AEW star Buddy Matthews expresses interest in returning to WWE & join Rhea Ripley

Buddy Matthews was released from his WWE contract in 2021

In a recent conversation with Chris Van Vilet, AEW star Buddy Matthews spoke on the possibility of returning to the WWE to join his wife, Rhea Ripley. Matthews, better known among fans as Buddy Murphy, was part of the promotion until 2021.

Buddy joined WWE in 2013 and began his career in the promotion with the developmental brand, NXT. However, his last WWE appearance took place on April 9, 2021, WrestleMania Edition of SmackDown, where he was eliminated by King Corbin in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

The Stamford-based promotion dropped the Matthews in June 2021, and he later signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2022. While Ripley became one of the biggest stars in the women’s division of the WWE.

As mentioned above, Matthews is married to WWE megastar and former two-time WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Ripley and Matthews tied the knot in June 2024, following their ten-month engagement in August 2023. 

Fans rightfully so want the two to work together in the WWE, which seems highly unlikely given Buddy is currently signed with AEW and Rhea is signed to the Stamford-based promotion where she is assigned to the Raw brand.

Buddy Matthews never wants to feel jealous of Rhea Ripley’s success in WWE

During his appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Matthews was asked about the possibility of a WWE return and working with Ripley. Expressing his excitement, Buddy said that the chemistry between the two would make for good television and also emphasized that he would never want to feel jealous of Ripley’s success.

“I would love to do something with her. I think that story and our chemistry, just the way we are, would be good television. that’s definitely something, an itch I’d like to scratch.

But the good thing about her in WWE and me and AEW and us both being in the business is that I would never want, and I don’t think I’d ever get there, I’d never want to be jealous, or get jealous of her in her position. “I don’t think it would ever happen, but I wouldn’t even want that to be an option.”

During the conversation, the AEW star also revealed how he met Ripley, stating that the former two-time Women’s World Champion was not really his fan. “She used to watch me when I wrestled in Australia. She was in the crowd and she hated me.”

Do you want to see Ripley and Matthews join forces in the squared circle? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Wrestling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram & Whatsapp.