Buddy Matthews may have shocked fans with a surprise return appearance this week, but he says he still hasn’t been medically cleared following his brutal ankle injury.
Matthews returned during WSW Rise Against in Australia by attacking Donovan Dijak in a surprise segment that immediately got wrestling fans talking. Dijak was standing in the ring when a hooded figure suddenly appeared behind him carrying a steel chair. That figure turned out to be Matthews, who smashed Dijak with the chair before revealing himself to the crowd and laying him out with a stomp.
But after the attack, Matthews grabbed a microphone and clarified that despite finally appearing again, he still isn’t officially cleared to wrestle yet. According to Matthews, he expects to finally receive medical clearance in October.
The update comes after a frustrating recovery process that kept Matthews sidelined for well over a year. Matthews originally suffered the injury during his entrance at AEW Grand Slam: Australia back in February 2025 before eventually undergoing surgery after attempting to work through the damage.
Late last year, Matthews admitted the rehab process became more complicated because of lingering numbness and nerve-related issues connected to the injury. More recently, he began teasing progress by posting videos and photos of himself training back inside the ring again.
“Built in silence. Worked through the setbacks. Now the comeback speaks for itself.”
Even though Matthews technically returned in front of a crowd this week, it sounds like fans still have a bit longer to wait before he’s fully back in action.
Do you think AEW should immediately push Buddy Matthews once he’s cleared, or should they slowly rebuild him after such a long absence? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
