They'll be wrestling for a cause again at a Surrey school gym on Thursday, Sept. 26.
That evening's second Rumble at the Ridge event will feature local pro wrestlers in action in another fundraiser for the wrestling team at Panorama Ridge Secondary, where part-time wrestler Joseph "Joe Funk" Beland works as a teacher.
All Star Wrestling welcomes students and people of the community to watch the family-friendly action starting at 7 p.m., for $15 a student or $25 general admission.
Beland helped launch and promote last year's inaugural Rumble.
"The first one raised us just under $3,000 and helped get our team to Port Alberni as well as a couple of athletes who needed some help with getting equipment," he told the Now-Leader. "Should be an even bigger turnout this year. Super excited!"
The main event of Rumble at the Ridge Part Deux will see Beland, as Funk, battle Judas "Born Sinner" Icarus. Other wrestlers to hit the ring are The Thunder from Jalandhar, Elliot Tyler, Battle Wasp, The Gambler, Cherry Blossom and Magnum Me, The West Coast Heavies and The Moral Panic.
The event should be a lot of Funk-y fun and fundraising for Beland, who has wrestled at All Star events across B.C. since 2012. He grew up in Surrey and became a teacher five years ago. A decade ago, into the wrestling ring he followed his father, “Freddy Funk,” who started wrestling when Beland was nine years old.
With wrestling in the family blood, Beland saw an opportunity to get students involved in the sport at Panorama Ridge Secondary.
"We started (in 2022) with 11 kids on the team,” the coach said last year, before the first Rumble at the Ridge event. “You know, it was a really great learning experience for everybody, and we wanted to go to this big tournament on the Island that takes place every February. But with taking 11 kids, plus some adults, all on the ferry, multiple cars, plus hotels and all that, it was just a little bit too much to ask for everybody to do. So we weren’t able to go.”
Soon enough, the concept of a wrestling-event fundraiser was born. “That’s kind of the big goal of this fundraiser, because the students really, really wanted to go to that event on the Island,” Beland added. “So we’re looking for some way to help them out and get that happening."
Parking is free at Panorama Ridge Secondary, 13220 64 Ave.
