Amid their ongoing absence from WWE and AEW, Rhea Ripley and her husband, Buddy Matthews, were spotted watching a former All Elite star get knocked out.
Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews are often seen as a pro-wrestling powerhouse couple who, despite working for rival promotions, have never let their work affect their personal lives. Interestingly, the reigning WWE Women’s Champion and the former AEW Trios Champion are both out due to injuries. While the Eradicator is on the mend from a knee injury, the Best Kept Secret has been out since February 2025, after breaking his leg at Grand Slam: Australia. Amid their hiatus, the couple was spotted at a recent pro-slap event, where they watched ex-AEW star Jake Hager compete.
At Vechain Power Slap 21, held on July 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jake Hager faced Amanpreet Singh in a highly entertaining pro-slap bout. Unfortunately for the American star, Singh came out on top after knocking out Hager (fka Jack Swagger). The contest was witnessed by Ripley and Matthews, who can be seen in shock and awe at the moment of the knockout in the video below.
Rhea Ripley once said she can convince Buddy Matthews to jump ship from AEW to WWE
Buddy Matthews (fka Buddy Murphy) was released from his WWE contract in 2021 as part of the annual budget cuts. He joined the Jacksonville-based promotion early the following year and reinvented himself. Meanwhile, his wife, Rhea Ripley, became one of the dominant female wrestlers in WWE and professional wrestling history. A few years ago, Ripley gave an interview to Gery Roif in which she stated that she could potentially convince her husband to return to the Stamford-based promotion.
“Ohh, maybe, maybe. I don’t know. So, I’m very convincing. I’m a very convincing girl, you know. I normally get what I want. So, it might happen, you never know. But right now, I’m happy with my DomDom. I’m happy going out there with him and Finn and Damian, and I mean, you never know what the future holds. It might happen,” she said.
Time will tell whether Buddy Matthews will ever return to WWE. But before that, fans are waiting with bated breath for his return to All Elite Wrestling.
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Edited by Karan Raj
