Buddy Matthews’ return to an AEW ring has been delayed after the wrestler revealed a significant setback in his recovery from an ankle injury sustained in February. The House of Black member has been out of action since the AEW Grand Slam Australia event.
During a recent Instagram Live session, Matthews detailed the issues with his recovery, which have stalled his initial plans for an April comeback.
“The ankle is not recovering as well as I thought it would be. There’s no mobility to it. If I can’t have mobility, I can’t move properly. Once it hits three months without healing, it becomes chronic. So yeah, I have to deal with that. It sucks, but if I can’t do the things I want to do at 100%, then health has to come first. I thought I’d be back in the ring in April,” Matthews explained.
The injury itself was the result of a freak accident during his entrance for a Continental Championship match against Kazuchika Okada. Matthews suffered a partial ligament tear and cartilage damage when he hopped down from the turnbuckle, yet proceeded to work the entire match despite the injury.
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Prior to being sidelined, Matthews and his partner Brody King had begun operating as the Hounds of Hell, following the departure of Malakai Black from the group. In Matthews’ absence, King has continued to establish himself as a dominant force in AEW.
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