Bingo Ballance
Gary Ballance is a professional wrestler from Dublin, Ireland, who is better known by his ring name Bingo Ballance. Though primarily based in Ireland, and a full-time roster member of Irish Whip Wrestling, Ballance has also worked, and works, for a number of promotions in the United Kingdom, and Europe.
Irish Whip Wrestling (2005-present)
2005-2007
Ballance began his career with Irish Whip Wrestling (IwW), training in their school in Baldoyle from early June 2005. Ballance débuted in a battle royal at Gym Wars 3, three weeks after he had begun training. Over the course of the year, he took part in a number of tag team matches, teaming mainly with Bam Katraz, to oppose Red Vinny, and had a well-received singles match with Mad Man Manson towards the end of 2005. IwW fans named Ballance the Breakout Star of 2005 in an online poll at irishwhipwrestling.com.
During 2006, Ballance began to move away from tag wrestling, following a series of matches where he teamed with former rival Red Vinny to face The Ballymun Bruiser and Keego Ward, and developed into a singles wrestler, helping to pioneer what IwW dubbed its "Zero Gravity" cruiserweight division, in matches with Red Vinny, Pac, J. P. Monroe, Bubblegum, Canadian wrestlers TJ Wilson and The Hornet, and Pro Wrestling Noah star Ricky Marvin. It was also in 2006 that Ballance was appointed Head Trainer of the IwW Training School, and helped bring a number of younger stars to the forefront of IwW shows around the country.
In January 2007, Ballance reached the pinnacle of his career, becoming the first ever Irish Whip Wrestling Zero Gravity Champion, during the Zero Gravity Championship tournament in Balbriggan. Defeating his own trainee Brother Skelly in the quarter finals, and pinning Emil Sitoci in a triple threat match which also featured Bubblegum, Ballance went on to the finals to face 'The Man That Gravity Forgot' Pac. Ballance was victorious after pinning Pac with his finishing move, The BSP. Ballance faced and defeated the likes of Red Vinny, Bam Katraz, Brother Skelly, Irish Dragon, 'Angry' Andy Barton, and was victorious in IwW's second Donnybrook match in Donnycarney, Dublin, defeating Red Vinny, El Ligero and Bubblegum, He lost the Championship in Balbriggan to hometown favourite Bam Katraz at IwW Doomsday on June 23.
Ballance recaptured the Zero Gravity Title two weeks later, at IwW Global Impact in Waterford pinning Katraz with his G-17 finisher, during a triple threat match also featuring Pac. After successful defenses against Red Vinny, Brother Skelly, Andy Barton, former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Kid Kash, and Dragon Gate star Keni'chiro Arai, he was defeated by Red Vinny in Kilkenny for the championship on October 20. Ballance finished out the year with a singles match, defeating LA Warren in his hometown of Clontarf, in Dublin.
2008-present
During IwW's March tour in 2008, Ballance faced El Ligero in their first singles encounter on Irish soil, which he won. He would go on to compete in a five-way match for the IwW Zero Gravity Championship against reigning champion Red Vinny, Vic Viper, Bam Katraz and Scotland's Liam Thomson. Viper pinned Thomson to win the match. All five men received plaudits for the match, which was included on IwW's International Hits DVD. Following this bout, Ballance and Viper competed for the Title, wrestling in a number of two out of three falls matches around the country. At an IwW show in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on June 14, that he was able to capture the Zero Gravity Title for a third time, pinning Viper, in a four-way match with Red Vinny and Metal Master. He held the title until the end of the year, seeing off challenges from LA Warren, Vic Viper, Billy Boy Meehan, UK stars Wade Fitzgerald and T-Bone, and his own trainee Keith Connolly, amongst others. He also competed in tag team matches, aligning himself with Mad Man Manson, and crowd favourites The Hurling Heroes (Captain Rooney and 'Mr. GAA' Conor Hurley) to face the likes of The Ballymun Bruiser, T-Bone, Billy Boy Meehan and LA Warren. For the second year in a row, Ballance finished out the year with a singles encounter with LA Warren, defeating him in a best of three falls match to retain the championship.
LA Warren ended Ballance's third reign as ZG Champion, defeating the Clontarf native with some very questionable tactics, at IwW's show in Rathcoole, Dublin, in January. Through outside interference, and the use of his nightstick, Warren was able to gain a pinfall victory, and capture the Championship. Ballance had a few attempts to regain the Title, but was usually hindered by these same tactics, and denied the chance to take it back. Ballance defeated The Supermodel (Billy Boy Meehan) at Lucan, Dublin, in February, however, and will get his opportunity at a future IwW show to once again face LA Warren for the Title.
Dynamic Pro Wrestling (2007-2009)
Ballance made his début for the Leeds-based promotion Dynamic Pro Wrestling (DPW) at their first show Bitter Redemption, in June 2007. He defeated UK luchadore El Ligero by pinfall. As DPW prepared for their opening show of 2008, entitled Statement of Intent, Ballance was involved in a storyline in which he had prevented Ligero from being at the show the show. As a result, El Ligero was in scheduled in a match with Jonny Storm, where if Ligero won, Ballance would be banned from competing in DPW. Ballance, after defeating Bubblegum earlier in the night, interfered in Ligero's match with Storm, helping Storm to win.
In the main event of DPW's second show of the year, Heated Exchange, Morley hometown hero Cameron Kraze defeated Ballance, despite interference from Martin Kirby, who had aligned himself with Ballance. Ligero, however, prevented Ballance from gaining an unfair victory, challenged Ballance and Kirby to a match at Built-Up Aggression. In the main event of that show, Ballance and Kirby faced Kraze and Ligero and won after Ballance hit Ligero with the ring bell. After the match, Ligero attacked Ballance, until DPW general manager Christopher Brammer intervened and announced a Last Man Standing match for the final show, in November, with Ligero's mask and Ballance's job with DPW on the line. A dislocated shoulder kept Ligero from competing in the match at the following show in November, but the two faced each other at One Year Old in 2009. Ligero scored the victory in the end, which meant that Ballance was fired from DPW.
Other promotions
British promotions
Ballance faced Scottish wrestler Lionheart in his first One Pro Wrestling appearance at Still No Regrets, in January 2008, in a losing effort. At Underground 5, he took on Kris Travis, Lionheart, and El Hombre Insanico in a fourway match that Lionheart won. In April, Ballance was a participant in a three-way match with Jason Genesis and Lionheart at Fight Club Reloaded, which the latter won. At the Know Your Enemy show later that evening, Ballance faced Darkside, Gary Player and Lionheart in a fourway match to decide the number one contender to the 1PW Openweight Championship. Darkside was victorious.
On February 16, 2008, at Premier British Wrestling's Urban Assault show, in Greenock, Scotland, Ballance faced Red Lightning, in a singles match that the latter won, with a roll-up using the ropes. Ballance returned for Maximum Impact II in October, competing in a six-way King of Cruisers match against Liam Thomson, BT Gunn, Bubblegum, El Ligero and Zack Sabre, Jr. Bubblegum was the eventual winner of this contest.
Ballance was one of the participants in Real Deal Wrestling's Third Anniversary Tournament, in November 2007, to crown their first ever Lightweight Champion. In a qualifying match, he faced Jonny Storm and Zak Zodiac. Storm gained the victory, pinning Zodiak with a second-rope moonsault. Ballance appeared again for RDW's show in Caistor, defeating Dan Ryder in the opening contest, with the G-17. He would also return for the final show of RDW's Summer Slamfest series, in August 2008, at the Suncastle in Skegness, defeating El Ligero in a ladder match for the IWW Zero Gravity Title.
In August 2006, Ballance competed for Celtic Wrestling, defeating Jonny the Body at Live and Let Die in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
In May 2007, Ballance successfully defended his IWW Zero Gravity Title against Ross Jordan, Seb Drea and Matt Naylor in the main event of Power Trip Wrestling's Defiance show, in Luton, England, pinning Jordan. This was voted as PTW's 2007 Match of the Year.
Ballance faced Pac and Jonny Storm in a three-way match at Real Quality Wrestling's York Hall show, in November 2006. Pac was victorious in this match.
Saarland Wrestling Organisation (SWO)
Ballance defeated CorVus in a pre-show match at Saarland Wrestling Organisation's Behind the Border II show. On the main card, Ballance was defeated by Bernd Fohr.
On SWO's April 18 show in Sinsheim, Ballance competed in a three-way dance with Marc Roudin and X-Dream, which the latter won.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Springboard crossbody
- Springboard enzuigiri
- The G-17 (tilt-a-whirl reverse crucifix slam)
- The B-84 (wraparound swingout facebuster)
- frog splash
- Corner evasion and running leg lariat
- Plancha
- Running legdrop takeover
- Springboard back elbow
- The 114 (reverse wheelbarrow into a cutter)
- The 626 (Samoan driver)
- The BallancePlex (rope-hang swinging suplex)
- The Ballance Transfer (T-bone suplex with leg and arm trapped)
- The BSP - Ballance Star Press (inverted shooting star press)
- The Closing Ballance (leglock)
- Tiger driver
- Nicknames
- "The Zenith of Zero Gravity"
- "The Crown Jewel of the Emerald Isle"
- Entrance Music
- Map of the Problematique by Muse
- Everyday Combat, by Lostprophets
- Plug-in Baby by Muse (2005-2006)
- Spitfire by The Prodigy
Championships and accomplishments
- Irish Whip Wrestling
- Irish Whip Wrestling Zero Gravity Championship (3 times)