Rene Dupree Says Zach Gowen’s Chair Spot With Brock Lesnar Was ‘Punishment’ From WWE

Rene Dupree claims that Zach Gowen’s infamous chair shots from Brock Lesnar on WWE TV were a “punishment” from Vince McMahon. The moment took place back on the August 21st, 2003 episode of Smackdown when Gowen faced Lesnar and saw Lesnar get DQ’d after nailing Gowan with a chair to the head in front of Gowen’s mother. Dupree discussed the segment and other examples where he believed talent got “punished” on his latest Cafe de Rene, and you can see highlights below (per Wrestling Inc:

On Gowan being ‘punished’ for being caught smoking backstage: “You believe nothing what you hear, but what I had heard is that he was caught smoking cigarettes backstage, right? If you’ve ever been backstage at WWF show, Vince has ‘no smoking’ signs all over the building. The only two people that were allowed to smoke were Blackjack Lanza and Pat Patterson. Anybody else, (no). So anyway, remember that segment where Brock bashed his f**king brains in with that steel chair in front of his own mother? That was punishment right there.”

On Kane’s 2003 feud with Shane McMahon: “I remember Kane voicing his opinion backstage,” Dupree said. “Like, being frustrated talking to Johnny Ace. Right after that, he started that program with Shane, on the live events, the house shows, because Shane doesn’t know how to wrestle. Shane knows how to do stunts and Shane knows how to do hardcore, right? Glenn (Kane) would come back with just these f**king kendo stick marks. Just bruised every single night. He had to work a program for like, what was it, like several months doing those f**king hardcore matches every night. So a part of me wonders like ‘is that some type of, form of punishment because he complained?’”