WWE has had several championship ideas that never saw the light of day, and one of them was the ECW Tag Team Championship. Former WWE Superstar René Duprée recently revealed that his tag team, La Résistance, was originally planned to be the inaugural champions. However, those plans never materialized.
WWE’s Unused Plans for the ECW Tag Team Titles
René Duprée, who was part of La Résistance alongside Sylvain Grenier and later Robért Conway, spoke about this scrapped championship plan on his Café dé René podcast. He stated that he learned about WWE’s intention to introduce ECW Tag Team Titles from the late Pat Patterson.
Duprée had just debuted on ECW at the time, and WWE wanted to establish new tag team champions for the brand. According to him, the company had chosen La Résistance to hold the titles first.
“This is a shoot because I heard it from Pat [Patterson], that they were gonna make ECW Tag Titles and give it to us [La Résistance].”
However, Duprée admitted that personal struggles, including back pain and a growing substance abuse issue, affected his ability to perform at the highest level.
Why the ECW Tag Team Titles Never Happened
Duprée explained that during this time, he had developed an addiction to muscle relaxers due to his back pain. This led to poor decision-making, which may have contributed to WWE scrapping the idea of the ECW Tag Team Championship altogether.
He also recalled a tag match where he and Sylvain Grenier faced Kofi Kingston and another competitor. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had previously disliked Duprée’s loose-fitting tights, so Grenier got him an extra small pair instead. Unfortunately, Duprée was in no state to perform at his best.
“Sly gets these extra small pair of tights that don’t fit. But I was also not in the right frame of mind,” Duprée said.
Ultimately, WWE abandoned the idea of ECW Tag Team Titles, leaving La Résistance without the opportunity to make history once again.
When Was René Duprée’s Last WWE Match?
René Duprée was released from WWE in July 2007. Before his departure, he competed in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE’s developmental territory at the time and the predecessor to NXT.
His last televised WWE match took place on February 20, 2007, where he and Sylvan defeated Los Luchas in a tag team contest. His final singles bout in WWE happened on an ECW episode in December 2006, where he faced Bobby Lashley.
Despite leaving WWE nearly two decades ago, Duprée remains active in the wrestling industry. With Triple H now leading WWE’s creative direction, fans are wondering if a return to the company could be in his future.
FAQs
Did WWE plan to introduce ECW Tag Team Titles?
Yes, WWE had plans to create the ECW Tag Team Championship, and La Résistance was supposed to be the inaugural champions. However, the idea was scrapped before it could happen.
Why was René Duprée’s WWE championship opportunity canceled?
René Duprée revealed that personal struggles, including substance abuse and injuries, may have played a role in WWE scrapping the ECW Tag Team Championship plans.
When was René Duprée’s last match in WWE?
His last televised WWE match took place on February 20, 2007, where he and Sylvan defeated Los Luchas in a tag team match. His final singles match was in December 2006 against Bobby Lashley.
Is René Duprée still wrestling today?
Yes, René Duprée remains active in professional wrestling and continues to compete on the independent circuit.
Could René Duprée return to WWE under Triple H’s leadership?
While nothing has been confirmed, fans have speculated that Duprée could return to WWE, especially with Triple H now in charge of creative decisions.
