Earl Hebner Biography – Retired Wrestling Referee

Earl Hebner is a retired professional referee whose last officiating task was for All Elite Wrestling. Furthermore, he came into the limelight for his stint as a senior referee for World Wrestling Entertainment. He started his career as a wrestling referee in 1977 and eventually retired in 2021.

Not many know, Earl is the twin brother of another well-known wrestling referee Dave Hebner. Many other facts are yet to be discovered about him. So, stick with us till the end!

Grew Up Along With His Twin

The former referee was born Earl William Hebner on May 17, 1949. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia, USA, with his twin sibling, Dave Hebner. As mentioned earlier, Earl Hebner’s brother also worked as a referee. In the 1970s, Dave debuted as a professional wrestling referee and in 1986 joined WWF. Since then, he had officiated many matches. Sadly, on June 17, 2022, Dave passed away.

Earl’s brother had Parkinson’s disease for a long time. It must have been a tough time for the Hebner family. Furthermore, not much information has been revealed about the Hebner brothers’ dad and mom. On the other hand, talking about his educational background, it is not known which school and university Earl attended.

Also Read: Learn About Ryan Cochran-Siegle’s Biography

Earl Hebner Net Worth And Career

Earl, whose career stint is of 44 years, has made a good name for himself in the sports industry. As a wrestling referee, he has officiated a number of matches in different presentations. Therefore, his earnings are mainly based on his wage as a referee. Well, in over four decades of being an official, Earl Hebner’s net worth must have been a considerable sum.

At the beginning of his refereeing career, the Illinois native officiated matches for Jim Crockett Promotions. Then, in 1988, he made his World Wrestling Federation debut during a WWF World Heavyweight Championship. However, the most popular event in Hebner’s career came at the 1997 Survivor Series’ WWF Championship match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. It has since been known as the “Montreal Screwjob.”

In July 2005, WWE fired Earl for selling its merchandise without permission. Seven months later, he debuted for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In May 2012, he signed a contract extension with TNA that kept him through 2013. Later, in November 2017, the 5′ 7″ tall official parted ways with Impact Wrestling. After that, he officiated in the Independent Circuit and All Elite Wrestling.

In 2021, Hebner retired as a professional referee. However, in June 2022, the Illinois-born referee returned to TNA/IMPACT Wrestling to officiate at Slammiversary. Furthermore, in his career as a WWE referee, he must have earned considerably. For instance, Charles Robinson, who began working as a WWE referee in 2001, earns $15,000 per main event and $5,000 per match.

So, Earl’s salary must have been significant, and he likely made considerable earnings with WWE. Hence, Earl Hebner’s net worth must be massive.

Went Through Two Failed Marriages

While Earl enjoyed a thriving professional career, his marriage could not be that successful. He did get married twice, but both failed for some reason. So, let’s learn why the referee had to go through marital troubles two times.

Earl Hebner’s first wife is Carol Ann Kettner. The couple got married in August 1969. The former duo has not disclosed anything about their first encounter and how long they were in a relationship before walking down the aisle. Unfortunately, Earl and Carol’s marriage ended on October 13, 1977.

A year later, Hebner tied the knot with his second wife, Susan Ann Green. Like his first spouse, he did not divulge any details about their marital life. In 2000, the ex-pair got divorced. Since then, the referee does not seem to have dated anyone. Or who knows, he might be keeping it secret.

Likewise, Earl Hebner’s ex-wives might have also moved on in their lives and must be doing well.

Has Two Grownup Kids

The former referee is a proud dad of two kids who have already grown up. Earl Hebner’s children, Brian Hebner and Katie Hebner, are both involved in the wrestling world. Furthermore, he had adopted his baby girl with his first partner.

 

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A post shared by Katie Hebner🇨🇳 (@katie_hebner)

Earl Hebner’s son is a professional wrestling referee who previously officiated matches in WWE RAW and Smackdown!. On the other hand, his daughter made a cameo appearance with TNA in 2008. Katie appeared as the sister of Gail Kim, “Katie Kim.”

All in all, the retired referee seems to be living a content life. Considering his return to IMPACT Wrestling in 2022, he seems to still have a passion for refereeing. So, let’s hope we continue to see him officiating wrestling matches in the days ahead.

Trivia And Facts

• Earl has over 7K followers on Instagram.
• Fans chanted “You Screwed Bret.” for many years following the Montreal Screwjob.

• Bret Hart Brian Hebner Carol Ann Kettner Celebrity Babies Celebrity Divorce Charles Robinson Dave Hebner Earl Hebner Earl William Hebner Gail Kim Katie Hebner Katie Kim Referee Shawn Michaels Sports Celebrity Biography Susan Ann Green