Pro wrestling referees are commonly underappreciated and undervalued. They're often the forgotten man in the ring during some of the sport's most memorable bouts. Technically speaking, a match can't start or end without a referee present. Despite that, most referees tend to just blend into the background until they're called upon to count a pinfall or call a submission.
However, there exists a select group of pro wrestling referees who have managed to break the stereotype and stand out even when sharing the ring with some of the sport's most iconic athletes. Each one found their own unique way to shine and fans have not forgotten their contributions to the business.
10 Danny Davis
Danny Davis had one of the most unique career arcs of any pro wrestling referee ever. He originally started with WWE in 1981 as a run of the mill referee. By 1984, Davis was pulling double duty, competing as the masked wrestler, Mr. X, while still serving as a full-time referee. In 1986, Davis embarked on his most memorable wrestling angle as WWE's original crooked referee.
Davis would blatantly favor heel wrestlers and was quick to disqualify babyfaces. This led to him being relieved of his referee duties in 1987, at which point he became "Dangerous" Danny Davis and joined Jimmy Hart's Hart Foundation. By 1989, Davis' heel act had run its course and he went back to being an unbiased referee until he left the company in 1995.
9 Red Shoes Unno
The legend of Hiroyuki Unno started back in 1985 when he broke into the business as a member of the ring crew for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Unno even ran the merchandise table for AJPW until he made his refereeing debut in 1988. Unno would leave AJPW in 1990 and work for the Super World Of Sports promotion and the WAR promotion before ultimately landing in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Unno joined NJPW in 2001 and by 2002, he was the promotion's lead referee. In 2003, Unno began accenting his referee attire with red. Unno would wear a red base layer, red belt, and red shoes during the matches he officiated, leading to him being affectionately called "Red Shoes Unno."
8 Dave Hebner
For many fans, the name "Hebner" has become synonymous with pro wrestling referees. In the 1980s, WWE had a set of twin referees, Dave and Earl Hebner. Both men were top-notch referees. As a matter of fact, Dave Hebner officiated some of the most famous matches in all of wrestling history, including Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at WrestleMania III and Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V.
However, Dave's most memorable moment came in 1988 when he was assigned to referee the WrestleMania III rematch of Andre The Giant and WWE Champion, Hulk Hogan. In one of the greatest referee angles ever, Dave's twin brother Earl was used as an imposter who executed a fast count, costing Hogan the WWE Championship. Dave Hebner would retire from refereeing not long after with his legacy as an all-time great safely secured.
7 Mark Curtis
Mark Curtis is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to pro wrestling referees. For starters, he used a working name. Curtis' real name was Brian Hildebrand. He had broken into the wrestling business in 1984 as a manager. At one point, a heel Hildebrand even managed Cactus Jack.
Hildebrand had run in Smokey Mountain Wrestling and ECW in the early '90s, before ultimately landing in WCW. In WCW, Hildebrand used his working name and earned the nickname "The Shooter" after he stopped a rowdy fan from interfering with a match he was refereeing. Unfortunately, Hildebrand would pass away far too young in September of 1999 after losing his battle with cancer. He was one of the most beloved wrestling figures of the '90s.
6 Joey Marella
As the adopted son of the legendary "Gorilla" Monsoon, Joey Marella could've coasted on his father's coattails and enjoyed a successful career. Instead, Marella decided to work hard, pay his dues, and earn every opportunity he got in the business. After joining WWE in 1983, Marella worked his way up the referee ranks until he began officiating some marquee match-ups.
Marella was even chosen to be the referee for arguably the biggest match of all time between WWE Champion, Hulk Hogan, and Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III. Marella would continue officiating high profile matches in WWE until his untimely, tragic death in a car accident in 1994.
5 Tommy Young
Tommy Young's pro wrestling journey started in 1971 as a wrestler. In 1975, Young joined Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA as a full-time referee. By the time the '80s rolled around, Young found himself as the senior referee for Jim Crockett Promotions. That title put Young in a position to referee some big-time matches, including bouts for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Young would go on to referee some of the greatest matches in wrestling history, including a string of classics involving "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Unfortunately, Young would suffer a career-altering neck injury in 1989, forcing him to retire. Young remains the referee most closely associated with the NWA.
4 Mike Chioda
The name Hebner casts a long shadow in the refereeing world. With that in mind, it makes it that much more impressive that Mike Chioda was able to stand out while playing second fiddle to WWE's most famous referee. Chioda's refereeing career started in 1989 when he joined WWE. Since then, Chioda has officiated some of the most memorable matches in WWE history.
He was the referee for The Kid vs. Razor Ramon which would end up being one of the biggest upsets ever. Chioda was also the referee for some high-profile WrestleMania matches including Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV and Hollywood Hogan vs. The Rock at WrestleMania X8. In 2020, after 31 years of service, WWE released Chioda. Luckily, he quickly found employment in AEW.
3 Nick Patrick
Danny Davis might be the referee that brought the heel referee gimmick to life, but in the '90s, Nick Patrick redefined the role. Patrick was WCW's senior referee until the nWo debuted in 1996. After that, Patrick would become the official nWo referee, officiating all their matches and turning a blind eye to their cheating. Patrick did well in that role until it ran its course and ended in 1997.
When WCW was purchased by WWE, Patrick initially feuded with head WWE referee, Earl Hebner. The two even had a match at WWE's Invasion pay-per-view. Patrick would reprise his heel referee schtick for a bit in WWE, but it ended quickly and he was eventually an impartial referee up until his WWE departure in 2008.
2 Charles Robinson
Charles Robinson was a lifelong pro wrestling and Ric Flair fan. After successfully securing employment from WCW in 1997, Robinson was thrust into the role of a lifetime in 1999. Robinson would be tapped to follow in Nick Patrick's footsteps and be a heel referee. However, Robinson wouldn't be aligned with the nWo. Instead, he would be with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen. Robinson's heel referee gimmick would peak at Slamboree 1999 when "Little Naitch" took on Gorgeous George in a losing effort.
Much like Patrick, Robinson's heel referee gimmick would run its course and by the time WCW closed its doors, Robinson was back calling matches right down the middle. Robinson would join WWE in 2001 and has been a mainstay there ever since. He's officiated his fair share of marquee matches including both Ric Flair's and Shawn Michaels' retirements at WrestleMania.
1 Earl Hebner
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Some wrestling fans consider Earl Hebner to be the most famous referee in wrestling history. Other fans consider him to be the most infamous. Earl Hebner has undoubtedly been a part of some of the greatest matches in wrestling history, including the first-ever Iron Man Match at WrestleMania XII between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.
However, Hebner also owns the displeasure of having been the referee that screwed Bret Hart in Montreal in 1997. Of course, the high points of Hebner's career well exceed the Montreal Screwjob, but it still remains the first entry in his long resume. WWE's Attitude Era roster was jam-packed with recognizable names, including one in a striped shirt.