Former WWE referee Earl Hebner recently shed light on the professional dynamic he shared with Hall of Famer Randy Savage.
The Macho Man, with his flamboyant personality, colorful outfits, and unforgettable catchphrases, became one of the most iconic figures in pro wrestling during the '80s and '90s. Savage's epic rivalries against Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat still rank among the greatest in history. The legend passed away in May 2011 due to a heart attack and consequent car crash.
In a chat with Steve Fall of WrestlingNewsCo, Hebner shared that The Macho Man was a perfectionist behind the scenes, mainly when it came to WrestleMania. He further revealed that weeks before the grand spectacle, Randy Savage would hand over a stack of paper detailing his entire match.
"Macho Man. I mean when it comes to WrestleMania, he gave you a stack of paper that thick of the whole match, way before it was ever going to go on. I mean two weeks before the WrestleMania and then he comes back and I go damn this is a joke here you know, but that's how he was. He was a perfectionist, but Randy was the same way about like TVs and house shows, you know the same thing. I mean, he wanted to write, period. And if he screwed up, he'd go 'What the hell is going on here,'" Hebner said. [4:20 - 5:07]
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Earl Hebner criticizes modern-day WWE officials' showmanship
During the same conversation, Earl Hebner also threw shade at current referees seemingly wanting to steal the spotlight inside the squared circle.
Hebner mentioned that the exaggerated bumps of current match officials were falling flat as they took matters into their own hands, compared to the golden age when referees strictly adhered to their role.
"The referees today, I think they want to be part of the show, but it ain't working. You know they want to do all the bumps, they want to sell while the guy is body slamming, 'oh my god,' and I just don't go for that, you know it is true," he said.
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