6. The Big Differences Between Working In Japan And The U.S.
After leaving WWE in July 2007, Dupree kept himself very busy by getting booked on several international tours. He quickly established himself in the nutty HUSTLE promotion, before landing a regular gig with the prestigious All Japan Pro-Wrestling. Speaking about the differences between the American and Japanese audiences, and how he had to adapt to work there, Dupree opined:
If you are good, you can get anybody off their ass. It took time but I learned how to get them off their ass and thats why I stayed there so long. I learned how to get over with that crowd. There its different, for example if its an opening match they are going to treat it as an opening match but if its a match with significance, like a title match that has importance and has been built up right they will get more involved and into it and more into the false finishes and be just as loud as an American crowd.
The master of the French Tickler also took a shot at the current WWE TV product:
Now with WWE, they do everything on TV. Nobody gives a s**t if its a title match or not. You dont even know the rules or know what the hell is going on. Who gives a s**t if its a title match, they switch the belt every other week, as far as tag titles or Intercontinental. I couldnt tell you who the tag champs are or who the Intercontinental Champion is now, I dont know.
He makes a valid point, especially with regards to the proliferation of title matches on TV.