Former WWE Superstar Rene Dupree talked to Slam Sports recently, following last week’s controversial CM Punk interview on “The Art of Wrestling” podcast with Colt Cabana.
Part of Punk’s tell-all discussion revealed that WWE doctors continually forced him into action and refused medical treatment on a lump that was eventually revealed as a life-threatening staph infection. Renee Dupree, a two-time WWE tag champion, revealed a similar situation that happened to him during his run with the company.
According to the interview with Slam, Dupree had a hematoma in his temple and was given the night off from Smackdown by Stephanie McMahon. When the cabin pressure normalized on a flight to Cincinnati, the hematoma burst. “I was wearing a white Gold’s Gym t-shirt and it was covered in blood.” Paramedics on scene told the crew that he needed to be rushed to the hospital, but a WWE doctor made the call to keep him on the roster’s connecting flight to Louisville.
According to Rene, he did receive treatment in Louisville, but “I risked my life to save the company a few extra bucks.” The company would have had to pay for a separate flight for him after surgery, but that’s essentially the only real expense.
This is not the first affirmation of CM Punk‘s claim that WWE officials are there to support the company, and not necessarily the talent. In Hardcore Holly’s 2013 autobiography, “The Hardcore Truth”, he revealed his own staph infection that almost cost him his arm. It was diagnosed in the U.S., but backstage staff – including John Laurinaitis – insisted that he attend the European tour, where the infection worsened and Holly almost required an amputation.
