The Los Cruces Armory

Like Arizona, new Mexico did not always get a fair shake in the publicity area. During the 1950s, there was a working agreement between Arizona and one Pietro Roise, who ran shows at the Los Cruces Armory in New Mexico. This office has received very little press or remembrance in history.

Several wrestlers who were active in Arizona at the time ventured into New Mexico under this promotion, either wrestling with fellow grapplers from Arizona with whom they already had feuds or facing the Texans brought in from Amarillo and El Paso.

Among those heading eastward into New Mexico were Hans Scrabel, Juan Humberto, Ricky Waldo, Tom Renesto, Lou Plummer, Bull Montana, Henry Pulusso, Kit Fox, Bull Montana and Brute Bemis.

One of the most popular grapplers working the New Mexico/Arizona circuit was one Bobby Pico (real name Roberto Pico, not to be confused with Pancho Pico/Julio Arguello who was a different person). The odd thing about Bobby Pico was he did not fight in the flying luchador style, but was more of a brawler, giving the villains a taste of their own medicine.

Don Arnold, already established as a muscular heel who used gigantic words and stressed his brain power as a deadly combination with his brawn in Arizona, became hated in New Mexico as well. Usually, his devastating bearhug and backbreaker were the only things needed to win his matches, but a roll of dimes hidden in his fist also helped him gain a few illegal victories here. 

Though the promoter focused his efforts on the Armory shows in Los Cruces, he also did infrequent events in other towns.