"Shining grin and two thumbs up" - How Vince McMahon reacted to 2-time champion's WWE debut
Rene Dupree recently recalled how Vince McMahon reacted positively to his WWE in-ring debut.
La Resistance (Dupree and Sylvain Grenier) defeated Spike Dudley and Tommy Dreamer on the May 5, 2003, episode of RAW. During the match, fans repeatedly chanted the word “a**hole” towards the villainous superstar due to his arrogant persona.
Speaking on the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, Dupree disclosed the post-match conversation he had with McMahon.
“I looked at Vince and he looked at me with a shining grin and two thumbs up,” Dupree said. “And then afterwards after the show was done, he comes to me and goes, ‘You hear those people?’ I go, ‘Vince, I’m not an a**hole!’ He looked at me with this look and I could read his face. He was like, ‘Yes, you are.’ [laughs]” [16:31-16:52]
Dupree captured the World Tag Team Championship with Grenier at the age of 19, making him the first teenager to win a title in WWE. He later became a two-time Tag Team Champion while teaming up with Kenzo Suzuki.
Rene Dupree’s memories of Vince McMahon
WWE Ruthless Aggression will always be one of my favorite eras.
La Resistance was my favorite tag team on Raw. https://t.co/BxRJptlHnk
As WWE’s ultimate decision-maker, Vince McMahon has the final say on superstars’ match outcomes and storyline developments. Dupree worked on the main roster between 2003 and 2007, during which time he had many interactions with the 76-year-old.
The Canadian went on to discuss the relationship he had with the WWE Chairman behind the scenes.
“He’s a very complex individual,” Dupree added. “I guess he’s like any other human. He has his good days and his bad days. But as you know and your listeners know, he’s very into fitness, like a hardcore fitness addict.” [17:01-17:23]
The former WWE star added that his former boss is one of many people in the wrestling business who enjoy working out at midnight. McMahon's son-in-law Triple H is also known to exercise into the early hours of the morning.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.