A frightening moment during an Ohio Valley Wrestling event earlier this week has now prompted a response from the wrestler who was directly involved in the incident that left referee Dallas Edwards hospitalized. The incident took place during the March 12 episode of OVW Rise in Louisville, Kentucky. During the main event six-man tag match, Edwards was struck with a springboard forearm in what was reportedly a planned spot. After the impact, Edwards remained on the mat while the match continued, but the situation quickly turned alarming when he began convulsing in the ring. One of the wrestlers involved in the match, Tony Evans, ended up pushing Edwards out of the way as the sequence continued before realizing the severity of the situation. The match was eventually stopped and the broadcast was cut short as officials rushed to help the injured referee. Evans has now issued a lengthy statement addressing the moment, explaining that the chaotic nature of the match and the structure of the planned sequence made it difficult to immediately realize something had gone wrong. Evans explained that the match had multiple moving parts, including several wrestlers and run-ins, which made the situation difficult to read in real time. According to Evans, the next part of the sequence required him to move away from Edwards while focusing on other wrestlers in the ring. When he noticed the referee was still close to the center of the ring, he attempted to move him out of the way as he normally would during a match. Evans explained that he initially assumed everything was proceeding according to plan and did not realize Edwards was seriously hurt when he moved him. Evans said it wasnt until moments later that he realized something was seriously wrong. The wrestler also made it clear that if he had understood the seriousness of the situation sooner, he would have stopped immediately. Evans added that he has since spoken with Edwards directly and said there is no ill will between them following the incident. The statement comes as more details continue to emerge about Edwards condition. The referee later revealed doctors diagnosed him with both a concussion and a subdural hematoma, a form of brain bleed. He has since stepped away from wrestling while focusing on recovery. The situation has already sparked a wave of discussion across the wrestling world about in-ring communication and safety procedures during chaotic multi-man matches. What do you think about Tony Evans explanation of what happened in the ring that night? Should wrestling promotions implement stricter emergency stop protocols for situations like this? Let us know what you think in the comments and join the conversation. G Add as a preferred source on Google
