Legendary Pro Wrestling Wild Man Pampero Firpo Has Died

Legendary pro wrestling wild man Pampero Firpo has died at the age of 89. Firpo’s daughter announced the Wild Bull of the Pampas’ passing in a message on Twitter, which noted that he was only a few months from his 90th birthday. Firpo, real name Juan Kachmanian, was given his wrestling name by boxing great Jack Dempsey in tribute to one of his greatest opponents, Argentine boxing legend and original “Wild Bull of the Pampas,” Luis Ángel Firpo.

Firpo was an early pioneer of hardcore wrestling who wrestled primarily in the NWA from his debut in 1953 until his retirement in 1986. He’s notable to modern fans for being the man who inspired Macho Man Randy Savage’s “ooh yeah” catchphrase, which you can hear in videos like this.

If you watched that clip and weren’t immediately fascinated with Pampero Firpo, I don’t know what to tell you. Over his 30+ year career, Firpo held multiple regional versions of the NWA Heavyweight and Tag Team Championships, and had an 11-day run with the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship in 1979. He wrestled six matches for the World Wide Wrestling Federation as well, culminating in him challenging WWWF Champion Pedro Morales in Madison Square Garden.

From Firpo’s daughter:

“Pampero Firpo: My beloved father, Pampero Firpo, (Juan Kachmanian), passed away today just a few months shy of his 90th birthday. As a professional wrestler for over 30 years, he thrilled fans around the world, wrestling in 21 different countries across 5 continents. At home, he was loving, generous, and protective. He was faithful to God, devoted to his family, and made friends wherever he went. At the end, he expressed gratitude and peace for his extraordinary life well-lived. Thank you to his fans, friends, and colleagues who have shared your memories, friendship, love, prayers, and support with my dad and our family. It means the world to us. God bless you. ❤️ Mary. 2 Corinthians 5:8.”

Our condolences go out to his friends, family, and fans. To celebrate his life, please enjoy this tribute video, as well as a clip of him threatening Baron Von Raschke by bending a metal bar with his hands and teeth. Rest in peace, Wild Bull.