Juan Kachmanian
Encyclopedia
Juan Kachmanian better known as Pampero Firpo, is a retired Argentine
professional wrestler
originally from Buenos Aires
.
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 (named after the original, Luis Ángel Firpo). An early pioneer of Hardcore wrestling
, Kachmanian usually wrestled as a heel
, although he would go on to have a run as a face
after being fireballedby The Sheik
. Other notable feuds in his career would include Nick Bockwinkel
, Alberto Madril
and Apollo Jalisco.
Amongst the titles he held in his career were the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)
, the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version), the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
and the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
, as well as being the inaugural holder of the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
. Using the bear hug
and the El Garfio as his signature moves Kachmanian popularized the drawn-out catchphrase 'ohhh yeah!' which would later become associated with Randy Savage
. He retired in 1986 and has since worked for the United States Postal Service
in San Jose, California
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
originally from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
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 (named after the original, Luis Ángel Firpo). An early pioneer of Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
, Kachmanian usually wrestled as a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, although he would go on to have a run as a face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
after being fireballedby The Sheik
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
. Other notable feuds in his career would include Nick Bockwinkel
Nick Bockwinkel
Nicholas Warren Francis "Nick" Bockwinkel is a retired American professional wrestler. He mainly competed in the American Wrestling Association in the United States...
, Alberto Madril
Alberto Madril
Alberto Madril is an American retired professional wrestler who most often wrestled as Al Madril, and used the Indian Deathlock as a finishing move.-Career:...
and Apollo Jalisco.
Amongst the titles he held in his career were the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)
The Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1957 to 1968, and from 1981 to 1982. This title was recognized by World Class Championship Wrestling and The Funk Dynasty's N.W.A. Western States Sports of Amarillo, TX.-Title history:...
, the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version), the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Texas Heavyweight 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...
and the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
, as well as being the inaugural holder of the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
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 established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
. Using the bear hug
Bear hug
In wrestling, a bear hug, also known as a bodylock, is a grappling clinch hold and stand-up grappling position where the arms are wrapped around the opponent, either around the opponent's chest, midsection, or thighs; sometimes with one or both of the opponents arms pinned to the opponent's body...
and the El Garfio as his signature moves Kachmanian popularized the drawn-out catchphrase 'ohhh yeah!' which would later become associated with Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. He retired in 1986 and has since worked for the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bearhug
- El Garfio (Clawhold)
Championships and accomplishments
- All-California Championship Wrestling
- ACCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe 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....
- Other honoree (2001)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship WrestlingJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)The NWA Southern Tag Team Championship was the Mid-Atlantic territory version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship and was defended between 1953 until 1968 when it became the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship...
(1 time) - with Larry HamiltonLarry HamiltonLarry "Rocky" Hamilton , known by his ringname The Missouri Mauler, was an American professional wrestler who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance as well as Florida Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions, becoming a mainstay of the latter promotion throughout the 1960s.One of...
- Mid-Pacific PromotionsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
(1 timeNWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
) - NWA Hawaii Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Hawaii Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title of NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions and was defended between 1952 until 1978 when it was abandoned. The title was later revived by the current incarnation of NWA Hawaii in 2000...
(1 time) - with Jim Hady
- NWA DetroitWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) (3 times)
- Southwest Sports, Inc. - NWA Big Time WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Texas Heavyweight 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...
(1 time) - NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)The Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1957 to 1968, and from 1981 to 1982. This title was recognized by World Class Championship Wrestling and The Funk Dynasty's N.W.A. Western States Sports of Amarillo, TX.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Tony BorneTony OsborneAnthony "Tony" Osborne was an American professional wrestler who wrestled under the name "Tough" Tony Borne.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(1 time)
- World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles) - NWA Hollywood WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- WWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe 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 established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
(1 time) - NWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe 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 established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
(1 time) - NWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe 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....
(1 time) - with Jack Evans
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight ChampionshipWWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship is a secondary professional wrestling championship that is defended in the World Wrestling Council based in Puerto Rico. The title was created in January 1974 and, as its name suggests, is defended exclusively within Puerto Rico.-Title history:...
(1 time)