Buddy Matthews shares an update on his ankle injury.
At AEW Grand Slam Australia, Buddy Matthews faced Kazuchika Okada with the Continental Championship on the line. Before the bell even rang, though, Matthews sustained an ankle injury that has rendered him unable to compete since the event. While speaking on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, Matthews provided an update on his injury.
“It’s okay. Rolled it pretty bad. Had an X ray, MRI. There was no break, but there was partial ligament tear and cartilage damage,” Matthews said. “[I’m] walking. I haven’t ran, I haven’t jumped, I’ve just started implementing cardio, but then it kind of stiffens up. And, you know, we’re working through it, but the docs was were telling me I’ve never seen an ankle roll that much under someone without completely destroying, smashing, disintegrating the bones. So I didn’t break a bone, which was incredible, but then I had to wrestle 15 minutes after it.”
Matthews Recalls Moment Of His Injury
Matthews’ injury occurred during his match entrance, specifically when he hopped over the ropes and into the ring. Upon landing, Matthews then felt his ankle roll. Still, he managed to put on and finish a 13-minute match with Okada.
“You actually see me go ‘F***.’ Then I go sit in my corner, I’m watching Okada, and then I could just feel my boot tightening up and I’m like, ‘Oh.’ Obviously I don’t know how bad it is,” Matthews recalled. “So I’m wrestling, and that was the first time. I’ve shattered my jaw in a wrestling match, I’ve had injuries before, but that was the first time in the ring that it got to me in the head. I remember doing the thing at the start, and then it started to really sink in, the pain. Then I remember Okada comes up to me and grabs me to whip me to the corner, rather than just going and listening and being in the moment I’m like, ‘Can I get there?’
“So then when I got there, I’m like I made it what’s next? Then he just runs and just hits with this elbow. Now I’m two steps behind, because I’m just worried about whether I can even do it. Somehow I did, and we got through it, and pretty happy with how it came out, considering how hindered I was.”
When asked about a timetable for his return to in-ring action, Matthews noted his hope for it to be sooner rather than later, specifically within the new few weeks.
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