Steve Carrier on March 13, 2026
A frightening moment unfolded during Ohio Valley Wrestling’s Rise taping Thursday night in Louisville, Kentucky after a referee was knocked unconscious during the show’s main event.
The incident happened during a multi-man match when OVW Rush Champion Brendan Balling climbed to the top rope and attempted a flying forearm aimed at heel Tony Evans. Evans avoided the move and pulled referee Dallas Edwards directly into the path of Balling’s dive.
Balling collided with Edwards, and the referee’s head struck the mat hard on impact. Edwards immediately appeared to lose consciousness, and witnesses reported that his body began seizing while lying in the ring.
Despite the severity of the moment, Balling and Evans initially continued performing around Edwards while his arms and legs were twitching on the mat. Evans eventually grabbed Edwards by his pants and rolled him out of the way, pushing him farther from the other wrestlers with his foot as the match continued.
Moments later, someone entered the ring and the match was stopped as the situation became clear. Cameras quickly cut away from Edwards, and OVW announced they were ending the broadcast early due to a medical emergency.
An update later surfaced from Edwards’ girlfriend, who confirmed the referee suffered a serious injury and is now being monitored by doctors. She shared that the incident resulted in a brain injury and asked fans to keep Edwards in their thoughts while he undergoes medical evaluation and observation.
The message also thanked fans for the overwhelming support that had already begun pouring in after the frightening moment circulated online. The incident has sparked concern across the wrestling community, with promotions and fans sharing messages of support for Edwards as he recovers.
Do you think wrestling promotions should change how they handle in-ring medical situations when accidents like this happen live? Let us know your thoughts and leave your feedback in the comments.
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