Former WWE referee Earl Hebner recently feared he would be assassinated
Former WWE Referee Earl Hebner recently feared there was a plot to take his life because of his involvement in the Montreal Screwjob.
In 2019, Earl Hebner was interviewed by VICE for their Dark Side of the Ring documentary series. The popular show explores some of the most unpleasant incidents in the history of professional wrestling. However, upon learning that the production crew was Canadian, Hebner began to panic that his life may have been in danger.
In a clip from Dark Side of the Ring: Confidential, the show's creators Evan Husney and Jason Eisener revealed Hebner genuinely feared the crew were assassins in disguise. He evidently thought that they wanted to punish him for his involvement in the Montreal Screwjob.
But upon the completion of the interview, Hebner relaxed and explained why he had been acting so nervous throughout.
"Something's not on. I said "I don't feel comfortable about this thing!" Honest to God, I've got a buddy on the police force. I started to get him down here and let him knock on the door so if a f****** bullet came through the door, you'd shoot him and not me! I really didn't know if this was a setup or what. And, Howard? The way you started out, made it look like a setup that you were gonna kill my a**."
Husney also revealed that Hebner had been texting his wife during his time with the crew. He wanted to keep her aware of the ongoing situation in case anything happened.
Earl Hebner was released by WWE in 2005
Despite receiving an overwhelmingly negative reputation for his role in the Montreal Screwjob, Earl Hebner continued to work as a referee for WWE until 2005. He was fired from the company after a nearly 20-year run.
He was terminated for allegedly selling WWE merchandise independently without the company's permission. Since then, he has worked as a referee in numerous other wrestling promotions He had a long stint working for TNA, now known as IMPACT Wrestling.
Hebner remains one of the most recognizable referees in wrestling history. Beyond his involvement with the Montreal Screwjob, he officiated numerous legendary matches throughout the Attitude Era.