Current WWE Referees (Active)
| NAME | WWE JOINING DATE | ANNUAL CONTRACT | PER MATCH AMOUNT | SOCIAL MEDIA |
| Aja Smith (Daphanie LaShaun) | February 5, 2020 | $50000 | Main Event: $2000 Per Match: $500 | Twitter: @refajawwe Instagram: @ajasmith ... |
| Artemis | March 26, 2020 | $50000 | Main Event: $2000 Per Match: $500 | Twitter: @artemis_referee Instagram: ... |
| Blair Baldwin | 2021 | $50000 | Main Event: $2000 Per Match: $500 | Instagram: @blairbaldwinwwe |
| Chad Patton | 1999 | $250000 | Main Event: $15,000 Per Match: $5,000 | Twitter: @chadpattonwwe Instagram: @chad ... |
Full Answer
Who is the senior referee in WWE right now?
May 23, 2020 · What do referees do in WWE? The kayfabe purpose of a pro wrestling referee is to render decisions (pinfalls, submissions, disqualifications, count outs) during a match, but the legit purpose they serve is to transmit messages to wrestlers about the progress of matches, communicate with them about the amount of time left, and, if necessary, help
Why are WWE referees under 6 feet?
Are the referees in WWE wrestling real or paid actors? A professional wrestling referee is a performer with one key job while in the ring: He has to be simultaneously the smartest guy in the ring, while portraying the dumbest guy in the ring.
How much do WWE referees make?
May 18, 2017 · Referees get a hard time in any sport. Whether it’s football, soccer, or MMA, appointed officials must deal with venomous abuse - much of which crosses the line and then some - from fans and competitors alike. Although WWE’s referees are tasked with officiating matches that have predetermined outcomes, they too must deal with the ire of the fans.
What do special referees wear?
May 10, 2017 · The refs help the two wrestlers talk to each other with signals and whispers Credit: WWE COMMUNICATION IS KEY Obviously feuding wrestlers cannot just stand there and chat amongst themselves about...
How much does a WWE referee make per match?
A referee in WWE can earn maximum upto $5,000 per match. A ref in world wrestling entertainment make $15,000 from pay-per-view event. A report in 2018 claimed that wwe match officials also received bonus and extra facilities from franchise.Apr 20, 2021
Do WWE refs know who wins?
Referees are supposed to know the outcome of the match before is stars. However, this is not compulsory. There have been instances where the referees were not informed about the actual outcome beforehand.Mar 1, 2016
Do WWE referees get hurt?
Throughout WWE's Attitude Era, and beyond, referees often proved that they couldn't take any amount of punishment. Whilst wrestlers would get thrown through tables having been pushed from a 16ft cell referees can barely take an accidental smack to the face without lying down hurt for five minutes.Apr 26, 2019
How do WWE matches end?
WWE matches usually end with a winner and loser. But sometimes matches (usually with Shawn Michaels) end in a draw. 99% of the time, WWE matches end with a conclusive winner. After all, fans hate having a great match ruined by a finish that leaves all competitors involved confused and upset.Nov 18, 2019
How do you become a WWE ref?
Becoming a wrestling referee generally involves enrolling with your local state board, passing a written rules exam and passing a test of mechanics by demonstrating proper signals and positioning. One great way to improve is by watching experienced officials to learn how they handle calls, situations and coaches.
Do wrestlers have safe words?
In certain contact sports, such as rugby and professional wrestling, when a player feels an opposing player's actions will cause the player serious injury, the player may utter a safeword to tell the opponent to stop the actions.
Do wrestlers talk during match?
Most Wrestlers have to improvise throughout a match It's not like a fight scene in a movie, where the performers may spend weeks working out the choreography, yet every move needs both wrestlers cooperating perfectly or somebody's neck will get broken. That means the performers need to talk to one another.Jul 10, 2016
What happened to referee Tim White?
At WrestleMania XX in 2004, White returned to referee the match between Jericho and Christian. He re-injured his shoulder during the final three count of the match, thus ending his referee career.
Why is Vince McMahon so controversial?
Vince McMahon is often criticized by past employees for paying lower and mid-card Superstars modest salaries while giving millions of dollars to a select number of main event and part time talents. McMahon, however, insists that all of his performers are on significant salaries, from the main event level talent all the way down to the referees.
How much does a WWE referee make?
In WWE, officials are known to earn upwards of $2000 a week, with even the lowest ranking referee taking in at least $1500 for officiating weekly events. A senior referee such as Charles Robinson can expect to earn $2500 for a weekly event and a staggering $6000 when assigned to officiate one of the more main events.
Who controls WWE?
Vince McMahon controls every aspect of WWE television, from what the performers do in the ring to what the announcers say during bouts. McMahon has introduced some bizarre rules for announcers to stick to while calling matches, but one of the most confusing was introduced in 2009 when the CEO decided that WWE commentators should no longer refer to WWE referees by their names.
Is a referee emotional?
In any sport, a referee must remain unemotional in an emotional situation. They are trusted to call every match down the middle and not be influenced by personal or financial matters. Blatantly favoring one team or competitor over another could result in the offending official being relieved of their duties. Unless, of course, that official is part of WWE.
How long does WWE take to suspend employees?
WWE takes the three strikes and you're out approach when it comes to violations of its wellness policy. If an employee is found to be consuming a substance which is not permitted by the policy, they are suspended for 30 days. A second violation of the wellness policy results in a 60 days suspension, while a third sees the offending employee released from their contract.
Is WWE treating female wrestlers as divas?
WWE’s treatment of its female competitors has come on leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. No more are they referred to as “divas” and forced to compete in five-minute matches for a belt with a picture of a butterfly on it. No, instead they are treated as legitimate wrestlers and have fought in steel cage and Hell in a Cell matches for more distinguished looking belts.
Do WWE referees wear headsets?
Since the mid-1990s, WWE referees have been wearing headsets while in the ring . These headsets are connected to Vince McMahon, who infamously watches every moment of every show from the Gorilla Position, just behind the curtain.
DIRECT THE MATCH
Each referee will have an ear piece which feeds back to the show's TV and schedule director.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Obviously feuding wrestlers cannot just stand there and chat amongst themselves about what to do next during a fight.
SAFETY FIRST
When something goes wrong in the ring, the first person on the scene is usually the man in stripes.
PART OF THE DRAMA
They might just seem like another person in the ring, but some epic WWE storylines have involved referees.
THE END IS NEAR
The pin-fall might seem like a simple thing, but it's highly important in the context of the WWE.
Is it the same as being a WWE referee?
To become a WWE referee is definitely not the same as officiating a sporting event. Pro wrestling is obviously scripted athletic entertainment, as the moves and holds that the performers use are predetermined.
How to keep up with wrestling?
Lots of cardiovascular conditioning is crucial to keep up with the action. Strength-training is necessary as well, as you might be asked to perform moves yourself.Maintain a healthy diet. Eating correctly is just as important in wrestling as it would be for a sports athlete.
What is a referee in wrestling?
In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts, that is, as an arbiter of the rules and the person charged with rendering decisions. In reality, the referee is, like ...
Who is Scott Armstrong?
A more recent example is Scott Armstrong, a referee who was in cahoots with The Authority during the years of 2013 through 2016, often making fast counts when it was advantageous to members of the Authority and often coming out during ref bumps during matches where Authority members were competing.
What does the X sign mean in WWE?
An "X" sign across the chest is a warning, it signifies that a wrestler may be injured, but is still able to compete. In recent times, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and WWE have used the "X" sign to signify storyline as well as legitimate injuries.
Who is the referee for Ric Flair?
Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen had their own personal referee in WCW, Charles Robinson, who eventually adopted the look and mannerisms of Flair, and earned the nickname "Little Naitch", from Flair's nickname "Nature Boy".
What is the meaning of "kayfabe" in wrestling?
Most professional wrestling promotions have a kayfabe rule that referees do not make decisions based on anything they do not personally witness. Because of this, distracting or incapacitating the referee is often an element of a match, especially in standard matches where a wrestler is liable to lose a match by disqualification for performing an illegal move. Distraction or incapacitation of the referee is usually a precursor to the villain wrestler either performing a normally illegal move without any consequence, or outside interference in the match (a run in ). Less commonly, the heroic wrestler might appear to win the match by pinfall or submission if not for the referee being distracted or incapacitated. These pre-planned temporary injuries to the referee are known as " bumps ".
What is a special guest referee?
A special guest referee is a stipulation for any match in which the usual referee is replaced with a "guest" filling in as the official. Celebrities (such as Muhammad Ali in the main event of WrestleMania I ), managers and other wrestlers can "guest" as the special referee. In some cases, a special referee is put into a match which is already a different match type or stipulation (for example: Hell in a Cell with a special referee). The special referee would often be biased towards or against one of the competitors or could be assigned as the special referee to ensure the match is called down the line. In the WWF in September 1999, after all the referees got sick of continuously being attacked by wrestlers, they kayfabe went on strike, leading to other WWF workers (most notably Harvey Whippleman and Tom Prichard, along with a non-striking Jim Korderas) becoming "scab" referees until the night after Unforgiven, where Vince McMahon gave the regular referees more authority in matches (along with fining Triple H for striking on that same night).
What is a personal referee?
Personal referees. An effective gimmick for the villain wrestlers is to have a personal referee, who is on the permanent payroll of the villain. The referee can be simply a lackey, or a loyal ally with a senior position.
WWE has a payment schedule for referees
Reports have claimed that WWE pays the referees based on their contract and experience.
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Shuvangi is a senior WWE and AEW author at EssentiallySports. She has over 1000 published WWE articles and also has experience in content operations with Forbes.
