Michael Cole praised with immense credit for WWE success by veteran AEW announcer

Michael Cole is The Voice of WWE, and he has left his mark on several current and former commentators. Through his former colleagues, Cole's expertise has traveled to other companies like AEW and TNA, and now a veteran is issuing immense praise to the SmackDown commentator.

Nigel McGuinness had been wrestling for over thirteen years when health issues forced him to retire from in-ring action. He began doing ROH commentary and joined World Wrestling Entertainment on December 15, 2016, after being recommended by Cole. WWE released McGuinness on October 22, 2022, and he has been back with ROH and AEW since March 2023.

The 48-year-old recently spoke with Chris Jericho on his Talk Is Jericho podcast and recalled how fantastic his run with WWE was, thanks to Cole and Tom Phillips. Nigel strongly praised Cole and a nod to AEW for the working environment.

"Six fantastic years learning under Michael Cole and Tom Phillips. If I know one hundred things about commentary on professional wrestling, probably ninety come from Michael Cole, so I’ll forever be grateful for him. Now that I’m here in AEW, I don’t know how you feel about it, but for me, I feel like I can take everything that I learned there and keep the good stuff, and the stuff that I don’t necessarily need to keep, I can let that go. I’ve got much more freedom now," Nigel McGuinness said. [H/T to WrestlingNews]

McGuinness spent almost six years working with WWE, except for a brief COVID-related budget furlough in 2020, and worked numerous shows.

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Michael Cole's relationship with WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross

Jim Ross and Michael Cole are two pro wrestling veterans who bring unique expertise from wearing various hats over the years. JR has been in the industry since 1974, while Cole joined World Wrestling Entertainment in early 1997. The legendary commentators spent years working together at the announce desk and in various storylines while also feuding at times.

Cole previously told The Ringer that he was the most hated man in wrestling when Vince McMahon gave him the top RAW spot. Joining WWE was a no-win situation because he was seen as the heir apparent to who many saw as the greatest announcer of all time. He commented on their working relationship.

"Jim and I have had a very, very strange relationship," Michael Cole said.

JR confirmed that Cole was unpopular because hardcore fans thought he was taking Ross' job. Cole does not remember he and JR exactly being friends, and despite his praise for Jim, a friendship was just about impossible as Cole was hired to one day get JR's top spot, like other young sports announcer-types before him were.