Buddy Matthews’ AEW Return Remains Uncertain Due to Ankle Injury – It has been nearly a full year since AEW star Buddy Matthews suffered a serious ankle injury, and current reports indicate that his return to the ring is still not close.

According to Fightful Select, Matthews continues to recover from the injury, which has proven to be more severe than many within AEW initially believed. The company reportedly hoped Matthews would be able to return before the end of 2025, but that did not happen. Fightful also noted that AEW does not currently have a clear timetable for Matthews’ return, as there is uncertainty surrounding when he will be medically cleared to wrestle.

Matthews addressed his condition in an Instagram story toward the end of December, revealing that he is still dealing with nerve-related issues. He stated that numbness remains a problem, suggesting the injury has lingering effects beyond the initial damage.

The injury occurred during Matthews’ entrance ahead of his match against Kazuchika Okada at AEW Grand Slam Australia. Matthews rolled his ankle before the bout, but still went on to complete the match. Because he was able to finish the contest, AEW initially believed the injury was not serious. However, his condition did not improve as expected.

In August, Matthews underwent ankle surgery after hoping earlier in the year that he would recover without needing a procedure. Despite the setback, Matthews has continued to train in the gym while rehabbing the injury. In a previous interview with Chris Van Vliet, Matthews revealed that the injury involved a partial ligament tear along with cartilage damage, explaining why the recovery process has been so lengthy.

Throughout the past year, Matthews has regularly shared updates on social media. Most of those posts have focused on his training progress rather than any in-ring activity. While he has remained active physically, there has been no indication that he is close to resuming wrestling.

At this time, Matthews’ AEW return remains uncertain, with no confirmed timeline in place as he continues to recover from the lingering effects of the injury.

Buddy Matthews’ AEW Return Remains Uncertain Due to Ankle Injury

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