Buddy Matthews Teases Return at AEW Redemption Amid Prolonged Absence

As AEW gets ready to present its first-ever Redemption pay-per-view in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, one of its absent stars has ramped up the excitement among fans with his cryptic social media post this afternoon.

Buddy Matthews has been away from in-ring action since suffering an ankle injury during his entrance for his match against Kazuchika Okada at Grand Slam: Australia in February 2025. He subsequently underwent surgery.

Last December, Buddy revealed the reason behind his absence, stating that he was still dealing with nerve issues and numbness. Earlier this month, Matthews teased receiving medical clearance for his in-ring return via social media.

This afternoon, the former AEW World Trios Champion posted a black-and-white photo of himself on social media and teased his return at tonight’s Redemption with the following message:

“They left me in the darkness, convinced I’d never find my way. Redemption was waiting where they stopped looking.”

Check out Buddy Matthews’ post below:

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A post shared by Buddy Matthews (@snm_buddy)