SuperBrawl 19 LIVE Draft

SHOW E.: It’s pretty cool that you guys got Shoney’s to close down this entire restaurant for us so Buh Buh can make his big announcement here!

Show E. is seated at a table by himself, due to the fact that he’s a little larger than the athletic type crowd that Shoney’s usually attracts.

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: You serious?

CANDICE LERAE: Yeah, Show E., Buh Buh has spent so much money here they basically shut this place down for him anytime he wants.

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: I’m surprised they haven’t switched that bear logo of theirs out with one of his face. He’s spent the GDP of a small nation in this place.

And, seated at a booth near Show E.’s private table is the rest of the Flamingo Family. Johnny Flamingo and Candice LeRae on one side and Buh Buh Ray Dudley on the other. The National Championship Title sits proudly on the table.

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: Folks, this time last year I was looking for a best friend in all the wrong places. And, despite putting together what I felt was a pretty competitive team, I was left on the outside looking in at SuperBrawl. This year, I have a family. In all the right places. Or, place. Whatever. And, that place is Shoney’s. I could not think of a better establishment to announce my draft pick for the 2019 edition of SuperBrawl. In the interest of brevity, I would like to announce …

Buh Buh is interrupted as a Shoney’s waitress swings by …

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but … “

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: No, it’s cool. We’re not doing anything. What’s going on?

CANDICE LERAE: Ugh. Buh Buh.

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: Right. Ma’am, I’ll have you know, I’m making my SuperBrawl pick tonight so I better get to it. What is so important, huh?

“Well, I thought you’d like to know that the bacon only buffet you requested is officially open.”

SHOW E.: Woah! Buh Buh, you thought they’d never do it! That’s awesome!

Without so much as another word, Bubbs stands up and shakes hands with the waitress.

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: He’s a VIP, ladies and gentlemen.

Bubbs takes a seat back in the booth, adjusting his overall straps in an effort to make room for the buffet.

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: Now, for my pick for the 2019 edition of SuperBrawl, I pick … Brian Pillman Jr.!

Johnny and Candice turn their heads in shock.

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: Buh Buh, what the fu...

CANDICE LERAE: You’ve got to be kidding me. Pillman? You know he’s eventually getting a National Title shot right?

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: And, on top of that, that guy is dangerous, man. He’s crazy talented in the ring and he’s motivated. Especially after the last month.

CANDICE LERAE: Yeah, what were you thinking!?

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: I was thinking Candyland, and that’s precisely the point. See, Brian Pillman Jr. is indeed coming for the National Title at some point. You’re right. So, I figure that if he can watch my back at SuperBrawl and help me to make it out of the match as the champion still, then I’ll reward him with a shot at the title.

Candice and Johnny exchange looks, one might say they’re a little surprised, perhaps, at the logic behind Buh Buh’s pick.

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: I mean, you said it yourself, he’s a heck of a talent in the ring. He’s got it all when it comes to wrestling stuff. And, I have very little. Plus, you guys are right, he’s motivated to make good on his name, and I’d rather have that motivation on my side at SuperBrawl than against me. What I lack in wrestling ability, he more than makes up for. And, if he can help me leave SuperBrawl still as the National Champion … then he gets the very next shot. He doesn’t have to wait, he doesn’t have to worry about any number one contenders matches or anyone getting his way. Nope. None of that. He just steps up for a title match. One on one.

JOHNNY FLAMINGO: Okay … not what I expected, but perhaps not the worst choice.

CANDICE LERAE: Yeah, I mean, I guess this could work.

SHOW E.: Uh guys …

BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY: Listen, Show E., I want you to know that I considered picking you. I really did. But, buddy, I can’t show favoritism.

SHOW E.: Oh, my goodness, I completely understand! But, it’s not that. I’m just, well, I’m just wondering … what’s stopping Pillman from just pinning you in the SuperBrawl match?

This time, it’s Buh Buh who exchanges glances with Johnny and Candice.

SHOW E.: You know, why wouldn’t he just beat you at SuperBrawl for the National Championship instead of waiting for a match with you?

Buh Buh’s head drops to the Shoney’s table with a thud, leaving Candice and Johnny looking on speechless.

The Honky Tonk Man walks over to the beautiful Cadillac Fleetwood, of which he has many, and swings open the driver’s side door.

THE HONKY TONK MAN: The Honky Tonk Man wants it on the record that I am formally protesting the dang rules and regulations surrounding my Super Brawl pick!

The greatest entertainer AND wrestler the world has ever known, that’s one person, mind you, swings open the door. But, before climbing in …

THE HONKY TONK MAN: When The Honky Tonk Man found out he had a pick in this year’s SuperBrawl, there was only ONE clear choice … and that choice was … The Honky Tonk Man! HAH! But, the dang rules and regulations say I can’t pick myself. Fine. That seems somewhat reasonable. So, obviously The Honky Tonk Man went to the brass and made it clear that I would be taking the only true royalty in the EWA … Jerry “The King” Lawler! My best doggone friend! But, nooooo, here come those dang rules and regulations again, and they say I can’t pick The King! You believe that nonsense? The Honky Tonk Man can’t pick The King for SuperBrawl? That’s like sayin’ a banana can’t pick peanut butter for a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich! What’ goes with the peanut butter then? Jelly? Get the heck outta’ here!

“The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart walks to the passenger’s side door, shaking his head.

JIMMY HART: An outrage! No, no, a travesty!

THE HONKY TONK MAN: So, then The Honky Tonk Man figures fine, if the brass wants to play hard ball, then I’ll just pick the best dang manager in the business … Jimmy Hart … with my SuperBrawl pick!

JIMMY HART: Sing it, daddy!

THE HONKY TONK MAN: But, noooooo, here we go again, this time The Honky Tonk Man can’t pick Jimmy Hart with my SuperBrawl pick ‘cause he ain’t got a wrestler’s license. Shoot, you see the no talent havin’ jerks in the locker room around here? Apparently havin’ a wrestler’s license don’t mean much these days! So, with my top three choices … The Honky Tonk Man himself … my best doggone friend in the world Jerry “The King” Lawler … and the best manager in the business Jimmy Hart … off the table, The Honky Tonk Man had himself a decision to make. Who wouldn’t embarrass me out there at SuperBrawl? Huh? Fact is, there wasn’t much left to choose from!

JIMMY HART: Bottom of the barrel, Honky! That’s what was left!

THE HONKY TONK MAN: You’re right about that, Jimmy Hart. So, The Honky Tonk Man got to thinking. I’m obviously the greatest entertainer in the world. And, I’m without question the greatest wrestler in the world. With that said, not a single man, group, ensemble, you name it, in the world can outshine The Honky Tonk Man. But, Momma Honky ain’t raise no fool and I know whoever I pick is gonna’ try to outshine me!

JIMMY HART: Fool’s errand right there, Honky!

THE HONKY TONK MAN: So, The Honky Tonk Man figures I ought to pick the single most boring … least entertaining man on the roster. This way, even though it’s a forgone dang conclusion no one can do it anyway, there is no point in my pick tryin’ to outshine me! It’s just The Honky Tonk Man’s luck that the single most boring, least entertaining man on the roster also happens to be a pretty good wrestler too. He ain’t the the best, that goes without sayin’. So, while I couldn’t have my top three picks, The Honky Tonk Man settled on a choice that checks all the boxes! Boring? Check. Utter lack of entertainment value? Check. No chance in outshining The Honky Tonk Man? HAH! Check. And finally, yeah, whatever, he’s a pretty good dang wrestler too … The Honky Tonk man picks … TIM STORM!

Shaking his head, visibly frustrated with his inability to pick his first three choices, The Honky Tonk Man climbs in the driver’s seat of the Caddy.

JIMMY HART: You best not screw this up, Storm! You can bet ole’ Jimmy Hart won’t be far behind, and I’ll have my eye on you!

Hart slides in the passenger’s side of the Caddy. Moments later, Honky fires the vehicle, one of many that he owns, up and they’re off.

GABRIEL | Harry Smith… how stupid do you think I am?

Gabriel places down the phone recording this message with an almighty clunk, his face and the background shaking as he does so. He stands a little back from the camera and continues to address the EWA.

GABRIEL | A Free-For-All SuperBrawl, with no teams? Really? In a year that saw so many factions come and go like fads? I’m not surprised that the management is afraid of another Horde rearing their ugly heads. But then I’m told that the King of the Ring is to alter the course of the draft, in total control of the second round. It’s obvious to me that Harry Smith thought he could tempt me. He heard my threats of vengeance last Sunday. He heard what I had to say as Todd Grisham stood idly by like the lame imitation of a journalist he thinks he is. Harry, and the world, heard that my aspirations of revenge hold no bounds, encompassing all within it, the wrestlers, fans and management alike.

Behind Gabriel… we see a ballet studio. A wooden panel floor, and a wooden bar and mirrors running the length of the longest wall.

GABRIEL | I bet he regrets asking The Reaper to ‘make up the numbers’ now. Because far from being just a number, he was the only number that mattered, lucky number #13. And now The Reaper’s given me the keys to the kingdom, and I’m looking to burn the whole damn kingdom to the ground in revenge for what you all did to me… or didn’t do for me, as the case might be. Harry Smith, in all his eternal wisdom, found a way out. He thought he could tempt me with a spot in this chaotic ‘Free-For-All’ SuperBrawl. He knows that thoughts of revenge gnaw away at my soul like a mouse chewing its foot off to get out of a trap. He knows I’m itching to return to that ring and knock a few heads together myself. He thought, knowing the damage Tom Lawlor and MJF did to The Reaper before me, that in the ensuing chaos I’d make my injuries worse ahead of my guaranteed world title match. Sadly for you Harry Smith, I reject your offer. My own hand's revenge will begin in 2020. I’m not rushing to burn the EWA to the ground. No, I’m going to savour it. After all… the pain you caused me will last me a lifetime. I will never truly get over it. Why rush a most perfect and just retribution when I was made to endure an eternity of punishment for a crime all of you committed?

GABRIEL | No. I won’t risk the success of my retribution for this. My revenge will cause chaos in the EWA. So what good will my chaotic revenge be in the middle of what is already the most chaotic match in the history of the EWA? It would be like shouting into a supernova. I’ve made my mind up. I won’t risk the chances of taking the grandest prize in the EWA hostage for that charlatan Harry Smith’s offer of starting my revenge early and having it blow up in my face. I have nothing more to prove, a date with destiny already written in black pen in the calendar. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t have someone else walk into this match and try to exact some revenge on my behalf.

GABRIEL | See, in your wise and infinite foolishness Harry Smith, you’ve allowed me to draft four men of my own. They will be my own personal servants of spite. They’ll walk into this match and spill some bad blood, not just for themselves but for me. They will ensure that nobody steps out of line, walking into an eventual fate deserving of what they did to me. Nobody will overreach, and only the deserving few will get their just desserts. They will also ensure me of a just conclusion to the match, with the right man standing tall, one that will make my retribution in 2020 ever sweeter...

GABRIEL | Firstly, I will draft a pair. One of whom fell to The Reaper only a few weeks ago during King of the Ring. I am talking about Tommaso Ciampa and Jon Moxley. The Reaper looked into Ciampa’s eyes and felt something oddly familiar. I look at Ciampa and I see a shattered mirror reflection. I see a man who had many false starts in his life, many doubters and naysayers that followed in the wake of failure and injury, and that perpetual niggling doubt in the back of his mind of when the next failure will come. Injuries might fail you, but I know your blackened heart still beats strong as ever. You want this, badly. I can feel it. And I know gold is within your grasp. You were wise to bring Jon Moxley on board. You say that you needed someone out of their mind to follow you, to believe in you. Well, Jon isn’t the only one, Tommaso. At SuperBrawl, I know you’ll exact the same pain on the EWA that you’ve felt yourself. And Moxley… you will no longer be a forgotten man. And I know you’ll walk away, both of you, with gold at last.

Gabriel looks off camera to someone or something with him.

GABRIEL | On to my third man. A man who has fallen short in recent weeks but is just a breakthrough away from becoming something unstoppable in the EWA. My third pick is Harper. Another man who reminds me of where I once stood a year ago. A man who proudly stands astride the line of good and bad, twisted and trapped between their troublesome past and the future path they want to walk. A man with potential, waiting for a breakthrough. He came up against Tom Lawlor on top form in the King of the Ring tournament. He came up just short against a former World Champion in the form of Pete Dunne. I can see how good you are, but people are blind to potential. People doubt you, but after SuperBrawl they won’t anymore. You have a lot to prove, Harper. Like Tommaso before you, I think it’s your time to take some gold. It might be time to free Buh Buh of the championship he has disgraced. While you’re there… crack a few skulls together on my behalf.

A light switches off in the ballet studio from an unseen hand. We can barely see Gabriel now, his surroundings only barely illuminated by thin streams of light pouring through a gap in a blackout curtain.

GABRIEL | My last man… you don’t know my last man. You’ve discredited Tommaso Ciampa, you’ve forgotten Jon Moxley, you’ve doubted Harper. At SuperBrawl, for all your grossly incorrect scepticism, for all those three men are going to do to make you eat your toxic and naive words… you won’t know how to fight my last man. I’ve had my eye on him since long before I entered the EWA. A Brit like myself, he is quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen in all of wrestling.

Gabriel looks off-screen to his mysterious ally.

GABRIEL | It’s your time.

The click of a loud mechanical button is heard… and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake fills the air. A spotlight is lit from the back of the studio, forming a silhouette around Gabriel’s head and sending his facial features into darkness as the camera adjusts. Over Gabriel’s shoulder, in the centre of the ballet studio, a figure gracefully walks into the spotlight. A wispy black cloak consumes him, the feathers around his neck forming a mysterious silhouette. The light shines off his mirrored mask, shimmering from every angle. He begins to move in and around the spotlight on his toes, gracefully, much like the eponymous swan.



GABRIEL | Many years ago, I met a boy called Tom Dawkins. A former ballet dancer, he was rejected for having issues with anger and violence. A ruthless perfectionist, even a single misstep became his worst enemy. He exploded in the faces of his fellow dancers and teachers. Discarded, he took his talents elsewhere, using his balance and strength to great aplomb in the world of MMA... and wrestling. When I knew him, he was just a boy, a teenager with anger issues. Now, he’s a man. A man who’s harnessed his repressed anger into a force I haven’t seen in all of wrestling, let alone the EWA. See, in the world of ballet, he turned what was meant to be beautiful into something quite barbaric, in pursuit of perfection.

The mysterious dancer discards his mirror mask, and continues to dance.



GABRIEL | But in the world of wrestling, he turns something intended to be barbaric into something quite… beautiful. For too long, we’ve seen wrestling as pure violence. It’s time to look at wrestling as an art form. We all see wrestling as a means to an end, putting our bodies through the grinder in pursuit of glory. But as an art form, my fourth man sees something greater. A blank canvas to paint his match, his will, his fight. He paints a destination, guided by his creative intelligence and emotions, stirring his soul and heart to a greater means. Wrestling gave him an output for his anger, but his past still remains. You might see someone pretty, wearing makeup and glitter, a graceful dancer... as something weak. He’s had years of enduring taunts from ignorant wrestling fans. Taunts of “gayboy”, “Billy Elliot”, and “bender”. He’s heard it all… and every night he’s made them eat their words. Dismiss him at your peril. He isn’t just a swan dancing to Swan Lake. He’s the Black Swan…

To the crescendo of the music, the mysterious man raises his cape like a pair of wings.



GABRIEL | He is Cara Noir, and he is my fourth man.



GABRIEL | These four men will enact the first chapter of my revenge. And I’m sure some of you are asking… “how is this different from what Scurll did at Civil War?” See, The Horde walked into Civil War only to ensure that Marty Scurll walked out as the winner. Do you really think any of them stood a chance? My former self The Reaper, Jake Roberts, Bryan Danielson, Brady Pierce? Please. Marty Scurll might pretend that The Horde served all of them as 'one', but it only served him. Whereas this group of like-minded individuals is no Horde. These four men will walk into SuperBrawl unbound. They won't walk in with the dreams of another looming over their minds. They will walk in with their own dreams of glory. They will succeed. And in 2020... this vengeful spirit, this Archangel, will take advantage of the chaos left behind in the wake of my four fallen angels. Tommaso Ciampa. Jon Moxley. Harper. Cara Noir. The four men that will begin the demise of the EWA in pursuit of the greatness they deserve. And Gabriel… the man that will finish the job. The man that will tear the heart out of the EWA.

TIM STORM: Big moments. Those pivotal moments in your life. That’s what defines you as a person. As a man. The past few weeks sure have been exciting. And when I was sitting at home last week, gearing up for my next big match, I was surprised as all get out, when I got drafted into SuperBrawl this year. I truly wasn’t expecting that.

Tim Storm is seen in front of a wrestling fanfest backdrop, as he’s obviously out on the road doing his thing when word came down about his added participation in SuperBrawl.

TIM STORM: And I tell you what, I got even more excited when I got the call this weekend that not only had the Honky Tonk Man drafted me into this match, but now, as a result, I get to draft someone into the action. Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Tim smiles, knowing just what a big weight this draft choice is.

TIM STORM: I’ve been watching this draft closely. Everybody has a bit of a different strategy. Some guys have drafted people that they want to help them out. Some have drafted people that they think will eliminate some of their competition. Some have drafted unknown names or guys they think will be easy pickens. But for me, I think I have to draft a wrestler that I respect. A man who’s made some waves in recent months and been a solid worker since I got here.

Storm pauses for a moment and draws out his thoughts in a way that only he can. He has that sort of homespun charm in his clear love of the game.

TIM STORM: Look, I know picking a tough opponent may not be the wisest strategy, but if I leave SuperBrawl with a title, I want it to be because I’ve beaten the best. And this wrestler, we haven’t had a ton of interaction, but we’ve talked backstage a few times, we almost crossed paths in the King of the Ring and he’s a guy who I know is very tough inside that squared circle. And really, when it comes to guys who are deserving of a big time shot like this, there isn’t a clearer option. I’m shocked he hasn’t already been drafted, but I think that’s because a lot of people in the field are afraid to face him. And maybe that’s smart, but I’d rather be fair than smart!


TIM STORM: So without further delay, I am using my SuperBrawl draft pick to draft, Tom Lawlor! Good luck man, I’ll see ya in the ring!

An EWA camera crew catches up with Brian Pillman, Jr. outside the hip greasy spoon diner, the Comet Cafe, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He’s sitting up on the top of a picnic table near the entrance. It’s cold out, but Pillman is dressed in layers. You can see his breath in the air as he speaks out.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: So you want to know who I’m pick for Super Brawl?

Pillman cracks a big smiles and laughs a little.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: I’ve been keeping an eye on the landscape of SuperBrawl, and there is one thing I can’t help but notice. This entire match is made up of old me! Jerry Lawler? The Honky Tonk Man? Tim Storm? If this is what passes for cutting edge professional wrestling in the EWA, then we’re in fuckin’ trouble. Yeah, I got drafted #2 overall. But I know it’s not because I’ve caught fire. I can’t help it that Buh Buh Ray Dudley is convinced I’m going to help him retain, just to set a National Title shot.

Brian pauses for a moment, and remembers something.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: I’m kidding! I’ve totally got your back, Buh Buh. You’re like that kind of cool uncle who thinks I worship you. There’s absolutely no way I’m going to knock you out and steal your title at Super Brawl.

Pillman does an exaggerated wink at the camera.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: This Super Brawl shit? It honestly doesn’t matter. I know where I stand with Harry Smith. I might get booked like I’m some next-generation talent, but I’m never going to get the same opportunities the old boys get. The EWA is stuck in the past and it’s not going to change until guys like me man up and start to knock some heads.

Brian pops up off the picnic table and walks toward the camera a little before speaking.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: So what’s my plan for Super Brawl? I’m going to knock out every over the hill guy in the match. That’s the thing with these old guys. They might get a chance to relive their glory days, but they’re like fuckin’ China dolls. They’re fragile. So it won’t take much for me to rid the EWA of all these AARP members and drag this company kicking and screaming into the future. But I can’t do it all on my own. So, I’m bringing along a little help. I’m drafting another second-generation star, my buddy CODY HALL!

Pillman lets out a loud laugh.

BRIAN PILLMAN JR.: Cody Hall kicks ass! I can’t wait to knock out some boomers at Super Brawl!