After more than a year on the sidelines recovering from a foot injury, AEW star Matt Sydal has officially made his return to the ring. The high-flying veteran competed at an ABC Event in France on July 19, 2025, where he faced off against former WCW Cruiserweight Champion, Ultimo Dragon. The match was Sydal’s first since May of 2024.
Sydal, who has had notable runs in every major promotion, including WWE, TNA, ROH, and NJPW, has been a member of the AEW roster since 2020. His last match for the company took place on the May 22, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite, where Konosuke Takeshita defeated him. Shortly after that match, he underwent surgery in June 2024 to fix a nagging foot injury that stemmed from a 2012 motorcycle accident.
The surgery and recovery kept him out of action for over a year. Despite his long absence, he is still officially listed as a member of the AEW roster on the company’s website.
Now that he has made his official in-ring return, he could be on his way back to AEW TV. With several events on the horizon for AEW, including the All Out pay-per-view in September, there are plenty of opportunities for the former champion to make his return.
According to some online reports and cagematch, Matt Sydal made his in-ring return from injury against Ultimo Dragon in July overseas. pic.twitter.com/sE2Jxmwyb8
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) September 6, 2025
