On June 17, 2022, the wrestling world learned that Dave Hebner, former WWE referee, as well as road agent for the company, passed away at age 73. Hebner passed away in his home located in Mechanicsville, Virginia. His passing stems from an undisclosed illness that, on May 28, former race car driver Hermie Sadler spoke about on Twitter. It was also revealed that Hebner had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease. In addition to being a referee and road agent for WWE, Hebner served as a wrestling promoter and authority figure. He was also the twin brother of fellow notable referee Earl Hebner.
RIP Dave Hebner
"How can there be two Dave Hebners?" pic.twitter.com/GIdZPYXVvf
— On This Day in WWE (@OTD_in_WWE) June 17, 2022
Dave Hebner Passes Away
What to Know About Famed Wrestling Referee
Dave Hebner’s wrestling career dates back to the early 1960s. However, it was in the mid-to-late 1980s when he saw his first brush with major success under the World Wrestling Federation. He officiated a number of memorable matches, including the Intercontinental Championship bout between Ricky Steamboat and “Macho Man” Randy Savage at WrestleMania III. However, he may be best remembered for his involvement in the February 5, 1988 episode of WWF The Main Event. It was here where, under the guise of his twin brother, Earl Hebner officiated the match between Andre the Giant and then-WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan. Having been paid off by Ted DiBiase, Earl counted Hogan’s shoulders down to the mat when his one shoulder was clearly up. Dave soon emerged, with wrestling fans in attendance and watching at home stunned at this revelation.
Following knee surgery, Dave Hebner’s time as a wrestling referee came to an end. As mentioned earlier, though, he filled many other roles in the industry. He worked for WWE as a road agent until 2005. From there, he made his way to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, serving as an on-screen manager for a time.
LWOPW sends its condolences to the family, friends, peers, and fans of Dave Hebner around the world.
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