Juan Kachmanian was born in Argentina in 1930. His father was a boxing promoter and the family moved all over the world. Juan, a stocky, muscular fellow, entered the world of professional wrestling under the tutelage of trainer Rudy Dusek. Wresting under various ring names — Ervan the Armenian, Ivan the Terrible, The Missing Link — he finally settled on “Pampero Firpo” at the suggestion of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. Dempsey said the young Juan reminded him of an Argentinian boxer that he once faced named Luis Ángel Firpo. Firpo was known as “Wild Bull of the Pampas.” Juan adopted the boxer’s surname and modified his nickname. Dempsey suggested that he bill himself as Luis Firpo’s son.
Pampero Firpo was an early proponent of “hardcore wrestling,” a no-holds-barred, often violent style of the sport. With his wild hair and bushy beard, Pampero cut an imposing figure in the ring. He engaged in bloody battles, bringing matches to conclusion with his signature “El Garfio,” a crushing bear hug that (allegedly) rendered opponents unconscious. During interviews, the wild-eyed Pampero with rub his talisman Chimu, the (supposed) shrunken head of a tribe leader from Ecuador. Pampero wrestled with the NWA [National Wrestling Alliance] and its rival WWF [World Wide Wrestling Federation] (currently the WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment) until his retirement in 1986, leaving a successful 33-year career. Along the way, he became a United States citizen, an event he noted as “one of the proudest moments of his life”
Pampero moved to San Diego and began a new direction in his life. He spent the next twenty-five years working for the United States Postal Service. He retired at the age of 78 and moved into an assisted living facility in San Diego. Pampero passed away in January 2020 at the age of 89.