Earl Hebner

Earl William Hebner (born May 17, 1949) is an American professional wrestling referee who currently works in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his time as the senior referee for the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E). As senior referee, Hebner officiated most main events during his time with the company from 1988–2005. He (along with his identical twin brother, Dave) played a prominent role in the inaugural The Main Event card in 1988, in which André the Giant controversially defeated Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, as well as the infamous "Montreal Screwjob" during the main event of the 1997 Survivor Series. He also participated in a number of storylines, including feuds involving The McMahon-Helmsley Faction and The Alliance. From 2006 to 2017, he appeared for Total Nonstop Action/Impact Wrestling, serving as senior referee for the company, and was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2015, becoming the first referee to be inducted into a major wrestling Hall of Fame. He is the longest serving active referee across all sports in the world.