Former WWE champion last seen in action 17-months ago still signed with AEW - Reports 

A former WWE champion and superstar has not been seen in action inside an AEW ring for nearly seventeen months. Now, a contract update has emerged regarding the individual in question, who is none other than Matt Sydal.

The erstwhile Evan Bourne has been involved with All Elite Wrestling for nearly five years now, having made his debut at All Out 2020 as a surprise entrant in the Casino Battle Royale hosted on the pay-per-view. He officially signed with the company in November that year, and has been featured on the promotion's weekly television programs, AEW Dynamite and Rampage, as well as its YouTube streaming shows, Dark and Dark : Elevation. The iconic high-flyer has battled many top All Elite names over time, including Wardlow, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Roderick Strong, Jay White and Swerve Strickland, just to mention a few.

Sydal was last seen in action in an AEW ring on the May 22, 2024 episode of Dynamite last year, where he lost to Konosuke Takeshita one-on-one. The following month, he underwent surgery to repair his right foot. After over a year, the former WWE Tag Team Champion returned to in-ring competition against Ultimo Dragon at an independent event in Béziers, France this past July. Although his All Elite Wrestling hiatus is still ongoing, a recent report from Fightful Select has noted that Matt Sydal is still signed with All Elite Wrestling.

John Cena's last opponent leaked? Check here!

It remains to be seen when Tony Khan will bring Sydal back to TV.

Matt Sydal lost a chance to become AEW tag team champions last year

In what will go down as his second-last match till date on AEW Dynamite, Matt Sydal teamed with Christopher Daniels to take on The Young Bucks in a World Tag Team Championship Eliminator bout on the May 15, 2024 episode of the show. Matt and Nick Jackson, who at the time had been rampantly abusing their former EVP privileges, managed to put away The Fallen Angel and his partner. Afterwards, The Bucks (in kayfabe) fired CD from his backstage role, although the latter would return as a newly-appointed interim EVP a couple of weeks later.

Matt Sydal trying to make the hot tag to Christopher Daniels during their match against The Young Bucks [Image Credits: All Elite Wrestling on YouTube]

Sydal's last time competing at an All Elite Wrestling pay-per-view was on the Zero-Hour pre-show to Dynasty 2024, where he was defeated by Trent Beretta.

Make Sportskeeda your preferred choice for WWE content by clicking here: Source preferences

Edited by Anurag Mukherjee