Buddy Matthews

[8.0] "In my opinion, he is highly underrated in today's wrestling world. He wasn't utilized properly in WWE, even though he had the potential to win the IC or US title. It's a similar story in AEW, though at least he was part of a stable--The House of Black--and won the AEW World Trios Championship. He possesses talent, technical ability, ring IQ, and skill, yet he still hasn't captured a major title in his career. Sure, he won championships in PCW, PWR, BPW, and MCW, but how do those promotions compare to WWE and AEW? Right now, Buddy Matthews is injured, so we have to wait for his return to the ring. I hope that upon his return, he gets a real opportunity and wins at least the TNT, Continental, National, or International title. I don't see him going back to WWE; he'd just end up like Aleister Black. Their rivalry during the worst period of Vince-led WWE was one of the few bright spots. Whether it was a match on RAW, NXT, SmackDown, or a PPV/PLE, their bouts always showcased incredible chemistry and ring intelligence. I love Buddy, which is why I feel this way. I don't view him as a main-eventer on the level of Omega, MJF, Ospreay, Roman, Punk, or Rollins. He is simply a very good mid-carder--a role he never quite fully realized due to his booking."

[8.0] "Buddy is so underrated it's not even funny. He's great in the ring and can have a good match with anyone."

[7.0] "I found him to be pretty underrated in the house of black. I'm not sure what he's going to do when he's back and I hope they figure it out for him because he's pretty good and deserves a push. I've enjoyed from the singles performances I've seen from him. The match he had with Ospreay last year rocked."

[7.0] "I don't even know if he will continue in the AEW. His wife works for other roster, fully understand if he somehow desires to come back. It is kinda sad to know we didn't saw him in a year, pretty good in ring wrestler that had a incredible prime at 205 live times. A true heel menace able to carry alongside with Ali that entire roster. Anyways, never came close from where he was while works for AEW, but he is solid."

[6.0] "I like his ring work quite a bit but as a whole I've never been a massive fan of him. Pretty solid run with the CW title in WWE and some good matches in AEW though."

[9.0] "There is something in this man which really makes me like him. While his promo/charisma work is rather mid, his body and in-ring skills are really eye catching. His style reminds me of Kenny Omega + more grapling, and while I don't think that he will ever reach top of any major company, most of his matches are really worth watching. Also considering his age, there is still some time and room for improvement."

[9.0] "Buddy Matthews is one of the most underrated wrestlers of his generation. With a chiseled physique, good look, crisp offense, and explosive intensity, he has consistently delivered top-tier performances across WWE, NJPW, and AEW. He effortlessly blends speed and power with a menacing aura. His matches are hard-hitting and technically sound, its a wonder why he hasn't been in more main event storylines. Whether he's throwing devastating knee strikes, trading stiff combos, or flying under the radar in multi-man chaos, Buddy delivers. He's the kind of wrestler that other wrestlers love to work with. Dependable, intense, and always pushing the pace. The only thing holding him back from superstardom is the spotlight itself. A technician with a brawler's edge and the versatility to shine anywhere. Give him the mic and the push, and he could break through in a big way."

[8.0] "He's put on some fantastic matches, and whilst he's never been a big star or got huge reactions, he has been part of some amazing teams too. I loved the House of Black, and his cruiserweight matches were stellar in WWE. Even his initial tag team was good (if not greatly helped by Alexa Bliss) with Blake & Murphy. To add that he looks the part and is incredibly athletic helps too!"

[8.0] "Even with random matches, without construction or stories; and against any opponent, Buddy Matthews can achieve truly exceptional matches. His physical and athletic prowess, energy, pace and stamina are as impressive as his physique. If the second-hand persona sticks to him, it would be nice to see him occasionally get opportunities for titles, even if he doesn't win them."

[8.0] "Buddy can fucking GO. he's not a dynamo with his charisma or his mic work or his character work... but if he was he'd probably be one of the top guys in the business. Without that he's still pretty incredible, has an awesome look, and just constantly impresses and basically always exceeds expectations"

[7.0] "Fun to watch and solid but he never really stops being the side guy of the faction. The guy has spectacular movement, agility and physique but on the microphone he is one more, that's why I guess we never see him talk much, as a face it is limited."

[8.0] "Not everyone needs to be a breakout main eventer, and I think people really need to keep that in mind when looking at someone like Buddy. He'll never be a top draw or even a great promo, but he's an outstanding and versatile wrestler who delivers no matter where he is on the card. Great in singles, tags and even trios matches, with absolutely top notch selling - I've seen him convince more than one crowd that he was genuinely injured. I think putting him in a faction like the House of Black is the perfect use for him, as he can just focus on being a great wrestler while his teammates carry the "entertainment" load. There's always room on the roster for a guy like Buddy Matthews."

[8.0] "I feel like Buddy would be better off away from The House of Black. His stuff with the Cruiserweight Championship was amazing, and I think if he got a chance to shine as a singles guy on the AEW roster people would see just how good the Best Kept Secret really is."

[7.0] "Good talent with an excellent physique but lacks the charisma to really go further beyond the midcard."

[6.0] "Buddy is a good wrestler, a solid guy, but I don't see much in him, never convinced me on the microphone, and despite having the ability to produce cool matches when he wants to, the industry is filled with guys that could do his job. I think he's the least remarkable member of the House of Black, considering Brody is the workhorse and Malakai the gimmick, Buddy looks really disposable."

[6.0] "I just don't see it, to be honest. I forgot what he called himself, something like WWE's best kept secret or something like that. He's far from that in my opinion, proof is in the pudding as he went to AEW and is basically in the same spot he was in WWE. Not saying he's an awful wrestler, I think he's actually very good and as somebody else commented, he's a solid hand. But he isn't anything special, he's missing that one thing to really elevate him. Is there time for him to reach that next level? Who knows, I highly doubt it but the likes of LA Knight were able to reach that next level. Needs to work on his actual character a lot more and his promos, being a good wrestler is lovely to watch and something we can all appreciate but it's not enough to actually be a star in a main promotion."

[8.0] "A super solid hand, rarely has a bad match, sometimes feels like a combination of Kenny Omega and Brian Cage, but both of those guys are excellent as well, so it's not really a bad thing. Don't think I've ever been bored by a match of his, but none have really blown my mind."

[8.0] "The only thing holding him back are his weak promo skills other than that hes one of my favorite to watch currently"

[8.0] "I think he is really talented with a great in ring skills and solid mic skills but he has never had the opportunity to truly shine whether WWE or AEW. His best run was on WWE 205 brand where he consistently put on ****+ matches and his run with the Cruiserweight Championship was imo the best Cruiserweight run. Unfortunately, he never got the spotlight, and despite his talent, he never got pushed and didn't even win a secondary Title. An unrealised potential."

[5.0] "Should've been kept a secret. When he was on 205 Live he was genuinely great just because he was so much better than other cruiserweights at the time but since he went on his own after splitting from Rollins and (well, with a group) in AEW, I lost all the hype I had for this guy. He's decent in the ring but he's a charisma black hole with non existent mic skills."

[6.0] "A really good look and evidently a decent worker, but despite being around for over 10 years now, he still doesn't have a huge body of work. The talent is there I'm sure but there's not been a breakout moment yet. Has shown he's capable of wrestling numerous styles and definitely someone you'd want on your roster."

[8.0] "An incredibly gifted talent. When he was nicknamed The Best Kept Secret I thought that was the best nickname at that moment because it was 100% true. I remember his match with Kota Ibushi in NXT as the match that unveiled that secret for me and I never understood why they didn't do anything with him in NXT after his Tag Team with Wesley Blake. Thankfully, he arrived to the Cruiserweight Division and he absolutely conquered it. He is nowhere near World Championship material since he barely has any promo or character skills, but he is more than fit for the Midcard and the Tag/Trios Division since he is a pure workhorse. Another low point of him is that his moveset is basically Kenny Omega + Kota Ibushi, but since these two are two of the best in the world, at least you know he can put bangers with that."

[9.0] "his promo work is not that good. I guess he fits in the Japanese style of wrestling. maybe if he signed with NJPW would be better. he got the look of a pro wrestler and the in-ring work of a pro wrestler. so he would fit there and become a big star maybe. because American wrestling needs things more than in-ring work"

[7.0] "Good in ring wrestler but lacks in other areas. Never could get behind his promo work and a lot of his characters and feuds have fell flat. His matches are usually great but he gets put into stories that don't allow him to show his strength and is often just put into a stable or tag team."

[5.0] "Imagine getting yourself ripped to shreds and then deciding to name yourself "Buddy Matthews." What a bizarre choice. Anyways, he's a solid and dependable worker but relies too heavily on others movesets and has never found a gimmick that's stuck."

[10.0] "This man deserve better than he gets, He's one of the best strikers and technicians i've seen these days, he can deliver, he is very agile, chemistry is on top, just watch his matches with Black and more, dude he's so underrated, I just wait for him to show more of a storylines and then he will be great again."

[7.0] "I'd probably be rating higher a couple of years ago. AEW should definitely use him more and he's still great in the ring, but his size right now is ridiculous. It's affecting his in-ring work. He's lost a bit of zip, explosiveness and manouverability. Just means he isn't as exciting as he was before."

[6.0] "His WWE stuff wasn't too bad, I haven't seen much of his AEW stuff unfortunately but I've heard its better"

[8.0] "Entertaining, talented, strong and agile, all at the same time. Buddy is great at everything he does yet somehow no one dares to pull the trigger on the wrestler he can actually be. He needs to be pushed to the top somewhere where they will use his talents for a greater purpose than just filling the card."

[7.0] "Proves that he was underutilised in NXT and had his potential held back by Wesley Blake, by regularly putting on high octane matches in 205 Live and becoming a highlight of the cruiserweight division. Update: his personality is really lacking and he has very limited potential as a singles star in either WWE or AEW although he can give great matches."

[10.0] "Buddy Matthews is one of the best cruiserweights of the 21s century. He? s a guy that you could build an entire company around because he check all the boxes of a great wrestler. Absolute future world champion."

[8.0] "The Best Kept Secret is great between the ropes. He can almost do anything. Fast, agile and intense, he is always a man to look after for match of the night performances."

[8.0] "Buddy Murphy is a great wrestler; up there with the best in the world. His character work, however, is a bit lacking. Ive never heard a great Buddy Matthews promo. But I cant dock too many points for that because in ring is where it counts. To me, it is undeniable that Matthews is great in the ring. Solid 8/10."

[7.0] "His character is severely lacking and he doesn't really fit in with the rest of the House of Black. He's pound for pound one of the best in-ring workers AEW has but that doesn't mean much if fans can't get invested in him since he's not showing the same heel work he had when he was the top guy in 205 Live or a rising heel on SmackDown. Without much of a character, he's lost in the shuffle, amazing of a worker that he is."

[8.0] "He is a good wrestler, he is consistent in terms of the level he gives in the ring and he is very fast and agile, as a singles wrestler he is acceptable but in tag team he is very good."

[7.0] "I really like Buddy Murphy, both as a character and as a performer. He's very solid in the ring and he just feels like someone you want to root for. His tag team with Wesley Blake in the early NXT days was one of the first impressive tag teams we saw come out of the developmental, and he managed to pivot into the main card well and settle right in to some major feuds. We maybe haven't seen enough of him to go too high on the rating, but he's a very good professional wrestler."

[10.0] "After moving to the main roster, all of Murphy's confrontations were memorable in a good way. He did a great program with Architects, with Mysterio. From a hated cruel heel turned into a babyface who defeated Set Rollins. Murphy can also be considered one of the best Cruiserweight champions, if not the best. There was the potential to become world champion, but it felt like Vince was afraid to make him the face of the company. I don't know why he got cut. Maybe it was influenced by two terrible programs with Corbin and Cesaro, which cannot be called a program - a couple of matches. I forgot to add that Murphy is good at psychology and I was convinced of this in a series of matches with Aleister Black. All in all, ideal candidate to be the main face of the company for the next 5 years"

[7.0] "He's a good cruiserweight with great opponents but Murphy got given chance after chance to shine and just didn't. Guy isn't very charismatic and lacks real direction in who he is: what's his gimmick? What's his aim? None of these were really answered by him and he just seemed to meander through program after program. Ok in tags and he certainly can wrestle but he's just never really impressed or shown that he can wrestle beyond being carried by superior talent taking him to the next level. He just seems very unmotivated in most of his material, maybe that's WWE's fault, I'm not going to judge either way. He needs a character or, at the very least, something to work with. Hopefully he can get back on track on the indies or whatever else he does, he's a good asset regardless."

[8.0] "It boggles the mind that Murphy didn't become an actual long-term star in WWE because he seemingly had it all; charisma, in-ring ability, intensity, facial expressions, etc. Wherever he ends up, it won't last long for The Best Kept Secret to become an industry star."

[10.0] "Favourite wtestler for 5 years. He has all to be a world champion, but Vince afraid of making him a bigger star than Roman Reigns"

[9.0] "Always been a huge murphy fan. One of my favorites in current day WWE and i really hope they keep pushing him. Amazing in ring, with great look and good mic skills."

[9.0] "Buddy Murphy is in my opinion the greatest cruiserweight champion in WWE history. He had classic matches with Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali and turned 205 Live into must see TV. While I prefer him in 205 Live rather than the main roster, I think it's great he's getting mainstream attention now."

[9.0] "Buddy Murphy is a great in ring performer as seen by his recent matches with Aleister Black, He has solid mic skills. I am curious to see what the future is after he joined Seth Rollin's heel faction, I would give him 10 when he becomes a big main event star."

[9.0] "He is so freaking great. His in-ring skills is just limitless, I think now he is biggest newcomer on RAW. It seems that this guy can do a good match with anyone, just give him a chance. And if WWE would give Murphy that chance, he might the biggest star in the future."

[9.0] "Very talented wrestler who succeed to put a very good match out of Roman Reigns. He is a very good heel, he's charismatic and, as he's been one of the best Cruiserweight champions, would be a excellent midcarder champion if WWE would be interested in him."

[9.0] "Had back to back classics on SmackDown Live with literally the two most popular superstars, losing effort sure but does that really matter within the WWE? The dude broke off from Wesley Blake (who also has a great run in NXT right now. ) and he really did prove he was "WWE's Best Kept Secret. " and what did he do? He proved it well that he was in fact the best kept secret."

[7.0] "Great in the ring & pretty sub par on the mic. I think he's in dire need of a manager & I think Alexa would work well for him. His finisher is awesome but his torn looking shorts look like he constantly gets into fights with wild raccoons."

[7.0] "The guy is on his way up the WWE ladder. Despite the limitations of 205 Live and his jobber status in NXT, Buddy Murphy has risen to the whatever challenge placed in front of him and with a new look and character, Murphy has been allowed to display what a great in-ring talent he is and always has been. Though with his current moveset it is pretty blatant that he is Kenny Omega-lite."

[7.0] "Used to be a very forgettable tag guy in NXT but managed to get over on 205 Live where he's definitely putting on is best matches so far."

[10.0] "He is the best there is in WWE right now. Hope to see him colliding with nakamura, balor and aj one day."