Jacques Rougeau Then and Now
By Cornell Scott / August 31, 2024
Jacques Rougeau Then
Jacques Rougeau, born on June 13, 1960, in Saint-Sulpice, Canada, is part of a prominent wrestling family that has made significant contributions to the sport in Canada and beyond.
His family’s legacy in wrestling spans multiple generations, with several members becoming well-known wrestlers and promoters.
Jacques himself became a well-known professional wrestler, but his involvement in the sport is just one part of a broader family tradition.
Jacques’ older brother, Raymond Rougeau, also made a name for himself in the wrestling world.
The two brothers formed the tag team known as The Fabulous Rougeaus, a duo that achieved success in various wrestling promotions, including WWE (then WWF).
Their teamwork, combined with their natural charisma and in-ring abilities, made them fan favorites, particularly during the late 1980s.
Their father, Jacques Rougeau Sr., was a significant figure in Canadian wrestling, both as a wrestler and as a promoter.
Jacques Sr. wrestled professionally in the 1950s and 1960s and later transitioned into promoting wrestling events, primarily in the Montreal area.
His influence helped shape the wrestling scene in Quebec and played a crucial role in the careers of his sons.
Another key family member is Jacques’ uncle, Jean “Johnny” Rougeau, who was a highly respected wrestler and promoter.
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Johnny Rougeau was a major star in Canadian wrestling during the 1950s and 1960s, particularly in Quebec, where he was a top draw.
Beyond his in-ring career, Johnny was instrumental in promoting wrestling events, further solidifying the Rougeau family’s impact on the sport.
Jacques’ sister, Johanne, also contributed to the family’s wrestling legacy by promoting wrestling matches in Montreal.
Her involvement in the business side of wrestling showcases the Rougeau family’s diverse roles in the industry, spanning both performance and promotion.
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Additionally, Jacques’ brother Armand wrestled for smaller federations, highlighting how deeply embedded wrestling is in the Rougeau family.
Overall, the Rougeau family has left an indelible mark on professional wrestling, particularly in Canada.
Jacques Rougeau’s success in the ring is just one part of a larger family tradition that has influenced and shaped the wrestling landscape for decades.
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Jacques Rougeau Wrestling Career
Jacques Rougeau’s career in professional wrestling is a remarkable journey that began in 1977, when he entered the world of wrestling through Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling promotion in Calgary, Alberta.
This early experience in one of Canada’s most respected wrestling promotions laid the foundation for what would become a storied career.
Rougeau quickly established himself as a talented and charismatic wrestler, earning opportunities to wrestle in the United States during the 1980s.
He achieved notable success in Alabama and Tennessee before being signed by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1985, alongside his brother Raymond.
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The Rougeau brothers made their WWF debut in 1986 during the company’s International Tour in Australia.
Jacques, though losing his first match to Moondog Rex, soon joined forces with Raymond to form the tag team “The Fabulous Rougeaus.”
The duo quickly made a name for themselves, securing victories against well-known teams such as The Hart Foundation, The Moondogs, Jimmy Jack and Dory Funk Jr., and The Dream Team.
Despite a loss at WrestleMania III in 1987, the Rougeaus briefly held the WWF Tag Team Championship after an upset victory over The Hart Foundation, although the title was returned to the champions due to a controversial disqualification ruling.
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After two years in the WWF, The Fabulous Rougeaus underwent a significant transformation, turning heel.
They adopted a new persona, mocking American fans by claiming to be “soon to relocate to the United States” and performing an intentionally annoying entrance song about being “All-American Boys.”
This new gimmick, managed by Jimmy Hart, led to increased fan antagonism and memorable feuds with teams such as The Killer Bees, The Hart Foundation, The Bushwhackers, and The Rockers.
Raymond Rougeau’s retirement in early 1990 marked the end of The Fabulous Rougeaus’ partnership, leading Jacques to leave the WWF for a year.
He returned in 1991 as “The Mountie,” a character that became one of the most notorious in the WWF.
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As The Mountie, Jacques portrayed a corrupt, cattle prod-wielding member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who took pleasure in shocking his defeated opponents.
This character, though controversial, led to some of the most memorable moments in Jacques’ career, including a feud with The Big Boss Man and a brief reign as the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion.
The Mountie character, however, faced legal challenges in Canada, where Rougeau was prevented from performing as The Mountie.
Despite these obstacles, Jacques continued to wrestle under his real name while retaining elements of The Mountie’s costume.
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His success as The Mountie, highlighted by victories at the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania VII, solidified his status as a top heel in the WWF.
In 1993, Jacques Rougeau returned to the WWF, this time forming a new tag team with Pierre Ouellet known as “The Quebecers.”
The team, managed by Johnny Polo, achieved considerable success, becoming three-time WWF Tag Team Champions.
Their gimmick, an extension of The Mountie theme, emphasized bullying behavior and a detachment from their controversial past.
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The Quebecers engaged in feuds with prominent teams such as The Steiner Brothers, Men on a Mission, The Headshrinkers, and The 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty.
The Quebecers’ run culminated in a main event appearance at the 1993 Survivor Series as part of the “Foreign Fanatics” team.
After the Quebecers split up in 1994, Jacques retired from wrestling, only to make a comeback in 1996 with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as part of “The Amazing French Canadians,” once again teaming with Ouellet.
Jacques’ return to wrestling included a notable victory over Hollywood Hogan in Montreal, a rare clean win over the then-WCW Heavyweight Champion.
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This victory, rumored to have been influenced by the Rougeau family’s reputation and Hogan’s respect for Jacques, added another significant achievement to his career.
Jacques Rougeau’s final run in the WWF came in 1998 when he once again teamed with Ouellet in an updated version of The Quebecers.
Although this run was less successful than their previous tenure, they remained a memorable team in the WWF’s tag team division.
After a brief reunion in WCW as part of Lance Storm’s “Team Canada” in 2000, Jacques retired from wrestling for good.
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Post-retirement, Jacques Rougeau transitioned into a new chapter of his life, focusing on public speaking and community work.
He has toured schools across Canada, speaking on issues such as drugs, smoking, and bullying.
In addition to his public speaking career, Jacques opened the Rougeau Wrestling School in Montreal in 1998, where he has trained aspiring wrestlers, passing on the knowledge and skills that defined his own career.
Jacques Rougeau’s contributions to professional wrestling, both in the ring and as a mentor, continue to resonate within the wrestling community.
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Jacques Rougeau Wrestling Competition
- Stampede Wrestling
- World Wrestling Federation (WWF) / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
- As The Fabulous Rougeaus
- As The Mountie
- As The Quebecers
- World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
- As The Amazing French Canadians
- As part of Lance Storm’s Team Canada
- Various smaller federations and independent promotions
Jacques Rougeau Retirement
In 2018, Jacques Rougeau announced his retirement from professional wrestling for the third time, marking the end of an illustrious career that had spanned several decades.
Along with his retirement announcement, Rougeau revealed that he had closed his wrestling school, a significant move that concluded his active involvement in training the next generation of wrestlers.
This decision effectively brought an end to the Rougeau family’s direct contributions to the wrestling world, a legacy that had been ongoing for more than six decades.
A poignant moment in this final chapter of his career occurred on August 18, 2018, when Jacques Rougeau teamed with his sons for the first and only time.
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This unique match mirrored a similar event from his father’s career, adding a personal and historical touch to his retirement.
Rougeau’s sons, who had each dabbled in wrestling at various points, had expressed no intention of pursuing careers in the sport.
Their lack of interest in returning to wrestling meant that Jacques’ retirement signified the end of the Rougeau family’s prominent presence in the wrestling industry.
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Jacques Rougeau’s Wife and Children
Jacques Rougeau’s personal life includes a notable marriage to Nathalie Thibodeau, whom he wed in 1978. The couple had three sons together: Cedric, Emile, and Jean-Jacques.
Despite the family’s strong presence in the wrestling world, Rougeau and Thibodeau eventually divorced, marking the end of their long marriage.
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Jacques Rougeau Now
Jacques Rougeau, now 64 years old, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler renowned for his contributions to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the 1980s and 1990s.
Throughout his career, Rougeau gained fame as one half of the tag team The Fabulous Rougeaus, alongside his brother Raymond Rougeau.
This period marked some of his most memorable achievements in professional wrestling, solidifying his legacy in the sport.
In recent years, Rougeau’s life has taken a more private turn, as he retired from wrestling and closed his wrestling school in 2018.
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His retirement marked the end of an era for the Rougeau family’s prominent presence in professional wrestling.
Despite stepping away from the ring, Rougeau remains a respected figure within the wrestling community for his contributions and the family legacy he represents.
Tragically, Jacques Rougeau’s family has faced a devastating loss unrelated to wrestling.
In June 2023, his nephew, Trooper Rougeau, was killed in the line of duty.
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Trooper Rougeau became the 104th member of the Department to make the ultimate sacrifice while serving as a law enforcement officer.
A memorial service was held in his honor at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, on June 27, 2023.
This event marked a somber moment for the Rougeau family, reflecting the profound impact of this loss on their lives.
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FAQs
The Mountie was a wrestling persona played by Jacques Rougeau. Introduced in 1991, the character was a corrupt member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, known for using a cattle prod as part of his gimmick.
The Quebecers were a tag team consisting of Jacques Rougeau and Pierre Ouellet (also known as PCO).
They were known for their brash, arrogant personalities and held the WWE Tag Team Championship multiple times.
The Fabulous Rougeaus were Jacques Rougeau and his brother Raymond Rougeau.
They were known for their flashy entrance and entertaining tag team matches during their run in the WWE in the 1980s.
Jacques Rougeau retired from professional wrestling for the third time in 2018.
After his retirement, he closed his wrestling school and ended the Rougeau family’s direct involvement in the wrestling industry.
The Quebecers were managed by Johnny Polo (later known as Raven). Polo helped enhance their character and feuds during their time as a tag team in WWE.