Buddy Matthews is eager to return to the ring and hopes that his comeback will not be too far away.

The AEW star has been sidelined for over two months due to an ankle injury he sustained during his entrance at AEW Grand Slam Australia on February 15. Despite the setback, Matthews pushed through and still competed in his scheduled match against Kazuchika Okada.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on a new episode of Insight, Matthews opened up about the extent of his injury, revealing that although it was serious, it could have been significantly worse.

“It’s ok. Rolled it pretty bad. Had an X-ray, MRI. There was no break, but there was like partial ligament tear and cartilage damage,” Matthews shared. “Yeah, [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 were telling me I’ve never seen an ankle roll that much under someone without completely destroying, like 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 recalled knowing right away that something was not right as soon as the injury occurred. However, he expressed pride in how he managed to perform, given the limitations he faced during the match. Despite the injury, Matthews and his wife, WWE superstar Rhea Ripley, proceeded with their honeymoon as planned, showing the resilience that has defined much of his career.

As of April 13, Matthews estimated that he was about 73 percent recovered. Encouragingly, he now feels closer to full strength, updating his recovery status to approximately 85 percent.

“I’m hoping sooner rather than later,” Matthews said when discussing his potential AEW return. “I’m obviously going to have to get in the ring and suss it out and get back in ring shape. But I’m hoping in the next couple of weeks. I’m hoping, fingers crossed.”

Being out of action has not been easy for Matthews, who described wrestling as a vital creative outlet. During his absence, significant changes have occurred within AEW, particularly within his faction. With Malakai Black returning to WWE, the House of Black has undergone a rebrand and is now known as the Hounds of Hell.

Matthews emphasized that he does not want the group to simply continue under a new name without any substantial evolution.

“We just need to get some continuous weeks ahead and really show that the group’s together,” he said. “I’d love to do some intergender tag stuff with Julia [Hart]. Me and Brody [King] and Julia vs. two men and a female would be awesome.”

Looking ahead, Matthews is eager to step back into the ring and is open to facing a variety of opponents. However, there is one match in particular that he , and many fans , would like to see.

“I think what everyone wants is me and Kenny,” Matthews told Van Vliet. “That’s on a lot of people’s bucket lists. Will it happen? I do not know. Am I down for it? Absolutely.”

While a match against Kenny Omega would certainly be a highlight, Matthews is simply looking forward to returning to action, reconnecting with the fans, and continuing to tell compelling stories inside the squared circle.