Murphy to face AEW powerhouse in first match after WWE release

AEW's Brian Cage will face Murphy in what will be Murphy's first match since the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in April.

Murphy, formerly known as Buddy Murphy, was part of WWE budget cuts earlier this year. The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion is an amazingly gifted wrestler and one of the best free agents in wrestling right now.

He has a few months left on his non-compete clause at this point. Murphy will face AEW's Brian Cage at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia on September 18, 2021. The FTW Champion confirmed the match on his Twitter account, dubbing it AEW vs ex-WWE.

LFG, Sept 18th, ecw arena, aew vs ex-wwe! Machine vs Murphy @WWE_Murphy pic.twitter.com/1QmwFIfecW

— Brian Cage (@MrGMSI_BCage) July 13, 2021

Fans have been clamoring for Murphy to return to the ring and this match should be an absolute blast. Both men have superhuman physiques but possess great agility in the ring. Murphy, in particular, is a weapon when it comes to high-flying as well as mat wrestling, the evidence for which can be seen during his run in 205 Live.

About once a week I see a post that’s like “anybody remember this gem?” and it’s just Mustafa Ali vs. Buddy Murphy from 205 Live in 2018

— Parker #Koguma5Star (@WhatAMark) May 25, 2021

Murphy was pushed briefly in WWE, taking on top stars like Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns. The push led to nothing of note and he just became an afterthought. With this match, "The Best Kept Secret" has a chance to remind everyone of what he's capable of.

Could Murphy be on his way to AEW?

Black and Murphy have history

AEW has scooped up two brilliant released WWE stars, Andrade 'El Idolo' and Malakai Black. Could they make it three with Murphy? There is nothing concrete, but Murphy hinted at a match with Malakai Black after the Dutchman made his debut at AEW Road Rager.

@TommyEnd - Congrats!…. But don’t forget about me! How’s the eye 👁

— B -Murph (@WWE_Murphy) July 8, 2021

Murphy and Aleister Black wrestled a series of showstealing matches on a weekly basis on WWE Raw and every time they got the match of the night. The two competitors have wicked in-ring chemistry and they can whip up a great match in their sleep.

If Murphy's tweet is more than just an acknowledgment of Black's debut, then he could enhance what is already a stacked AEW roster.