Former WWE star Paul Burchill was recently the subject of a WWE “Where Are They Now” article, and the interview features Burchill talking about his WWE career, going to school to work in the medical field as a paramedic and nurse practitioner, and more.
Burchill, who received a WWE Talent Scholarship to study to become a registered nurse and practitioner, also talks about what caught his eye in wrestling, starting in Europe, and more. You can read a few excerpts below:
Burchill on his post-wrestling career as a firefighter/paramedic:
“Having wrestled with the best in the world, I got my fix. I didn’t want people to remember me as the wrestler. I needed to do a little less for myself and a little more for others.”
Paul Burchill On His Pirate Gimmick:
“I went to Mr. McMahon and he said, ‘You’re going to be a pirate, like from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ ” I said, ‘OK, so you want me to be like Keith Richards?’ He said, ‘Yes, but dressed like a pirate!’”
“It’s funny, that seems to be what defines my career,” Burchill said. “People are like, ‘Oh, the pirate,’ and some are like, ‘That poor guy, he had to do that.’ I would do it right now. I loved it.”
Burchill On Receiving The WWE Talent Scholarship:
“I [figured I was] going to work a little more and things [were] going to be tight, and then I got this scholarship. Oh my God, it was amazing!”
“It’s literally meant I can quickly go through this degree. I have four more exams to take, some clinical stuff and I should be done by summer. That’s because of the scholarship. I could not do it without it. It’s made such a difference for me.”
For more with Burchill, including what caught his eye in wrestling, working with William Regal, adapting his style after a knee injury and much more, click here for the full interview.