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The Maryland State Athletic Commission sanctioned and regulated during the pandemic its fifth professional wrestling event held without spectators in attendance on March 16 – 18, 2021. This wrestling event, the fifth in a series of wrestling events without a crowd promoted by licensed promoter Ring of Honor Wrestling Entertainment, LLC (ROH), featured three days of taped wrestling matches for television purposes on each occasion at The UMBC Events Center in Catonsville, Maryland.
ROH fully complied with the commission’s medical and administrative protocols for COVID-19 testing for wrestling events without spectators. These commission protocols included COVID-19 testing for everyone entering the venue as well as strict social distancing practices being enforced by the commission both at the hotel where the wrestlers were placed in an isolation “bubble” and at the wrestling event.
Once again, the commission and promoter ROH worked closely together to place the safety of participating wrestlers and others working at the wrestling event as their top priority. By all accounts, ROH's fifth such wrestling event was a great success.
The commission recently reviewed, and made changes, to its COVID-19 medical and administrative protocols in an ongoing effort to seek to reduce promoter costs relative to testing and hotel requirements while continuing to maintain high safety standards. Considerable progress has been made in this regard, with the end goal being to get to a point where promoters will be able to hold more events in the state as our combative sports and professional wrestling industries begin to return to a sense of normalcy.
Message from the Commissioner's Office
By Gregory J. Morgan, Commissioner, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Maryland Department of Labor
This time last year the world was deep in the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the economy stalled as businesses were forced to close or drastically alter operations. Schools were closed and all of America was feeling the impact of this deadly virus. A year later we still are in the midst of the pandemic, however, in Maryland, we have adapted to the “current normal” and have shown the resiliency and determination that makes our state so great. Our economy is on the path to recovery, and while some industries never slowed down, many others adapted to the restrictions and challenges forced by the pandemic and continued to serve customers while protecting employees and the public they serve.
The Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing (O&P) supports 24 professions and occupations, and the resiliency I mentioned above is seen every day as we work with our licensees to ensure the safety of all Maryland residents. We have added thousands of new occupational and professional licenses since the onset of the pandemic and many Marylanders have taken the steps to secure gainful employment and support their families and the Maryland economy. Our Team at O&P has worked through the pandemic to provide the highest level of service to our licensees while protecting the health of our team. We will continue the mission of O&P “To help foster economic growth by assisting our customers in a timely, professional manner while protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public by assuring that our licensees have met a standard of expertise.”
I join all Marylanders in the hope and vision of an end to this pandemic and a return to the life we knew before its onset. It may take some time, but patience and determination will be the key to a successful return to normal life inclusive of a flourishing economy and our ability to enjoy time with family and friends.
Best wishes for a great summer of 2021 and Go O’s!
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 Gregory J. Morgan
Commissioner
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