Earl Hebner Had One Of The Weirdest Releases In WWE History
Highlights
- Earl Hebner had a long and controversial career in professional wrestling, working for WWE and other prominent organizations before retiring in 2022.
- Hebner was involved in several controversial moments, including the infamous Montreal Screwjob in 1997, which some consider the most memorable moment of his career.
- Hebner was fired from WWE in 2005 for selling WWE-branded merchandise without permission and has not appeared on WWE TV since. He finished his career in IMPACT Wrestling and has a strained relationship with Vince McMahon.
Earl Heber is one of the most recognized professional wrestling referees in history. Someone who began officiating matches in 1977 and continued to do so until retiring in 2022, Hebner put in many years of creating a legacy for himself, considering he had an essential role in the industry when refereeing matches. Furthermore, it's worth noting that many of those years had been for WWE when Earl Hebner started working for the company in 1988. Hebner stayed with WWE until 2005, when he was oddly released by the company, ending his fifteen-year-plus run.
Earl Hebner's Long Yet Controversial WWE Career
Earl Hebner's arguably the most beloved referee in professional wrestling, with one of the reasons being the number of years he spent working in the business. Even though Hebner's most known for his work in WWE, he's officiated matches in many prominent organizations. Prominent organizations include the much recent All Elite Wrestling, the last company he officiated before deciding to retire altogether from refereeing in 2022.
Some younger fans may not be aware of Hebner's legacy in professional wrestling, as he's been a part of many controversial moments due to specific matches he officiated that especially stem from days working for WWE. His refereeing was part of Hulk Hogan losing his WWE Championship to Andre the Giant on NBC's The Main Event in a controversial manner.
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Obviously, WWE fans are aware of the infamous Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997 during the Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels WWE Championship match, where Earl Hebner called for the bell after Michaels locked in the Sharpshooter on Hart despite Bret not tapping out. In one of the most controversial real-life moments in professional wrestling history, Hebner was one of the key figures who took part in the Montreal Screwjob. Some might argue that the events at Survivor Series 1997 were the most memorable moment in Hebner's career.
Despite everything Hebner had gone through in his WWE run, his career in the company continued into the new Millennium. There were even times when he would get showcased in prominent feuds on WWE TV, like aligning with The Rock during his feud with Triple H and the McMahon-Helmsely faction in 2000. On some occasions, Hebner was an on-screen character who'd sometimes wrestle other WWE talent.
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Why Earl Hebner Was Fired By WWE In 2005
It seemed at first that Earl Hebner would potentially be a lifer in WWE due to the many years he contributed to the company. However, he got fired from WWE in July 2005 after the company announced that the legendary referee was selling WWE-branded merchandise without their permission. It's also worth noting that WWE released his late brother, Dave Hebner, due to being affiliated with the selling. Ever since then, Earl Hebner has never appeared on WWE TV and doesn't look to be returning anytime soon.
Hebner has given his side of the story regarding the circumstances of his WWE release. In an interview on the Prime Time With Sean Mooney podcast, Hebner stated he didn't believe WWE would fire him because he was selling a $15 shirt, feeling he was a scapegoat of some kind. He also claimed that WWE called him back, stating that Vince McMahon wanted him in the Hall of Fame if he'd return, which he refused.
Earl Hebner Finished His Career In IMPACT Wrestling
After many months following his departure from WWE, Earl Hebner made his IMPACT Wrestling debut at the Against All Odds 2006 PPV, where he refereed the main-event bout of the night between Christian Cage and Jeff Jarrett for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He stayed in IMPACT Wrestling until 2017, getting inducted into the company's Hall of Fame in 2015. After a brief run in AEW when he joined the company in 2019, Hebner finished his referee career by returning to IMPACT Wrestling in 2022.
Regarding Earl Hebner's relationship with WWE in recent years, considering that he and his brother were among the former WWE talent that filed a lawsuit against the company for being responsible for long-term injuries, it may indicate that the two parties are still not on the best terms. In the same 2019 interview with Sean Mooney, Hebner claimed he wants nothing to do with Vince McMahon.
