2016 Ongoing MOTY List: Terry v. Barbaro

1. Black Terry v. Barbaro Cavenario Cara Lucha 6/11

ER: Another awesome gem recorded by Black Terry Jr., this one is a kind of current dream match that has a kind of sickening level of violence. Terry and Barbaro don't hold back as they chop each other's chests raw, throw far too many shoot headbutts with both getting their heads busted open, and then applying fist to face. Terry matches always take on a new life after somebody starts to bleed. They work in some fun Barbaro trademark spots in ways I've never seen them, and I was howling when Barbaro rushed a slumped Terry in the buckles, Terry got boots up and Barbaro bumped it directly into doing his worm spot...and then Terry stops the worm by rushing out from the buckles and planting Barbaro with his great elbow drop. The brawling in this was tight, and it reached its peak when they brawled out to the floor (weird, a Terry match that gets great with floor brawling?), with Barbaro getting run into a support post super violently. Truly one of the great post bumps I've ever seen, and I've watched countless Lawler matches! There was also a perfect accidental moment, as Barbaro is beating the tar out of Terry and starts ripping Terry's shirt off and kicking at him, but Barbaro's foot gets tangled up in Terry's shirt while Terry is still wearing it, and Terry takes advantage of having his opponent stuck close to him and starts headbutting him. They even brawl on their knees, and this sounds like a weird thing to be the best at, but I think Terry is the best guy at making exasperated, tired, on the knees brawling look great. I even liked the ball shot finish, with Cavernario suckering in Terry with a fake leg injury leading to a boot to the balls, and then Terry paying him back with an uppercut to the balls. After the match Terry sells the ballshot more believably than most ball shots you've ever seen. Really evocative, and watching his selling immediately reminded me of every time I got hit in the balls so far in my life (and I'm sure I'm not the only one who can vividly recall every time that has happened). Really great match.

PAS: Holy hell what a war. Really felt like a lucha version of one of those peak Necro Butcher brawls. Terry is truly amazing, how in god's name can a man of his age work two violent wars like this and the Aero Boy apuestas match back to back? I loved the early matwork which was pretty slick, and Cavernario countering submission holds by biting Terry in the thigh makes perfect sense, that is totally what a Caveman training in ju-jitsu would do. After the matwork they get down to the violence with both guys just slamming their heads into each other Regal and Benoit style. The brawling in this was really frantic, big shots, thrown quickly from off angles. At one point Cavernario throws a forearm which almost knocks Terry off the screen. Ragged nasty stuff. Loved the finish too with ball shots feeling less like a cop out and more like the sensible way to end a battle like this.


2016 MOTY LIST