Professional wrestling can truly be a wonderful thing at times. Countless names have had to hang up their boots due to numerous injuries and general wear and tear, which is something that still happens in the current day, but the age of these talents when they retire has been improved a million times over. The amount of wrestlers who have been able to overcome years of injuries or a serious accident and come back is impressive, to say the least.

On top of that, there are wrestlers who not only came back but were arguably better than they ever were. This isn't everyone, of course, as there are too many to list, but here are a few of the most spectacular career resurgences that have happened in professional wrestling.

Pierre Carl Ouellet Became A World Champion In His 50s

Even Retired From In-Ring Action In 2011

The career of Pierre Carl Ouellet has been an interesting one. He would reach what many thought was his peak when he was a constant in the tag team division in the early 90s WWE. His career came to an end with the promotion and PCO would end up working in other companies like World Championship Wrestling and International Wrestling Association.

After years in the business, 2011 marked the end of PCO's career, and he decided to retire. In 2016, something changed and PCO created a new character and got back in the ring, shortly after signing with Ring of Honor. It would be his time in ROH that PCO became the biggest he ever had and captured the ROH World Championship. Now working in TNA, PCO remains a popular character working in stories with Eddie Edwards and Steph De Lander.

Rey Mysterio Has Had Several Knee Issues

Still Working In WWE Putting On Great Matches

It seems to say that Rey Mysterio had to have a career resurgence, but that is the case as his career with WWE around 2014/2015 was nowhere near his prime and many fans were sort of turning around on Mysterio. His appearance at the 2014 Royal Rumble alone is a great example of that. In early 2015, Mysterio's contract would expire, and he'd no longer be in WWE for the first time since 2002.

His work in companies like Lucha Underground, AAA, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling during his time away made fans remember how great Mysterio truly could be. His surprise return at the 2018 Royal Rumble was met with the complete opposite reaction as his 2014 appearance.

The Man Formerly Known As Goldust

Dustin Rhodes Is A Complete Different Wrestler

It can be said that Dustin Rhodes technically had two career resurgences. The run that he would have with his brother Cody around 2013 and their WWE Tag Team Championship reigns was some of Goldust's best work in the company, a career that started back in the 90s.

Rhodes' run in the WWE after teaming with Cody still had some comedic highlights alongside R-Truth, but it was nowhere near the level he was years earlier. When it was announced that Dustin would be facing his brother at AEW Double or Nothing, fans were hoping for something decent, but what we got was beyond most people's imagination.

Fit Finlay Is Known As A Ring Technician

Made His WWE Debut At 47

Fit Finlay was a solid lower mid-card wrestler during his time in World Championship Wrestling and once the invasion took place, it seemed that Finlay was hanging up his boots for good and becoming a trainer in the WWE. Finlay would finally get his chance to wrestle on WWE television in 2006 at the age of 47.

Not long after debuting, Finlay would best Bobby Lashley and capture his first and only WWE title in the United States Championship. Finlay remained on the active roster for years after his title reign before retiring in 2010.

Curt Hennig Was Still Perfect Years Later

Impressed Many With His Final WWE Run

Mr. Perfect has been considered one of the greatest wrestlers to never hold the WWE Championship. His tenures in promotions like AWA and the WWF made his ring name make sense. Hennig did seem to have a fall-off when working in World Championship Wrestling in the late 90s, as he didn't seem the same in the ring.

He would depart from WCW in 2000 and found work in Australia and the independent scene. His return to the WWE in the 2002 Royal Rumble saw Hennig impress audiences and higher-ups, thus earning himself a full-time contract. The run didn't last long though as his involvement in the infamous "Plane Ride From Hell" saw Hennig released from his contract.

Matt Hardy Broke The Internet

Made Himself A Top Name In Impact Wrestling

While many people have been die-hard fans of Matt and his brother as a tag team, most people always saw Jeff as the breakout of their tag team. Matt was always stuck more in the mid-card until he joined TNA and created a unique character that quickly took over the promotion and blew up on the internet.

The character of "Broken" Matt Hardy elevated himself beyond the rest of the TNA roster and made the promotion more relevant than it had been in years. The hype behind his character drove him to runs in WWE and All Elite Wrestling later in his career.

Jeff Jarrett Turned Audience Opinion Around

Is Having An Amazing Run In AEW

Jeff Jarrett didn't have the greatest reputation among fans from his runs in late World Championship Wrestling and his time in charge of Total Nonstop Action. Despite fan perception of him, Jarrett always seemed to be near the top of the card and gunning for the World Championship of both companies.

Jarrett's later work in the WWE and his indy scene run with Effy and Allie Katch made the audience's opinion of him seem to change tremendously. Now his work in All Elite Wrestling has gotten fans to cheer on him more than a large number of the roster.

Billy Gunn Meshed Amazingly With The Acclaimed

His Run Came Near His Sixties

Looking at current-day Billy Gunn, you would never guess this man is in his sixties. He works just as well, if not better, than he did during the Attitude era. With some help from The Acclaimed, Billy Gunn became one of the more popular wrestlers in All Elite Wrestling during the height of the trios run together.

Comparing this to his last run in the WWE or his work back in TNA, they are night and day, as Gunn just doesn't seem to be that same person from back then. However long Gunn has before he officially retires is unknown, but if he continues to work like this, it is going to be a great time.

Christian Cage Is The Best (Worst) Father In AEW

This Heel Run Is Better Than Anything He Has Ever Done

The work that Christian Cage has been doing in AEW recently has been praised to death, and for good reason. Compare this run to any of his singles work in WWE, and you'll see exactly why. His tag team stuff with Edge and maybe his run in early TNA might be the only runs he has done that can compare.

Also considering that before coming to AEW, Christian was being forced to retire due to several injuries and general wear and tear. Cage shed a lot of light on this run and his final days with WWE in his interview with Chris Van Vliet.

Kenta Kobashi Was Destroying His Knees

Ended Up Having His Record Length World Title Reign

It might be surprising to anyone who knows the basics about Kenta Kobashi as a wrestler, but there was a time that he seemed to be leaving the business long before getting his chance to shine in Pro Wrestling Noah. Due to his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Kobashi's knees were being destroyed, and it eventually got so bad he had to take some major time away from the ring.

He would take a little over a year off before trying to return and realizing he needed even more time away. A few more months later, Kobashi returned and started making his way toward the GHC Heavyweight Championship, a title he would capture and hold for 735 days.