Sometime around the beginning of the year, I asked the question: "which will last longer, Black Terry Jr.'s handhelds or this good patch IWRG are going through?" Fortunately for us, they both lasted longer than expected.

Now that Terry has quit his handhelds, all that remains is to thank him. I think we're all indebted to BTJr. for capturing a unique period of lucha libre history on film. Hopefully, it can be perserved in a more durable form than internet video sharing files, and hopefully this isn't the last we've seen of our Naucalpan favourites. Though it's poetic in a way, isn't it?

Los Terribles Cerebros vs. Los Gringos VIP, Distrito Federal Trios Championship, 5/20/10

The ongoing Cerebros vs. Gringos feud has produced most of the top matches in Mexico this year despite the fact that it doesn't have an ascertainable storyline. After watching lucha for a number of years, I have decided that the key feature of lucha booking is creating gimmicks. Once a gimmick sticks, a worker or group of workers can prosper for a mighty long time by going through the same basic cycles. This is in direct contrast to the fidgety booking styles of US companies, who'd sooner have the Gringos turn on one another than have the gimmick meander on forever. Lucha can be a bit rudderless at times, and this match was a case in point.

Title belts on brawling rudos is a cheap prop, in my opinion. Brawling rudos winning trios titles from their rivals is an acceptable piece of booking but brawling rudos winning a trios title tournament is wonky in my view. I'm probably forgetting a thousand instances where this type of thing happened in the past, and lucha title booking is a bit of a merry-go-round at the best times, but if you can't mount a lucha title defence to any great degree then I don't think you should be wearing the props.

Avisman is the most capable of the three on the mat and should probably be working as the lead-off guy because of his stature within the group, but the problem with that is that it leaves the less talented workers as first and second drop, and there's never really been a memorable trios match where they weren't building better and better exchanges with each pairing. Hijo del Diablo did some fun stuff with Dr. Cerebro on the mat this year but it's questionable how much of that he can reproduce outside of his ring time with the doctor. I think Diablo has a good captain's fall in him, but Gringo Loco is the "gringo" in Los Gringos VIPs and there's not much happening on the mat there. He's improving in his general exchanges with people, but his matwork is a below par version of the stuff Cerebro Negro passes off as matwork. Since the group dynamics prevent them from having their best worker as the ace in their pocket, they're an awkward bunch when it comes to title matches and the upshot of all this was that this match was more like your standard trios match than a proper lucha libre title match.

And by standard, I really mean the kind of record that was massed produced when the gramophone was first invented. Not the world's most original trios match this. My advice is to stick to the brawls.

Los Terribles Cerebros vs. Los Gringos VIP, 6/5/10

This was more like it. The first fall was too compact for my liking but they ratcheted up the match in the second fall to the point where I thought perhaps they were easing their way into the match in the first fall and I had been too harsh. The catalyst for all the excitement was all three members of Los Terribles Cerebros blading and the galvanising effect it had on their comeback effort. Easily the best Terribles Cerebros performance since their performances started to go South towards the end of last year. If this is the last I see of Terry for a while (or indeed ever), we can be rest assured that camera or no camera Terry will keep brawling into the sunset.