I’m Thryllin’ Dylan with your review of Warfare 2019. When I broke into the wrestling industry, it was 1997 and I was in grade 9. I helped out with ring crew, sound and other odd jobs. In 2000, I had my first match. Fast forward to 2019, I wrestle mostly for a company in Regina, Sask. called Ringside Wrestling. While I spent many years in High Impact Wrestling and I do occasional matches with Canadian Wrestling’s Elite, Ringside Wrestling is my home company now.
Cannonball crashes Fan Appreciation Night
Earlier this summer, on Friday, July 19, Ringside Wrestling presented Ringside: Warfare 2019, which coincided with their Second Annual Fan Appreciation Night.
Fans and wrestlers collected in the Eastview Community Centre Parking lot for games, hot dogs and cake. As Ringside Wrestling presented one of their fans with an appreciation trophy, Cannonball Kelly and his manager Johnny Two Fingers arrived at the venue and immediately began making a scene.
Desecrating the title belt
Cannonball Kelly has spent much of the last decade split between his wrestling and his music endeavors. But in May of this year, Cannonball challenged Mentallo for the Ringside Wrestling North American Championship. They battled at Regina’s German Club in a match that easily deserved its main event card placement.
Mentallo won that match and retained his title. But Cannonball and his manager/bandmate Johnny stole the belt on their way out of the building. Then they joined their 3rd band member, and Johnny Two Fingers and the Deformities began their cross-Western Canada tour.
During the tour, Cannonball Kelly consistently posted on social media images and videos of him disrespecting the belt. Using it as a coaster, stomping on it and even threatening to throw the belt into a B.C. river.
Parking lot brawl
So, when Cannonball appeared in the parking lot and began berating a fan who was being presented with a trophy from Ringside Wrestling, people were shocked. Kelly then grabbed a hammer from the ring truck and yanked the trophy from the fan’s hands (she had no idea this was coming), and smashed the trophy to pieces.
Cannonball and Johnny began verbally assaulting the fans from the ring trailer. That’s when Mentallo came sprinting out of the venue and attacked Cannonball. The belt-less champion Mentallo threw Cannonball into the refreshments table. Then smashed Cannonball’s face into the fan appreciation cake. They battled until Cannonball and Johnny went running.
It was a wild start to Ringside: Warfare 2019. Cannonball Kelly would be challenging Mentallo once again for the North American title later that night in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
Ringside: Warfare lives up to its name
Fans in attendance told me that the Ringside: Warfare card was very entertaining. Personally, my favorite moment was when Thryllin’ Dylan (THAT’S ME!) beat Alberta’s Tasty Travis Cole after connecting with my top-rope elbow drop.
After my match, I relaxed, washed up and decided to find a quiet spot behind the curtain to watch the Falls Count Anywhere main event.
Both Mentallo and Cannonball have very different styles, despite that, they meshed extremely well in the ring and outside the ring. The match was hard-hitting and exciting. They even went crashing through the food concession window at one point and battled past my “quiet place behind the curtain” and back into the audience.
After Mentallo hit the 360-pound Cannonball with a sit-down powerbomb, Johnny jumped in and broke up the pinfall. Mentallo set Cannonball up for a strong and swift kick to the face.
I’ve battled Mentallo numerous times. You do NOT want to get kicked by him. Cannonball knew that. He ducked and Mentallo kicked Johnny.
AndNEW
Cannonball capitalized on the distraction, reversed Mentallo, pinned him as he grabbed the ropes. The ref counted three. Cannonball beat Mentallo to become the new Ringside Wrestling North American Champion to a chorus of boos from the crowd.
These foes put on an incredible show from the moment they locked horns months ago. And keeping up with their antics, reactions, and matches with each other has made it one of the best Ringside Wrestling feuds I’ve ever seen.
The entire card Ringside: Warfare card was great from top to bottom, but that main event truly was warfare. Here’s a look at all the results that night:
Screaming Eagle pinned “Boston Bruiser” Kevin O’Doyle.
Thryllin’ Dylan w/ Jacob Creed pinned Tasty Travis Cole after hitting the signature “Drop That D” Top-rope Elbow.
Joey Vendetta (one-half of the tag team champions) pinned Jacob Creed w/ Thryllin’
Dylan after Thryllin’ Dylan mistakenly struck Creed with a cowbell.
Billy Blaze pinned Brian Rich with a devastating Belly-to-belly suplex.
Cannonball Kelly pinned Mentallo to end Mentallo’s year-plus Ringside Wrestling North American title reign.
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