WWE referees must be quick thinkers. They have to make fast decisions, penalize wrestlers and even help them when they are injured. In addition, referees are part of the entertainment, and that makes them very crucial elements to a wrestling match.
The Most Interesting Facts about WWE Referees
1 Heel referees have the power to change the outcome of a match or they can show bias towards other wrestlers. For instance, Danny Davis was a very notable heel referee because he always favored the “bad guys.”
2 Referees can fight back. This started in 1999 when referees went to a strike to put a stop to the blows and taunts of the wrestlers.
3 WWE matches often invite special guest referees to shake things up and increase their ratings. Notable guest referees include Muhammad Ali who oversaw the main event in WrestleMania and Shawn Michaels who refereed the match between Triple H and The Undertaker in WrestleMania VIII.
4 Referees are also part of the match. Sometimes, them getting involved with the fake fight can change the entire match and make it more interesting for the fans.
5 It is not only the wrestlers who need to undergo drug testing. WWE referees are also required to subject themselves to physical and drug testing before they oversee a match.
6 Some referees have their own action figures. Earl Hebner, one of the most famous WWE referees of all time has his own plastic action figure.
7 Although the salary of a WWE referee is very high, many referees are not happy with their paycheck. In a report released in The Wrestling Observer, many were not satisfied because they are responsible with their own travel expenses. This is especially true if the event happens in another city or country.
8 They are compensated handsomely. The best referees bring home $2,500 in a week, but some can earn $5,000 especially if they are overseeing a main event.
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9 The uniforms of the WWE referees have changed with time. The first uniforms included blue shirts with bow ties and black pants. Today, they wear the black and white striped shirt but special guest referees can always wear their own spin.
10 WWE referees always wear ear pieces so that the writers and the people backstage can communicate with them. The writers can pass on information to the referees through the ear piece and the referees can communicate it to the wrestlers by “lecturing” them after “behaving” inappropriately in the ring to make a memorable fight.
Summary of WWE Referees
The life of a WWE referee can be truly interesting and although most people believe that they have some control over the game, there are times that they are as surprised as the audience. For instance, the fight between the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar was so high profile that WWE was secretive about the results that the referees were left out.
Video: When Referees fight back – WWE Top 10
While expected to remain impartial once the bell rings, WWE referees occasionally fight back when facing a hostile situation.
Here are the 10 most convincing examples of why no Superstar should mess with the refs in the WWE Universe.
Image Credit: InFlamester20, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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