Wrestler takes his message to the mat

Fans boo RJ Brewer as he wrestles Blue Demon Jr. Conservative Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer -- his so-called mother -- signed the nation’s toughest law against illegal immigrants. Stagikas’ real mother does worry about him.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Blue Demon Jr. holds RJ Brewer in an upside-down headlock during their match in Stockton as part of the “Masked Warriors” tour. Brewer (he won’t say what, if anything, the RJ stands for) has wrestled his way across the Southwest, to almost entirely hostile crowds. They throw popcorn, lemons, pretzels and beverages at him. They swear at him in Spanish.  (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

RJ Brewer puts the twist on Blue Demon Jr. “When I hear the boos,” Brewer says, “I know I’m doing my job.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

RJ Brewer waits to absorb an airborne blow from Blue Demon Jr. For some shows, Brewer wears red tights with “SB1070” stenciled on the back. That’s the name of Arizona’s tough anti-illegal immigration law that was signed by Gov. Brewer.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

RJ Brewer holds Blue Demon Jr. in a headlock. Pale and menacing, Stagikas could pass as a neo-Nazi in tights. But spend a few minutes with him and he comes across as thoughtful, articulate and somewhat sensitive. He has nothing against Mexicans and worries about being seen as a bona fide racist.  (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

When RJ Brewer is in the ring, chants of “Mexico! Mexico!” echo through the packed arena. Brewer will taunt back: “How dare you boo an American hero!”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

RJ Brewer waits backstage for his match against Blue Demon Jr. He has loved pro wrestling for as long as he can remember. As a youngster, he would be crushed if he missed an important match. Never a big guy, he bulked up when he was 18 and then played football at Assumption College in Massachusetts, a Division II school.  (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)