OVW isn’t wasting time making changes — and now the company has officially rolled out new safety protocols after the frightening in-ring incident involving referee Dallas Edwards.
Following the frightening March 12 OVW Rise match where referee Dallas Edwards suffered a concussion and brain bleed, the company faced heavy criticism over how long it took to stop the match. Now, they’ve responded with a full set of updated safety protocols. On March 23, 2026, OVW took to Twitter to announce sweeping changes — starting with a clear message that this is just the beginning of a larger shift.
“THESE IMMEDIATE PROTOCOLS MARK THE START OF OVW’S STRENGTHENED, ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR TALENT AND EVERYONE INVOLVED.”
They made it clear this isn’t a one-and-done fix, but something they plan to keep improving over time as standards evolve. One of the biggest additions comes in the form of medical training — specifically focused on recognizing and responding to seizures, something that can be critical in situations like the Edwards incident.
“THIS IS A LIVING, EVOLVING EFFORT THAT WILL GROW AS NEW BEST PRACTICES, TRAINING AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS EMERGE. OUR FOCUS IS LONG TERM WELLBEING FOR OUR TALENT, CREW AND FANS.
In partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana, OVW will host an April Seizure First Aid Certification Program for talent and staff.”
They also explained exactly what that training will involve and why it matters. Beyond that, OVW is tackling head injuries directly by bringing in concussion and CTE education — a major step given the nature of Edwards’ injury.
“This training covers how to recognize different types of seizures, understand their impact, and respond with safe, appropriate first aid. Participants receive a two year certification. In partnership with Chris Nowinski, PhD, Co Founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, OVW will host an April Concussion Safety & CTE Prevention Training for talent and staff.”
And this isn’t just optional knowledge — it’s being built into the foundation of how OVW trains new talent moving forward. Medical presence is also being upgraded in a big way, with OVW confirming more trained personnel will be at ringside when needed.
“This training will be added to the OVW Academy beginner syllabus moving forward. Through our partnership with Norton Healthcare, OVW will deploy additional trained medical staff at larger events on a case by case basis.”
That partnership also extends to emergency preparedness, ensuring everyone involved knows how to respond in critical situations. Finally — and most importantly given what happened — OVW is overhauling communication systems, which were a key issue in the delay during Edwards’ injury.
“Norton Healthcare will also provide CPR training for talent, staff, and contractors. In addition to referees and ring announcers being equipped with IFB (in-ear monitoring devices)… our ringside timekeeper will now have a headset for fast, direct communication with the Director. This allows for immediate decisions to stop a match and check on the talent.”
All of these changes come after a moment that exposed a major flaw — when the referee, who is normally responsible for signaling and communicating injuries, was the one who got hurt, leading to a breakdown in response time. Bottom line — OVW got called out, and now they’re making visible changes. The real question is whether these upgrades will be enough to restore confidence moving forward.
Do you think OVW’s new safety protocols go far enough after what happened to Dallas Edwards, or should there be even stricter measures across the industry? Drop your thoughts below and leave your feedback.