Ten years ago, Matt Silva left Australian wrestling. Ten years later, Buddy Matthews came back to return to the top of the mountain.
Matthews – nee Buddy Murphy in WWE – claimed the most prestigious title in the country on Saturday night, regaining the Melbourne City Wrestling world heavyweight championship in a brutal war with Mitch Waterman at the Thornbury Theatre.
A packed house cheered on emerging young star Waterman as well as Matthews, who now works for No.2 US promotion AEW, thanks to the real-life story that brought the pair together.
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Waterman was a young fan when Matthews first left MCW. As a pre-fight build-up package showed, he could be spotted in the crowd during Matthews’ final match against long-time friend Adam Brooks, wrestled on April 13, 2013 in Tullamarine.
Matthews lost that match – as expected when a wrestler leaves a territory – before moving to Florida to take up a WWE developmental deal, that saw him spend eight years in the world’s biggest pro wrestling company. His career peaked (fittingly) at the MCG when he won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
But, never really spotlighted on WWE TV other than in that moment, Matthews left the company in 2021 and has since wrestled around the world – as permitted under the terms of his much more open AEW contract.
Returning to MCW late last year, Matthews has now regained the title he last fought for almost exactly a decade ago (February 16, 2013).
“It’s one of those things where you realise the journey you’ve gone on over the 10-plus years,” Matthews explained after his win on Saturday night.
“It’s taken its time, but it’s also been very very fast. It’s cool to come back and be remembered – kind of share the wisdom I’ve gone and found. It’s full circle.”
While Matthews explained he wasn’t able to follow every MCW show while based in the US – they now stream major shows on the Fite.TV platform, including Saturday night’s event – he had “heard back in the day about Mitch, and that he was gonna be where he is today” because of his promise.
“To be an inspiration to him over those years, to make him want to be a wrestler on my way out – and now he’s like the poster boy of MCW. To come back and mix it up with him, new talent, it’s fun for me, it’s challenging for me,” Matthews said.
“I enjoy passing on that wisdom. Making my mind think; I’ve got a mind, if I don’t share it, I’m selfish. So I think MCW is the pinnacle of Australian wrestling, and if I can be here and help show that on a bigger stage – I’ve got the flag now, let me run.”
MCW has been a big player nationally for some time. Before the pandemic they worked with New Japan Pro Wrestling and featured superstars like Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito, but since a change of management – and with the difficulty of global travel in recent years – that relationship has slowed.
Instead they have focused on more on working with the biggest companies in Australia’s other capitals, such as Sydney’s Pro Wrestling Australia (PWA) and Adelaide’s Riot City Wrestling (RCW), and booking their stars.
The latter was where recent Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley got her start; Foxsports.com.au understands she was in attendance at Saturday’s MCW event to cheer on her partner, Matthews.
“The shows have gotten a lot better. It’s a true full spectrum of entertainment, as you saw tonight – it had a mixture of everything, for everyone,” he said.
“They’re taking those steps forwards. So drawing me in, and knowing the direction they want to go, I want to be apart of that. I want to jump on the train.
“Eventually my goal is to show Australian wrestling on free TV – the talent’s here, the production’s here, so dream big.”
Matthews’ appearance on Saturday certainly helped draw one of the biggest and hottest crowds MCW has had since before the pandemic, and as champion he’ll clearly be coming back.
A post-match angle saw local stars Slex, Tommy Knight and Mick Moretti, along with ex-champ Waterman, appearing all to challenge Matthews for his newly-won title. The champion was cagey as to whether his first defence would be on MCW’s next show on April 8.
“It’s all about the travel – it’s how many times I want to jump on a plane and travel 30 hours,” he explained of his appearances back home.
“To see my family is everything, and my WWE schedule was very hectic. Not that this one isn’t, but AEW – I’m very fortunate to work for a company that allows me to go and see my family. Pop over, and help these guys. It’s really cool to come and do that.
“In the end, I’m Australian. As much as I’ve lived in America and I’m kind of an American now, it’s home, and it’s nice to get away.”