7/19/2005 1:22:00 AM

Earl Hebner fired by WWE

by Dave Meltzer

dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Earl Hebner, the most well known referee in U.S. pro wrestling, was fired earlier today by WWE, allegedly for selling merchandise without authorization.

Reports that Dave Hebner was fired are said to be incorrect at the moment, although he was alleged to be involved and has been disciplined.

Earl Hebner has been with the company since 1988 when he played the role of heel Dave Hebner in the Andre the Giant title win over Hulk Hogan in Indianapolis. He's easily the most famous referee in pro wrestling history, stemming from his officiating the 1997 Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels match in Montreal where he ordered the bell rung on Hart. He was belived to have been the highest paid referee in the history of pro wrestling since that time as a reward for choosing to do what the company asked of him after promising not to do so to Hart, one of his best friends in the company.

He had refereed most main events on PPV for the past decade.

http://bodyslamming.com/wwe/pics/ehebner.jpg

Aren't those guys twins? Was the 1988 match the first time the other brother appeared? I remember watching a match and all of a sudden there were two Hebner's and it was like, what the heck is going on here?

Aren't those guys twins? Was the 1988 match the first time the other brother appeared? I remember watching a match and all of a sudden there were two Hebner's and it was like, what the heck is going on here?


Yes they are twins, his son Brian is also a referee with the company. I am in shock that they fired him.

He was fired for selling merchandise without permission?That's stupid.They must be really desperate to lay off people to fire someone for doing that

What was he selling, those cool striped referee shirts??

I read on one board that he was supposedly pimping at a recent house show.

Hebner's a pimp :lol:

I read on one board that he was supposedly pimping at a recent house show.


:lol: Yeah, he learned it from the Godfather.


wow......im sure the Canadian fans are happy to hear this.

Dave Hebner has also been released