Rhett Titus on How ROH Handled the Pandemic, Discusses New Safety Protocols

– Fightful recently interviewed ROH wrestler Rhett Titus, who discussed how ROH handled things during the pandemic, and what type of safety protocols they have in place since returning to TV. Below are some highlights.

Rhett Titus on finding out about taping cancellations due to the pandemic in March 2020: “The thing was when we went out to Las Vegas for the pay-per-view and the television tapings, I got off the plane and I saw Grizzly Redwood and Cheesburger. I was like, ‘Hey, what’s up guys?’ They were like, ‘Hey, you check your e-mail yet?’ I’m like, ‘No.’ They’re like, ‘The shows are cancelled.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ You know? Just knowing the amount of money that it costs to put on a pay-per-view production and the satellite time and flying everybody out to Las Vegas and the rooms for a few days and they had catering lined up… All this stuff comes into play. It’s like, ‘Man, they just cancelled it all.’ I guess this coronavirus thing, I guess this is really something to be worried about. So, like, we go home and you’re like, ‘Alright. I guess two weeks locked up. Just to relax and cool down. That won’t be that bad.’ Then all of a sudden two weeks turns into two months, and you’re like, ‘Oh, boy. Ring of Honor shows are cancelled.’”

Titus on how ROH was taking care of talent during the pandemic: “There was really no talk of when we were going back to work, but they were making sure everybody felt good and everybody was paid. So, that was definitely refreshing. You see all these other companies are still going on with their operations and they’re doing temperature checks and stuff like that. The testing really wasn’t that accurate at that point, so nobody really had the COVID testing. So, Ring of Honor was just like, ‘Hey, guys. We just want to make sure that we have all our T’s crossed and our I’s dotted because we don’t want to see any of you guys getting sick. We don’t want to jeopardize anybody’s families or anything like that.’ They waited until August until they knew a lot more about the coronavirus and there was even talks about even bringing the tapings to Florida or Tennessee, one of those more open states. But, they decided to go with Maryland because, even prior to the pandemic or coronavirus or anything, Maryland state athletic commissions are one of the most strict commissions in all of professional wrestling. So, they wanted to do it with them to make sure that everybody was safe beyond belief and taken care of.”

Rhett Titus on how often ROH tests talent: “I just took my pre-travel test yesterday and then you get there and you take another test. You’re up in your room for a few days by yourself just hanging out. Then before you wrestle you gotta take another test. Before each match the canvasses are changed out and the ropes are all wiped down, sanitized. They go through fifteen canvasses in a day, you know? They give us all money so we can order food to our rooms and we don’t leave anywhere, so we get a per diem for each day. Man, there’s temperature checks at the door as well. So, if you are feeling a little under the weather they don’t want to risk it at all. So, everywhere you go, too, hand sanitizer and you gotta wear your masks the whole time as well.”