Rhea Ripley Shares Latest on Buddy Matthews’ Recovery and AEW Return Prospects

Buddy Matthews has been sidelined since 2025, making his absence particularly challenging to watch.

In February of the previous year, the AEW star sustained a serious ankle injury during his bout with Kazuchika Okada at Grand Slam: Australia.

His recovery has been a lengthy and arduous journey. Although he has yet to return to competition, he has kept fans informed about his progress and has faced several setbacks along the way.

On a recent episode of Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast, Ripley spoke about the WWE ring she keeps at her home gym and revealed that she and her husband, Buddy Matthews, sometimes train together inside it.

Ripley discussed Matthews’ injury recovery, noting that he has been out of action for more than a year but is now focused on returning to ring shape. She also mentioned that she has been teaching him various rolling techniques, a skill set often emphasized in women’s training that many male wrestlers do not receive. She explained,

“Occasionally, when they train regularly, he’s still working his way back into the ring. He suffered the injury more than a year ago, in February during AEW’s Australia event, and is now focused on rehabilitation and seeing what he can do. We’ll run the ropes together, and I’ve been teaching him some rolls — something the girls’ class emphasized more than the boys’.”

“We’ve started training together a bit, though I’m cautious about injury given my constant travel schedule. I want to stay sharp without taking unnecessary hits, so I ease up a little. Buddy, however, is pushing harder as he aims to return to competition. We still roll around together sometimes.”

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