Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed Buddy Matthew’s statement that he would be taking time off to recalibrate on today’s edition of the Wrestling Observer.
Meltzer pointed out that what Matthews said was essentially identical to what Malakai Black had said. Black is said to have been granted a conditional release from his contract with AEW, and there has been speculation that he may be considering a move to WWE after the company put out feelers to him.
Meltzer also confirmed that Matthews has expressed interest in making a comeback to WWE. He said, “He was on a show in Rhode Island last night and said that he needed to step away and recalibrate and he even mentioned Malakai Black. It was very similar wording to what Malakai Black said when he did that independent show a week or two ago. It’s the same situation. How it’s being handled [and] what’s gonna happen is up in the air. But he’s gone for now…Obviously, like Malakai Black, they both wanted to leave and they want to go to WWE. They’re both under long-term contracts and we’ll see how this plays out.”
“Miro does not want to go back,” Ryan Frederick said on the Observer forum over the weekend. Frederick added, “The only guys that really want to go back are the ones who have significant others with the other company.”
AEW is at a crossroads with Matthews and must make a choice. If they let Matthews go after granting Black his conditional release, then they might be opening a door for other wrestlers to seek their release in the future if they are dissatisfied with the role that they are playing. Matthews and Black are two names that are believed to have received feelers from WWE, and the message that is being sent (if they let Matthews go) is that WWE can reach out to AEW talent, and they can simply get out of their deals.
For this reason, it is not a given that AEW will immediately let Matthews out of his contract, and it’s probably the reason why Black got a conditional release rather than a release that lets him sign with another company right away.
