No wrestler had a career resurgence quite like PCO did in 2018.
The former Quebecer turned pirate was off the radar for many years following his WWE run in the '90s and short stints with ECW and WCW in 2000. PCO re-entered the spotlight by debuting a French Frankenstein gimmick and having a standout performance against European standout WALTER at Joey Janela's Spring Break 2 in April. The match led to PCO becoming one of the hottest stars on the Independent scene in 2018.
Speaking to MEL Magazine, PCO discussed his new gimmick and how he finally found his role in wrestling at the age of 50.
“For years I was a very good wrestler, a very tough wrestler,” said PCO. “I lifted heavy weights and I trained like a bodybuilder or a powerlifter. And I did some pretty athletic moves for a big man, like the senton bomb, at a time [the late 1980s and early 1990s] when you weren’t seeing that very often. I’d never had my own gimmick, either. I was either myself, Pierre Carl, or they said, ‘Dress up and wrestle as a pirate.’ That’s why, right now, I’m in the best place I’ve ever been in — professionally and physically. I have this gimmick that’s an extension of me, a gimmick that was just waiting for me to take it on.”
PCO continued, “Everyone knew PCO can work a good match because he’s a good hand in the ring. So I’d get hired and would appear in a lot of matches. But without this new gimmick, I wasn’t as exciting as I could be. I wasn’t reaching my potential. And without Destro’s guidance, I wasn’t physically prepared for wrestling the way I’d be prepared five years later in 2016, after I’d returned to the ring as the ‘French Frankenstein.’"
PCO credits Destro for his resurrection. Destro is not only PCO's manager and "creator" on-screen, but he helps him in life as well with his training and eating regimen.
The work has paid off for PCO as he recently signed an exclusive deal with ROH. He made his debut earlier this month as part of the television tapings in Philadelphia, aligning himself with Marty Scurll and Brody King as Villain Enterprises.
