In his nearly two decades as a WWE official, Earl Hebner played an integral part in some of the company’s most iconic matches and moments. Not only were he and his twin brother Dave the crux of a storyline conclusion between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, he also helped spearhead the storyline referee strike in 1999 as well as competed against WCW referee Nick Patrick during the Invasion storyline in 2001.
Of course, Hebner is most synonymous with the Montreal Screwjob, in which he called for the bell to be rung while Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart in his own signature Sharpshooter despite the fact that Hart never tapped out, screwing Hart out of the title. Prior to the Survivor Series 1997 incident, Hebner had promised Hart that he wouldn’t take part in any scheme from Vince McMahon to strip him of the WWE Championship as Hart did not want to lose to Michaels due to bad blood between the two men.
Hebner left the company in 2005 when he and his brother Dave were accused of selling WWE merchandise without permission. He later went on to work for both IMPACT Wrestling and made sporadic appearances for AEW.
During a recent guest appearance on his son’s podcast Reffin’ It Up with Brian Hebner, Earl was asked about whether or not he would enter the WWE Hall of Fame if he were ever offered an induction, and he responded in the affirmative.
“Yea, I would consider it. “All the stuff that I’ve done in this business and made a lot of the matches what they are. I think I deserve to be in there. But whether I do or not, it’s up to them.”
Though Not Yet In The WWE Hall Of Fame, Earl Hebner Was Inducted Into The TNA Hall Of Fame In 2015
Following his WWE departure, Earl Hebner worked for IMPACT Wrestling under its previous identity as TNA from 2006 to 2017. He earned himself an induction into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2015, and when his son asked what that honor meant to him, he said it meant “everything.”
“It meant everything in the world to me in this business. I never thought I would ever get there, in any Hall of Fame, but I did. I was so happy that they recognized how valuable I was. They still have referees that are valuable, but they sort of broke the ice in knowing that in order for this business to succeed, they have to have a good ref. It’s good that they noticed that and gave me the opportunity to be in the Hall of Fame, and I will never forget that night or what they did for me.”
h/t WrestlingNews.co