# Buddy Matthews
**Buddy Matthews** is the ring name of Matthew Adams (born 1988), an Australian professional wrestler performing for [All Elite Wrestling](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-elite-wrestling) (AEW). He previously wrestled in WWE as Buddy Murphy, where he held the [NXT Tag Team Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/nxt-tag-team-championship), the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, and the Raw Tag Team Championship, and in AEW he is a former AEW World Trios Champion as a member of the House of Black.[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088) • [2](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews-murphy) • [3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name / born | Matthew Adams, 1988, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia[2](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews-murphy) |
| Ring names | Buddy Matthews, Buddy Murphy, Murphy, Matt Silva[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088) |
| Size | 5' 10" (178 cm), 224 lbs (102 kg)[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088) |
| WWE titles | NXT Tag Team (with Wesley Blake, 2015), WWE Cruiserweight (2018), Raw Tag Team (with Seth Rollins, 2020)[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) |
| AEW title | AEW World Trios Championship with Brody King and Malakai Black, won March 5, 2023 at Revolution[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) |
| Signature moves | Murphy's Law, Silva Breaker, Lights Out[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088) |
| Spouse | WWE wrestler Rhea Ripley[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) |
| Status | Out since an ankle injury at Grand Slam Australia in February 2025; hinted in July 2026 that he was cleared to return[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2185414/wwe-aew-rhea-ripley-buddy-matthews-injury-update-husband/) • [6](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/buddy-matthews-hints-at-being-cleared-for-aew-return/) |
## Early life and training
Adams was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1988.[2](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews-murphy) At the age of 19 he began training as a professional wrestler with Carlo Cannon in Australia, and he spent about six years on the Australian independent circuit, wrestling as Matt Silva for promotions including PCW, PWA, RCW, and MCW.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) • [3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) During this period he won the PCW State title from Danny Psycho on December 3, 2010, and the MCW Heavyweight title from Slex on January 28, 2012.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/)
## WWE career
After the Australian independent scene, Adams signed with WWE for the NXT brand, where he was given the name Buddy Murphy, and spent nearly four years in developmental.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) Together with [Wesley Blake](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-blake), and later aligned with [Alexa Bliss](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexa-bliss), he formed one of NXT's most prominent units; Blake and Murphy won the NXT Tag Team Championship from The Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara and Kalisto) on January 28, 2015, a reign WWE describes as lasting seven months.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) • [7](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/murphy)
His singles breakthrough came in the cruiserweight division. After losing about 25 pounds and asking to compete on the 205 Live brand, Murphy won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from [Cedric Alexander](https://www.edgepedia.org/cedric-alexander) in his hometown of Melbourne at WWE Super Show-Down 2018.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) He held the title for 183 days before losing it to [Tony Nese](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-nese) at [WrestleMania 35](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestlemania-35) in 2019.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews)
A move to Raw followed. Murphy's series of matches with Aleister Black, in which he did not win, led him to join [Seth Rollins](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rollins)'s faction, and Rollins and Murphy won the Raw Tag Team Championship from The Viking Raiders on January 20, 2020, the week after Murphy aligned with Rollins.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) • [3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) • [7](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/murphy) WWE's profile also credits him with a notable run on SmackDown in 2019, including matches against [Roman Reigns](https://www.edgepedia.org/roman-reigns) and a pinfall over Daniel Bryan.[7](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/murphy) He was released from WWE in 2021, and later described the company's storyline direction for his character as erratic.[8](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2021/11/12/buddy-matthews-talks-wrestling-kazuchika-okada-in-njpw-wwe-releases/)
## New Japan and AEW
In November 2021, Matthews faced IWGP heavyweight champion [Kazuchika Okada](https://www.edgepedia.org/kazuchika-okada) at NJPW Battle in the Valley in San Jose, a match he described as among the most important of his career.[8](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2021/11/12/buddy-matthews-talks-wrestling-kazuchika-okada-in-njpw-wwe-releases/)
He then joined AEW as a member of the House of Black, a stable with [Malakai Black](https://www.edgepedia.org/malakai-black) and [Brody King](https://www.edgepedia.org/brody-king), managed at points by Julia Hart.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) On March 5, 2023, at [AEW Revolution](https://www.edgepedia.org/aew-revolution), the House of Black defeated The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson) to win the AEW World Trios Championship, holding the titles for 175 days.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/) • [9](https://aewresults.com/wrestler/buddy-matthews/) Matthews has remained with AEW since, working as both a singles and tag team wrestler.[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088)
## Injury and return
Matthews has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury at Grand Slam Australia in February 2025, in a match against Kazuchika Okada; the injury occurred when he jumped off the ropes during his entrance and rolled his ankle.[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2185414/wwe-aew-rhea-ripley-buddy-matthews-injury-update-husband/) • [10](https://www.cagesideseats.com/aew/460065/buddy-matthews-injury-return-aew-tease-instagram) The following May he revealed a partial ligament tear along with cartilage damage, and he announced at an independent event in 2026 that he would be cleared in October.[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2185414/wwe-aew-rhea-ripley-buddy-matthews-injury-update-husband/) In July 2026 he posted on Instagram hinting that he had been cleared to start wrestling again.[6](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/buddy-matthews-hints-at-being-cleared-for-aew-return/)
## Personal life
Matthews is married to WWE wrestler [Rhea Ripley](https://www.edgepedia.org/rhea-ripley), also from Melbourne.[4](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews) Ripley has said that during his recovery he trains harder than she does to get back into ring shape, and that their friend Tommy, Aleister Black, trains with them.[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2185414/wwe-aew-rhea-ripley-buddy-matthews-injury-update-husband/)
## In-ring style and reception
CAGEMATCH lists his wrestling style as an allrounder, with a user rating of 7.84 from 454 votes, and records nicknames including "The Best Kept Secret", "The Disciple", and "The Juggernaut".[1](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088) A career statistics site records an overall record of 285 wins, 369 losses, and 10 draws, a 42.9 percent win rate, with a 28.6 percent win rate on pay-per-view and 40.0 percent on television.[11](https://moneylinewrestling.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews.html) In AEW's own results database he has 39 wins, 21 losses, and 1 draw in recorded encounters.[9](https://aewresults.com/wrestler/buddy-matthews/)
## References
1. [Buddy Matthews, CAGEMATCH Wrestlers Database](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=13088)
2. [Buddy Matthews / Murphy: Profile, Career Stats, Titles & Gimmicks, Pro Wrestlers Database](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews-murphy)
3. [Buddy Matthews, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/buddy-murphy/)
4. [Who Is Rhea Ripley's Husband? All About Buddy Matthews, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rhea-ripley-husband-buddy-matthews)
5. [WWE's Rhea Ripley Offers Injury Update On Husband & AEW Star Buddy Matthews, Wrestling Inc.](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2185414/wwe-aew-rhea-ripley-buddy-matthews-injury-update-husband/)
6. [Buddy Matthews hints at being cleared for AEW return, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/buddy-matthews-hints-at-being-cleared-for-aew-return/)
7. [Murphy, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/murphy)
8. [Buddy Matthews On Wrestling Kazuchika Okada In NJPW, WWE Releases, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2021/11/12/buddy-matthews-talks-wrestling-kazuchika-okada-in-njpw-wwe-releases/)
9. [Buddy Matthews, AEW Records](https://aewresults.com/wrestler/buddy-matthews/)
10. [Buddy Matthews teases that he's finally cleared to wrestle again, Cageside Seats](https://www.cagesideseats.com/aew/460065/buddy-matthews-injury-return-aew-tease-instagram)
11. [Buddy Matthews, MoneyLine Wrestling](https://moneylinewrestling.com/wrestlers/buddy-matthews.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license