After months of radio silence and some Instagram ghosting, Buddy Matthews has finally given fans a little taste of what’s going on with his recovery—and it’s precisely 73% reassuring. That’s right, he didn’t say “I’m doing well,” or “nearly healed.” He gave us a beautifully vague yet oddly specific status: “Fire still burns… 73%.”
That’s the kind of energy we expect from a guy who used to hang out in dark rooms with Malakai Black and talk about vengeance like it was a seasoning.
The injury in question happened at AEW Collision Grand Slam: Australia back in February, during what should’ve been a glorious homecoming match against Kazuchika Okada for the Continental Championship. But instead of walking out to cheers and walking back with a win, Matthews reportedly injured his ankle during his entrance. Yes, his entrance. He allegedly tweaked it jumping from the top rope thanks to uneven ring padding, proving once again that sometimes the scariest part of a match happens before the bell even rings.
He even posted about it—but then deleted the post faster than a wrestler deletes a subtweet about creative direction. Thankfully, PWInsider confirmed it wasn’t just a work: the ankle was indeed busted. The man was literally limping through a match with Okada, and we thought that was just his “haunted bruiser” walk.
Rhea Ripley, current WWE Women’s World Champion and real-life partner of Matthews, posted a wholesome pic of the two after the injury—with Matthews on crutches, smiling through the pain like a guy who knows he still has 27% left to regenerate.
Adding to the timing, Matthews was already due for a break post-Grand Slam for his belated honeymoon with Ripley, so the injury—while unfortunate—aligned with some planned time off. Nothing says romance like ice packs and mobility scooters.
Before the mishap, Brody King and Matthews had just rebranded as the Hounds of Hell, a new post-House-of-Black tag unit that screamed “metal album cover.” But with Malakai Black out and Matthews temporarily sidelined, King’s been flying solo—most recently competing in the 2025 Owen Hart Memorial Tournament, presumably powered by tattoos, rage, and bass-heavy theme music.
No timetable for Matthews’ return yet—but if we’re doing wrestling math, and 73% was on Sunday, then… yeah, he’s still got a few dark corridors to pace through before we hear “Hounds of Hell” hit again.