AEW News

Buddy Matthews Returns After 15 Months Despite Not Being Cleared (Video)

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• Buddy Matthews Returns After 15 Months Despite Not Being Cleared (Video)

Buddy Matthews made a surprise return to the ring in Australia, but fans will have to wait a little longer to see him actually wrestle.

During the WSW Rise Against event, Matthews snuck into the ring wearing a black hoodie and used a steel chair to attack Donovan Dijak. After laying him out with a stomp, he grabbed a microphone to give the crowd an update on his status. He explained that while he isn’t healthy enough to compete just yet, he expects to be officially cleared to return to action this October.

This was the first time fans have seen Matthews since he hurt his ankle during a match against Kazuchika Okada in February 2025. Even though he accidentally rolled his ankle before that match even started, he pushed through the pain and wrestled for over 13 minutes.

He has been sidelined ever since that night at AEW Grand Slam Australia, so his appearance this week was a big sign that his recovery is finally almost finished. It looks like he already has his sights set on Dijak once he is fully healed in the fall.

• New Champion Crowned In AEW

On this week’s episode of AEW’s Ring of Honor, AR Fox defeated Nick Wayne to win the ROH TV Championship.

Fox will now defend the Television Title against Lio Rio tonight at ROH Supercard of Honor 2026.

Below is the updated card for ROH Supercard of Honor (May 15):

– Survival Of The Fittest Match For The ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Maya World vs. Trish Adora vs. Yuka Sakazaki vs. Billie Starkz vs. Zayda Steel

– ROH World Championship Match: Bandido (c) vs. Blake Christian

– AEW National Championship Match: Mark Davis (c) vs. Xelhua

– Pure Wrestling Rules Match For The ROH Women’s Pure Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Diamante

– ROH TV Championship Match: AR Fox (c) vs. Lio Rush

– Pure Wrestling Rules Match For The ROH Pure Championship: Lee Moriarty (c) vs. Ace Austin

– ROH Women’s TV Championship Match: Red Velvet (c) vs. Viva Van

– Pure Wrestling Rules Match: Nigel McGuinness vs. Josh Woods

• Released WWE Wrestler Debuts In TNA, New Champion Crowned

On this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT, Cedric Alexander defeated Leon Slater in a 2 out of 3 falls match to win the X-Division Championship, ending Slater’s reign at 298 days.

After the match, former WWE wrestler Giovanni Vinci aka Fabian Aichner made his TNA debut and set his sights on the X-Division Title.

Giovanni Vinci (former member of Gunther’s faction Imperium) was released from WWE in February 2025.

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