry wasn't really lost. This match had decent in-work but relied on their long history via in-ring storytelling and drama. At times, fast sequences, hard hitting strikes, and Danielson's snap suplexes looking pretty nice. Great submission holds. Pretty good."
[8.0] "A damn fine achievement here, breaking up Danielson's final bow/first-ever AEW title run with a non-title match against a dude who's barely fought in a decade. Despite that, these guys beautifully set up the stakes coming in (with the help of their storied rivalry), with little to no need for the title to be involved at all, and effortlessly delivered on 18 minutes of fantastic in-ring storytelling. Additionally, not really knowing what to expect from McGuinness, he blew me away with some incredibly innovative reversals and great offense, more than looking a match for the Best Wrestler Alive, and blowing him out of the water in terms of delivering phenomenal moments of narrative and character development. Appreciate getting to watch this, 8/10."
"I think this is the exact match they should have had. A love letter to their rivalry is really all this needed to be. There was some fun chain wrestling throughout. Nigel threw an incredible Jawbreaker Lariat. I think the finish was a tad bit anticlimactic but it was a nice moment. *** 3/4"
[6.0] "I'm new here and I guess I have to write a review to justify this rating. Next to the number 6 is has satisfactory, not bad, in parenthesis. Two wrestlers that have had a number of really good matches in the past facing off for one last time. Sure, that's cool, but the match itself was just that satisfactory. McGuinness was understandably rusty and Danielson isn't in his prime anymore. If I rated their match history together it would probably get an 8 or 9."
[8.0] "For a man that hadn't had a singles match in 13 years, it'd be very difficult not to be impressed with Nigel McGuinness' performance here against long-time rival Bryan Danielson. McGuinness was in the ring, awaiting the arrival of Danielson, but when there was no sign of the AEW World Champion, Nigel grabs the mic and tells the referee to start counting, hoping to get himself a nice, easy count out victory. The ref gets some way through the 10 count until The Final Countdown begins playing and the champ makes his way to the ring. There's some great technical wrestling on display here, as you'd probably expect between these guys. Nigel works on the right arm of Danielson throughout the match, even trying to crush the arm with steel steps at one point! There's a fair few hard-hitting clotheslines and lariats throughout the match, mainly being delivered by McGuiness, however none of them are able to put Bryan away. Nigel attempts the Tower of London a couple of times, the first one failed but he got it on the second attempt, he still wasn't able to put the champion away though. Danielson struggles to get the LeBell Lock on McGuiness (he got it on earlier in the match, but it was broken up when Nigel got his foot on the rope) but, eventually, gets it locked in (no pun intended) to win the match by submission. I wasn't too keen on the struggle at the end to get the LeBell Lock locked in but, apart from that, I really enjoyed this match. No, I don't believe this match was as good as the stuff these two guys have done with each other in the past, but, when you factor in their ages, the injuries both men have had, the fact that this was Nigel's first singles match in 13 years, I have a lot of respect for the performances that were put on display here and that's why I've given the match a high rating."
[9.0] "Danielson and Mcguinness had a great match. Nigel's singles return match, it was a technical match up and it was hard hitting like their previous matchups. Bryan did a good job making Nigel look great in this match. Good submissions from both guys. They had great storytelling and in-ring phycology. Both guys were excellent."
[9.0] "They did a great job of just making you question if this match would ever happen. I would have loved a huge build but trust me, I cant complain that were getting this match again. Collar elbow tie up and just like old times, big European uppercut from Nigel. Bryan chain wrestles and gives a European uppercut of his own. Wrist lock, chain wrestling broken up by Nigel with another European uppercut. Bryan does the same after some chain wrestling with a big kick to Nigels back. Theyre just selling the hell out of everything, and by the red marks on Bryans body, theyre already beating the shit out of each other in the slow mpart of the match. More great chain wrestling in the British style from Nigel, hes so good at it, but Bryan is even better honestly. This is so fun. Cartwheel reverse, catch-as-catch can world of sport style wrestling, its really well done because theres no better dance partner than BD for Nigels preferred style. Nigel hits some sloppy slaps to BD and then BD hits him with a big slap of his own which makes Nigel smile. They are just slapping and hitting the hit out of each other. Nigel gets hit in the thigh with the kick but pretends like Bryan hit him in the groin. Basically he plays possum and then top mounts Bryan. Theyre doing something I REALLY enjoy seeing which is basically showing full guard and half guard in a wrestling ring, and doing ground and pound with Bryan focusing on Nigels midsection. Theres some back and forth counter wrestling which almost looks tentative until Bryan locks in the lebell lock extremely well, great timing on his part to make it all look real. Crowd doesnt feel that into this which is a shame, as everyones kind of in their seats. They work to the outside and Nigel sends Bryan into the steel steps, breaks the count and comes back to do a drop toe hold to the steel steps, theyre selling Bryans previously broken arm as the one theyre working on. Nigel tries to bring the stairs down on Bryans arm but he rolls out of the way. They set up the old rinpost spot. So glad that they didnt do the fucking headbutts, I like this version better that they also did in in one of their earlier matches, believe their best 2/3. Nigel goes for a move in the corner but Bryan hits him with the flying knee, then kicks out Nigels chest. Snap butterfly suplex by BD, hes still selling his arm. Nigel pops up and stops Bryan, tries to go for a lariat but Bryan hits him with the Busaiku knee again. Bryan hits the PKs Nigel kicks out of what Im pretty sure is the first pin attempt. Just as the announcers question Nigels stamina, he goes up and does the spot in the corner, and then I LOVE this and Bryan wrenches his neck to the side, looks awesome, Nigel pulls himself down and then gets bridge on BD and hits a big lariat over the top of him, Kick out by Bryan on the pin attempt and reverses the pin into a Lebell lock, which Nigel wrenches back on the fingers of the weak arm and gets BD to release it. Just good stuff from two guys who get how to tell a story with their wrestling. In another awesome moment, Nigel baits Bryan into another European uppercut which hurts his arm even more. Nigel loves how smart he is and then basically stops another of Bryans move before hitting his big lariat, pins Bryan who kicks out at one. Nigel looks legit stunned, thumb to the eye of Bryan, ripcord lariat, pin kicked out of at two by Bryan. Nigels not as fast as he once was, but his timing is still really fantastic. Nigel goes back to Bryans arm over and over, Bryan tries to get out of it with kicks, but Nigel powers through them. Nigel hits him with the hammer and anvil elbows, lifts him back and hits the Tower of London on Bryan, kicks out at two. Announcers did a GREAT job before this of setting that up a while before he hit it. Nigel cinches back on the London Dungeon, doing more and more damage to the arm of Bryan. I mean this is really top tier storytelling. Danielson rolls through and with the opposite arm does the Hammer and Anvil elbows, but Bryans too tired to make the cover afterwards. They trade European uppercuts as well as chops in the middle of the ring, then some headbutts from Bryan, Nigel just counters and targets the hand. Nigel dropkicks Bryan after running the ropes, Bryan does Nigels own middle rope rebound, but gets leveled by Nigels lariat again. As theyre lying on the ground in the position, Bryans able to cinch in the Lebell lock on Nigel. Theres a really weak this is awesome chant which is funny considering its just so fucking quiet. More elbows from Bryan as he gets the lebell lock in deeper, Nigel rolls him back, Bryans doing a good job of not keeping his shoulders flat to avoid the pin without any typical wrestling dramatics. Bryans holding onto Nigel with all his might, Nigel says Thank you! And taps out. That was fucking elite level storytelling. I loved that."
[9.0] "****1/4 (8.5/10) It was not too long ago that the idea (of these two meeting one more time inside the ring) seemed to be possible if hell froze over. Punk did go back to WWE, so it seems that in the world of professional wrestling, anything is truly possible. We got to see these two go one more round before Father Time decides to hang up their boots for good, since Mother Nature tried doing that herself, but she failed in keeping them down."
[7.0] "[3.5*] While obviously not on the same level of physicality and athleticism compared to their other matches that had shoot headbutt battles and crazy dives that gave both guys a lot of concussions, they hit each other pretty hard and did some of their best hits in a safer way, which was amazing to see. At the end of the match, Nigel thanked Bryan and it just ruled. As a person who have watched 7 of their matches, I was expecting a little more references and nerdy stuff like that. The crowd was never fully invested too which is a shame. Anyways, the simple fact that this match happened is already incredible."
"Danielson and McGuinness was everything I hoped it would be and more. Both men brought their A-game even though Danielson was held together with hopes and prayers, delivering a performance that was nothing short of exceptional. The match was a testament to their skill, experience, and the deep-rooted rivalry that has defined much of their careers. The conclusion of the match was a perfect ending to their feud. It was a fitting culmination of years of intense competition, filled with both respect and animosity. The way the match ended left me hoping we get another match but absolutely accepting of the fact i would happily not see them face eachother again. I hope this isn't the last time we see these two legends face off in the ring. Their story has so many directions it can go"
[8.0] "The novelty for this match made it good. Really beautiful match and considering that Nigel has been gone from the ring for 12 years makes his performance even more special. I understand that Nigel has been building for this match for over a year on commentary but the build still left me wanted more, they really should've interacted in the ring at least once before this match. But still a great match and it really picked up at the end."
[8.0] "[8/10] - They were able to do so much with so little in this one, playing up their history beyond simple call backs. There were reversals in the first half of this match from Nigel that implied he had done nothing but think about this moment for years, had game planned the whole thing for that entire time, and was ready for everything he thought Danielson would throw at him, only to be outdone by Danielson's grit and ongoing experience. If this is the first in a new trilogy, we're lucky, if this is it for them then it was a great send-off."
[7.0] "Technically what I expected from the two of them given their style and age, no complaints here. I especially loved the torture on the turnbuckle spot I've seen Nigel and Roderick Strong (ROH Driven 2008) do before, but narratively this just left me sad; so very sad. Which I guess is a better than annoyance and boredom but getting Nigel back out of retirement just to put him down like a dog again, did leave me feeling somewhat empty inside. Imagine raging in tears at your favorite nemesis to give you another match and the man, who once called you possibly the best opponent he's ever had, doesn't even acknowledge you. Excuse me, I will be watching Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown and crying a little."
[8.0] "(Grade B): I've heard a lot about the hype around the feud between Nigel & Danielson, and this being my match amongst their feud in current present day, it was entertaining. In the beginning I was hesitant about Nigel ability after a long absence from in-ring performance but as the match ramp up, I was impressed by him! Danielson is without a doubt, A GOAT. However, Nigel able to counter and beat Danielson at his own game was intriguing! Though I knew Nigel wasn't winning it was a good long-awaited match up! Hope to see Nige still perform even if its on special occasion"
[8.0] "To me, this was the best version of this match that we could've gotten in 2024. Obviously, it's nowhere near the peak of what these two have done together before but when you consider that this is Nigel's first match in over a decade, it's still a very impressive showing. The raw emotion at the bell as these two men feel exactly like all of us dorks watching at home do. The absolutely surreal feeling of seeing these two stand across the ring from each other. Years ago, it seemed a forgone conclusion that we would never see it happen again and yet it did. They play the hits here in the safest way possible, which is understandable given the health conditions of both men. Admittedly, there is a large void in terms of the physicality that made the bouts between those two so well known. Regardless, they make it work and as they exchange strikes or counter submissions, you're reminded just how much chemistry these two have. The crowd here was very unfortunate, assuming most of them didn't have the emotional investment in these two men or simply the fact that the build to this on TV wasn't great. Polarizing to watch these two grapple in front of crickets, considering that all of their former matches took place in front of much smaller audiences yet still had a significantly better atmosphere. The crowd noise is obviously no fault of theirs but it did slightly take away from my enjoyment of the match. However, still an incredible match and a nice little bow to wrap up the decades-long rivalry these two have shared. ****1/4"
[8.0] "A good to great match, but not an excellent one. Putting questions of nostalgia aside, the action was good and well paced, but didn't hit the upper gears that truly great matches do. Honestly, it was pretty impressive that Nigel put on as good of a match as he did given his very long layoff, but I would have difficulty believing anyone suggesting that this was one of Danielson's best matches of the year."
[8.0] "I was very skeptical going into this as Nigel McGuinness hasn't had a full singles match in quite some time and he's going up against one of the best to do it. McGuinness' appearance in the casino gauntlet was very good for a nostalgia pop in his home country and despite looking like he could still go I had no belief that he could have a match that was beyond mid, however I loved this match. McGuinness was very fun to watch, his catch wrestling hasn't missed a step and when he did have moments of looking gassed or like he lacked the ability to do his moves well it only added to the narrative. This match worked cause it was a story in which a grizzled retired commentator can't watch his old rival succeed so he gives it one more go and guess what, he can no longer hang. Nigel would try to get his shit in just to get cut off by a full speed Busaiku Knee or have his submissions quickly evaded but he still looked like the Nigel McGuinness from way back. This was just a great way to book a returning legend match"
[7.0] "In just about every which way, this is a unique watch. Its mere existence is moving, turning a once tragedy into a triumphant tale. That tale isn't the actual story being told though, as McGuinness is the on-screen antagonist, goading a vulnerable Danielson back inside the ropes. I have a great deal of respect for this match's commitment to that outline, wrestling an honest match that never betrays its build. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely convinced that it was the right play for this setting, but it's the route that they chose nonetheless. The outcome is still a good match, to be clear, just one that never quite seems to fully hook Arthur Ashe Stadium. As a result, the inevitable challenges elsewhere are more prevalent, highlighting a slightly uneven pace as well as Nigel's inconsistent physicality. He still performs admirably, considering the circumstances, it's just impossible to reclaim those lost years. Clearly, there's an awful lot going on here but ultimately, this suits the story at hand while also satisfying longtime fans, doing their famed rivalry justice. Good match with a powerful purpose. ***1/2"
[8.0] "Great, great match. Well wrestled and brillantly put together like all of their matches with a great story being told and two all-time technicians going at it. Nigel hasn't wrestled a singles match in 10+ years and he proved to be better than 90% of the wrestlers in the world. His lariats might've lost a little bit of steem but his counter game was as sublime as I remembered. Bryan put on a good perfomance too. The action and the storytelling were both great. They started off with nice chain wrestling transitioning into an uppercut exchange. There were a lot of callbacks to their previous matches. They were playing their greatest hits together (including a little ring post spot) and some might say they were going through the motions. Danielson and McGuinness going through the motions in 2024 can still put on a better match than 80/90% of the roster. The pace was a little slow at times but it's understable and nothing felt dragged. Nigel countered every single move Bryan did. He had been waiting for over 10 years for this match so he came prepared. Even when Dragon went for Nigel's rebound lariat he was able to counter it by hitting a lariat of his own. However Bryan's resilency got the best of Nigel in the end with him resisting Nigel's attemptes of getting out of a lebell lock and forcing him to tap out. Nigel saying "thank you" before tapping was a lovely moment. You were never as good as he was, Nigel but, goddam it, you were fucking amazing. Thank YOU, Nigel. 8/10 - 4.25*/5*"
[5.0] "When I watched the match I had a thought like "I wonder how many stars Meltzer will give the fight: 2.5 or 3. What rating will he get at the Cage Match? Probably something around 6-6.5". Honestly, I'm shocked and have no idea why people liked it so much. The ragged, unclear pace, Nigel looked too awkward at times, his moves and strikes looked too implausible. Yes, I understand that he is old, and hasn't been in the ring for 13 years, but why should I care as a spectator? This is a title fight for the main belt at the Grand Slam, you expect quality wrestling from AEW in particular. Of course, there are some advantages to this match: the sign looks extremely interesting, it was impossible to imagine such a combination of wrestlers six months ago, and now the main title is in the fight, the ending is more or less an interesting spectacle, and Nigel's fans will probably be pleased to see their favorite in action after so many years, but unfortunately, that's all. And if we rely on the Cagematch gradation, then for me this fight is around 2 (inadequate), but somehow my finger does not allow me to press such a number, so I would choose something around 5/10, I think this is a suitable rating to describe my dissatisfaction"
[9.0] "This was my favorite match on the show. I loved every single second of this match. Nigel McGuinness looked amazing in this match and I'm glad he's back wrestling again because it been a decade since he had a singles match. I'm happy that Bryan Danielson came back he looked great in this match. He and Nigel tore the house down. What a beautiful match. There ROH Feud is one of the best feud in that promotion history I won't mind if they had more matches in the future."
[7.0] "It got better as it went on but some of Nigel's strikes were really weak. I'm not suggesting he potatoes Danielson but they looked like Shane McMahon's punches. I did enjoy the last 10 minutes and with the nostalgia of watching them one more time it was enough for me to give it a decent rating."
[7.0] "Really happy for Nigel that he got to have this moment and that it happened on tv in front of one of AEW's bigger crowds of the year. The fact that Danielson wasn't at all involved in the build is classic AEW and definitely contributed to a somewhat disinterested vibe in the arena. The four-man commentary team stumbling over each other in multiple directions also didn't help. Match itself was mostly Nigel playing the hits and Dragon suffering through before winning a little too easily (like Nigel tapped because he'd done everything he came for) ***1/2"
[5.0] "Beyond underwhelming. This started very sloppy, half-arsed and incoherent at times, but did pick up in the second half mostly thanks to Danielson. I understand why people enjoyed it so much especially from a nostalgia point of view, but overall it didn't really do much for me."
[6.0] "**** a good match, obviously it was impossible for them to reach the level of their Unified 2006 match, but they managed to at least equal the level of their worst matches of their rivalry, good sequences, an interesting rhythm, good chemistry, kick- interesting outs and a ending that was very dry and could have lasted a little longer, Nigel looked good and did a good limbwork on Bryan's arm accompanied by a good selling of the latter, I would put it even better than Survival Of The Fittest 2007, Epic Encounter II and wXw since the one from now was at least entertaining and that matches were boring or very simple but on the same level"
[5.0] "This was very disappointing considering all the hype it had going into it, Nigel's strikes took me out of the match a lot, they had decent chemistry but it led to nothing, this match had nothing going for it and even the crowd sat in silence. Not a great match, maybe a good match but i didnt anything resembling that either."
[9.0] "It doesn't reach the heights of their classic rivalry, which is to be expected seeing as Nigel hasn't worked a full match in twelve years, but still, it was a pretty good match with all things considered; indeed, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Nigel hadn't spent a decade on the shelf, such was the chemistry he had with Danielson."
[5.0] "I thought this was... ok. It was fine. For the record, I love Danielson, but I never liked Nigel and I always thought the Nigel/Danielson matches were pretty overrated, so I didn't have any nostalgia for this. It was not a bad match by any means but I just wasn't feeling it that strongly, felt like one of the weaker Danielson matches we've seen this year. But I can see why you might love it if you're a big Nigel fan or have a connection to that era of ROH."
[9.0] "[8.6] I don't think anyone expected this to match the heights of their matches in the early 2000s. They had a hell of a legacy to live up to, and with that said, this was a really fun match for one where one participant is being held together by kinesio tape and the other having not wrestled a singles match in over a decade, easily matching some of that original run. It felt significantly shorter than it was, and even then, Bryan and Nigel get a lot out of it, teasing a lot of their old spots, including the ringpost spot. I seriously respect that neither of them came to just phone it in. This is likely the last match these two will have together, and if so, this was a hell of a way to cap off their rivalry. Not their best match at all, but absolutely and deservingly up there."
[8.0] "This was lovely. As someone who was fortunate to have grown up watching Ring of Honor since its inception, this match and story had mountains of sentimental value for me. As everyone who was anyone in ROH seemed to sign with either TNA or WWE, Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness stayed the course until they ultimately got the call themselves. During that time, they built a rivalry that went a long way toward defining independent wrestlingand elevating it and Ring of Honor as a whole. 15 years after their last battle, they met againand it was as though they hadn't missed a beat. McGuinness was remarkable, hitting the mark in every way as he pushed the AEW World Champion to his absolute limit. There were some jaw-dropping sequences that brought me back to my teenage years, and a wonderful tribute to Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog. The physicality was through the roof, the technical wrestling was brilliant, and the story was captivating from beginning to end. 4 stars, 8 out of 10. A genuinely great match that somehow lived up to the hype in my head."
[8.0] "I don't have any nostalgia for this feud, but this match was still an amazing match. Nigel's story so far worked really well even without knowing the history and the match itself was an excellent display in how much selling can add to a match. Just great work from both men."
[8.0] "wrestling is really something special. bryan selling the arm the entire match was really good, especially with him not being able to win strike exchanges because he had to go lefty. if that is nigels last match ever, then its a poetic ending. put nigel vs roddy on a collision. days later, its still surreal to me that we got to see nigel vs bryan one final time."
[7.0] "[***1/2] Despite Danielson being one of the main reasons I love wrestling, largely because I started watching right as he was rising to the WWE main event, I've never actually watched any of his matches with McGuinness. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a McGuinness match before. I'm aware of his reputation and the importance of their rivalry, especially in the mid-2000s indie scene, where their matches are held in high regard for both their quality and significance. Since I haven't followed their history, I came into this match without much context and watched it for what it was. I'm not sure if that was the best approach, but it's how I experienced it. That said, I thought the match was a solid example of pure pro wrestling, packed with technical moves, mat wrestling, and submissions. If you're into that style (which I mostly am), you'll likely enjoy it a lot. However, the match never reached a truly great emotional peak for me. This might be because of the slower pace, or more likely, the lack of connection I felt due to the rushed and illogical build-up. It made the match feel like just another bout, especially if you're not familiar with the history behind it. It lacked the depth of emotion and storytelling that I feel could have been easily delivered given the rich individual and shared history of these two. I also found Nigel's slaps, punches, and forearms to be pretty weak throughout, which pulled me out of the action at times. The ending felt a bit abrupt and wasn't built up well, leaving the match feeling less impactful than it should have. If this match had been between lesser-known wrestlers, I think it might have already been forgotten. By the end, it didn't feel like the climactic, long-awaited conclusion it was supposed to be. While the match was good, it had the potential to be so much more, and that felt a bit wasted for a variety of reasons. Still, I'd say it's worth a watch."
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