HOTSEAT: PCO

BY 2018, Pierre Carl Ouellet had already wrestled on six continents, worn gold in both WWE and WCW, competed in a championship match at WrestleMania inside Madison Square Garden, feuded with all-time great Bret “The Hitman” Hart, had a hand in the Monday Night War, and even enjoyed brief runs in ECW and TNA. He had since retired from the sport, found a regular job, and was raising a young daughter.

This is where most wrestlers’ stories end. But Carl Ouellet is not most wrestlers. These days, some question if he’s even human.

At a stage in life when most wrestlers look at their career in the rearview mirror, Ouellet has attacked it with the kind of determination and enthusiasm expected from a rookie. Ouellet quit his job and went back on the road, determined to make the most of his second act. The former Quebecer ditched his Mountie uniform in favor of a new look, a new manager by the name of Destro, and an appropriate new persona: PCO, the “French Frankenstein.”

With his outlandish training regimen that incorporates the use of car batteries, and his age-defying athleticism, PCO became one of the most talked-about names on the independent wrestling circuit.

Late last year, PCO signed an exclusive contract with Ring of Honor, and, before long, was wearing championship gold with his Villain Enterprises cohorts, Marty Scurll and Brody King. In April, at the age of 51, PCO marked another unlikely career milestone when he returned to Madison Square Garden as part of the ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard over WrestleMania weekend.

Just before the event, PCO talked to PWI Senior Writer Al Castle about his career so far, his Frankenstein-like incarnation, and why he’s still not satisfied.

Al Castle: When is the last time you worked in Madison Square Garden?

I’ve worked there quite a few times, actually. The