Earl Hebner on reconciliation with Bret Hart: ‘We have a good relationship’

Earl Hebner is ready to tell his story. 

His book “Earl Hebner: The Official Story” is currently available for preorder and covers his role in one of the most infamous stories in wrestling history, The Montreal Screwjob. 

Hebner told Steve Fall recently that he and Hart have made up since what happened Survivor Series 1997.

Hebner said:

I have another merch shirt that says, ‘Damn right I did.’ A lot of people want me to write on it, ‘I screwed Bret.’ I go, ‘No. I can’t do that.’

A while back, maybe three or four years ago, I would do it but Bret and I made up. And before my brother passed, we were at a house show or indie show and he was there and he called us to the ring and he put us over like big time.

So now Bret calls me, and I’ll call him and we have a good relationship back and I’m not going to screw it up by writing something on a dumbass shirt that’s going to destroy our friendship.

The indie show Hebner is referring to was a Big Time Wrestling event in Prince George, VA on October 11th, 2014. Matt Hardy posted footage from the show to his YouTube channel:

Hebner continued to say:

For a long time, honestly it bothered me. It was bad for me, you know, because I carried it with me for a lot of years. 

We met one time at an airport and I wanted to talk to him and he said “I don’t want to talk to you.” I go ‘okay.’ He was talking to my brother and I said, ‘Can I talk to you for a minute?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t want to talk.’ I said okay, I let it go and that was it.  

As time went on, (we) eventually got to a place where we could see each other, (and) communicate.

A description of Hebner’s book reads: “The 440 plus-page book spans the entire career of who many call the most recognized official in professional wrestling, if not the Greatest Of All Time!”

Earl Hebner joins AEW, more referees announced

Earl Hebner, along with a number of other referees, have joined All Elite Wrestling.

The longtime referee was announced as joining the roster tonight on AEW’s Twitter.

AEW also announced today that Aubrey Edwards and Paul Turner have joined AEW as referees. Edwards has refereed in the Pacific Northwest area, including Defy Wrestling. Turner has previously been a referee for Ring of Honor.

PWG referee Rick Knox and former CHIKARA referee Bryce Remsburg have also signed with AEW, with Knox being announced on the latest episode of Being the Elite.

Hebner is best known for being a referee for the WWE from 1988 to 2005, and perhaps is more infamously known as being the referee for the Survivor Series 1997 match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. It was Hebner who made the call to ring the bell once Michaels had put Hart in the sharpshooter despite Hart not submitting.

After being fired by the WWE in 2005 for selling merchandise without WWE’s permission, Hebner joined Impact Wrestling and was part of the promotion until 2017 when they parted ways.