Juan Kachmanian (April 6, 1930 – January 9, 2020) was an Argentine-born Armenian-American

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

, better known by his

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...

, Pampero Firpo.

Early life

Kachmanian was born on April 6, 1930, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His parents were of

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

descent and born in Turkey. His father was sent to Greece in an orphanage run by the

British Red Cross The British Red Cross Society () is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with 1 ...

. The Pampero Firpo name was appealing to Kachmanian as his father was a 'real shooter' and was a contender for the Olympics. Firpo's father later moved from Greece to Lebanon and then to Argentina, where he became a local boxing promoter.

Professional wrestling career

Having been trained by Rudy Dusek, he made his debut in 1953 and wrestled variously as Ervan the Armenian, Ivan the Terrible, The Missing Link, The Great Pampero and the Wild Bull of the Pampas, as well as his most famous alter-ego of Pampero Firpo. Boxing great

Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. One of the most iconic athl ...

gave him the name "Pampero Firpo." Until then he had been wrestling as Ivan The Terrible. He was looking for a gimmick and Dempsey, recalling one of his famous opponents in the 1920s, Argentine boxer "Wild Bull of the Pampas"

Luis Ángel Firpo Luis Ángel Firpo (October 11, 1894 – August 7, 1960) was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed ''The Wild Bull of the Pampas''. He was the first Latin American in history to challenge for the world heavyweight titl ...

, suggested that the grappler be billed as Firpo's son. An early pioneer of

hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling where disqualifications, count-outs, and all other different rules do not apply. Taking place in usual or unusual environments, hardcore wrestling matches allow the use of numerous items, inc ...

, Kachmanian usually wrestled as a

heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...

, although he would go on to have a run as a

face The face is the front of the head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affect th ...

after being fireballed by The Sheik. The bushy-haired Firpo packed a powerful punch with his stocky, 5–8, 230-pound frame, engaging in bloody feuds with stars such as The Sheik,

Bobo Brazil Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobo Brazil. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one o ...

Johnny Valentine John Theodore Wisniski (September 22, 1928 – April 24, 2001), better known by his ring name Johnny Valentine, was an American professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame ...

Wild Bull Curry Fred Thomas Koury Sr. (May 2, 1913 – March 8, 1985), best known under his ring name "Wild Bull" Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. He is recognized as the originator of the hardcore style, predating legends suc ...

The Crusher A crusher is a machine designed to reduce large solid chunks of raw material into smaller ones. Crusher or The Crusher may also refer to: People * "Crusher", nickname of Noel Cleal (born 1958), Australian former rugby league footballer * "Crus ...

and The Mighty Igor, with most of his victories coming from a crushing bear hug or a dreaded claw hold that he called " El Garfio", a trademark death grip that would allegedly render his opponents unconscious. It was in his homeland of Argentina where Firpo, while staying at a hotel frequented by the ruling Perón family, was introduced to "Chimu", purportedly the

shrunken head A shrunken head is a severed and specially-prepared human head with the skull removed many times smaller than its original size that is used for trophy, ritual, trade, or other purposes. Headhunting is believed to have occurred in many regi ...

of a tribal leader from

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

. According to the story, a tribesman had been so impressed with Firpo's strength and athletic ability that he awarded the grappler the macabre oddity. Firpo would later put the shrunken head to good use, enhancing his image as a heel of the first order by talking to and rubbing the head during interviews while promising the destruction of his opponents. In 1972, Pampero Firpo captured the

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) The NWA Detroit United States Heavyweight Championship was a version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship contested in Big Time Wrestling from 1959 until 1980. It was first introduced as the ''Chicago version'' of the championship a ...

twice after defeating Bobo Brazil on both occasions – on August 12 and October 28, respectively. Both title reigns were ended by Bobo Brazil in return matches with the championship on the line. Firpo would go on to win the championship one more time on July 17, 1976, from then 9-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion The Sheik. Firpo would hold onto the championship until October 16, 1976, when he lost it to Don Kent. Firpo was a mainstay in Detroit for the Big Time Wrestling promotion alongside The Sheik and Bobo Brazil. Also, in 1972, Firpo wrestled six matches with the

World Wide Wrestling Federation Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) was an American sports promotion company. Run by Vincent J. McMahon from the 1950s until the 1980s, the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing promotion and later became the holding company ...

, now known as WWE. He competed with and defeated Manuel Soto,

Rene Goulet Robert Bédard (July 12, 1932 – May 25, 2019) was a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name, the "Number One Frenchman" Rene Goulet. He is notable for working in the World Wrestling Federation from 1971 to 1972 and fr ...

, Ben Justice, and

Chief Jay Strongbow Luke Joseph Scarpa (October 4, 1928 – April 3, 2012) was an American professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. Much like his contemporary Wahoo McDaniel, he portrayed a Native Americ ...

in matchups at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

in New York. On May 22, 1972, Firpo competed for the WWWF Heavyweight Title against

Pedro Morales Pedro Antonio Morales (October 22, 1942 – February 12, 2019) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federati ...

at Madison Square Garden, but was defeated. Firpo would have a second chance at the championship two months later in Philadelphia, on July 8, 1972, against Morales in another losing effort. Other titles Firpo held in his career were the

NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) The Texas version (or East Texas version) of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was the main tag team professional wrestling championship in the Dallas/Houston-based Southwest Sports territory of the National Wrestling Alliance. While the name in ...

, the

NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship The NWA Texas Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has used a variety ...

and the

NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and was defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which began in 1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the titl ...

, as well as being the inaugural holder of the

NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship The NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first es ...

. Kachmanian popularized the drawn-out catchphrase 'ohhh yeah!' which would later become associated with

Randy Savage Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and professional baseball player, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( ...

. After January 1981, Kachmanian stopped actively competing after a tour of Japan in the fall of 1980 and a quick stint in California in January 1981. He retired from professional wrestling on October 17, 1986, after competing in 8,882 matches, after last competing for All-California Championship Wrestling in 1986 and winning the ACCW Heavyweight Championship.

Personal life

Kachmanian became an American citizen in 1965 and named it as one of his proudest moments. He visited five continents, 21 countries, and became fluent in eight languages. Kachmanian's working days didn't end once his 33-year wrestling career was over. He spent the next 25 years working for the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...

, retiring at the age of 78. Kachmanian had three children, John, Juli, and Mary, and resided in an assisted living facility in Campbell, California. He died of

natural causes In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a distinc ...

on January 9, 2020, in Campbell, California.

Championships and accomplishments

NWA Tri-State The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of wrestler-turned-owner Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. Watts' goal was to elevate his promotion from a relatively smaller, regional-level business, to a national-level riv ...

NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). Created in 1943, the title is competed for by junior heavyweight wrestlers. History The first NWA World J ...

(1 time) *American Wrestling Association **Nebraska Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *All-California Championship Wrestling **ACCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) 1986 * Big Time Wrestling ** NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ''(Detroit version)'' ( 3 times) *

Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...

**Other honoree (

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

) *

Jim Crockett Promotions Jim Crockett Promotions, at times branded as Eastern States Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, is a Family business, family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United Sta ...

** NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-Atlantic version)'' ( 1 time) – with

Larry Hamilton Larry Edward "Rocky" Hamilton (April 1, 1931 – July 20, 1996), better known by his ring name the Missouri Mauler, was an American professional wrestler who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance, becoming a mainstay of the latter promoti ...

* Mid-Pacific Promotions **

( 1 time) **

NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship The NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title of 50th State Big Time Wrestling and was defended between 1952 and 1979 when it was phased out. The title was later revived by the current incarnation of NWA Hawaii in 2000. It is ...

(

2 times "2 Times" is the debut single of English singer Ann Lee. It was released in Italy in December 1998 by X-Energy as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999), and was issued worldwide the following year. The single peaked at number tw ...

) – with

Neff Maiava Neff Alfred Maiava (May 1, 1924 – April 21, 2018) was an American Samoan professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with the Honolulu, Hawaii-based promotion 50th State Big Time Wrestling in the late-1950s ...

(1) and

Jim Hady John Hady (May 30, 1930 – January 13, 1969) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "Gentleman" Jim Hady. During his wrestling career he mainly worked in Hawaii for 50th State Big Time Wrestling. Professional wre ...

(1, as Missing Link) *

NWA Hollywood Wrestling NWA Hollywood Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Los Angeles) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Los Angeles, California in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Southern California. It ...

( 3 times, first) **

NWA Americas Tag Team Championship The NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California. The championship began as the WWA World Tag Team Championship f ...

( 1 time) – with Jack Evans *

Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. ...

NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship The NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW), which promoted shows in the U ...

( 1 time) *

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...

**Class of 2018 * Southwest Sports/NWA Big Time Wrestling **

( 1 time)* **

NWA World Tag Team Championship The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...

( 1 time) – with

Tony Borne Anthony Wayne Osborne (July 13, 1926 – August 27, 2010) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Tough" Tony Borne. Professional wrestling career Osborne was an amateur wrestler in both high school and in the Uni ...

World Wrestling Council The World Wrestling Council (WWC; Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha") is a professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. It was originally established as Capitol Sports Promotions in 1973 by Carlos Colón, Victor Jovica, and Goril ...

WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship The WWC Puerto Rico Championship is the secondary professional wrestling championship that is defended by the World Wrestling Council based in Puerto Rico. The title was created in January 1974 and, as its name suggests, is defended exclusively wi ...

( 1 time)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Firpo, Pampero 1930 births 2020 deaths 20th-century male professional wrestlers American male professional wrestlers Argentine emigrants to the United States Argentine male professional wrestlers Argentine sportspeople of Armenian descent Armenian professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from California Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Sportspeople from Buenos Aires Sportspeople from San Jose, California Ethnic Armenian sportspeople WWC Puerto Rico Champions NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champions NWA Americas Tag Team Champions NWA Americas Heavyweight Champions NWA Texas Heavyweight Champions NWA United States Heavyweight Champions (Detroit version)