Earl Hebner Shares What It Was Like To Ref For Cody Vs. Dustin Rhodes, Why He Loves AEW
Earl Hebner spoke with Bill Apter at a convention in New Jersey about refereeing the Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes at Double or Nothing and his thoughts about working for AEW.
"It was a great experience. A lot of pressure because I knew those two boys when they were kids. Matter of fact, their daddy was the one that gave me this job. He was the one that gave me a job at the NWA in Charlotte," Hebner reminisced. "Seeing those kids grow up and being with them in Double Or Nothing, was really great. I was in there with two great kids, two great friends, and honestly, it was like family. We got it, it was done, and it was good."
"I was more nervous about those two guys hurting each other than I was in the ring," he admitted. The ring doesn't bother me. When I got two great kids, well men now, in the ring, that I've loved all my life, and see them grow up from babies, it was a lot of stress on me. It's like I was the dad. I'm glad that I got to raise Cody's hand and leave because I probably been in tears at ringside."
"They're a great company. I feel privileged and honored to be with them," Hebner said about AEW. It's going to wake up a lot of people around the world, in the wrestling business especially the WWE. It's gonna be a world war. This company-it's just so many good things for me to say about AEW. It's hard to get it all."
When asked about the locker room atmosphere, Hebner said, "There's happiness, joking, laughing. It's not like you are in a prison anymore. It's like you're enjoying what you do and you do it the best that you can do when you're not under pressure.
"I'm going to leave that up to AEW," said about referring the title match at All Out. I would in all honesty like to see another referee get the opportunity to do that because I've been there and it would give them great honor and myself too. I would rather see somebody else besides Earl Hebner," he ended.
For those who are interested can watch the whole interview in the video above.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Bill Apter-1WrestlingVideo Interviews with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.