Enforcer

Enforcer is a professional wrestling term for one of two situations. An enforcer is either a bodyguard/powerhouse for a wrestler/faction, or can be a reference to a person who acts as a guest ringside referee during a match.

Powerhouse/Enforcer

A powerhouse/enforcer can either be a bodyguard character or a manager portrayed by a wrestler. This wrestler, often a "hoss" (a larger, less charismatic wrestler) will accompany a heel wrestler and become his/her bodyguard, accompanying them to the ring and helping them to win their matches, this is usually done so that the larger wrestler can get over with the crowd by sharing the heel wrestler's charisma. A wrestler can also be the enforcer for an entire stable, often serving as the biggest and strongest man in the group (if not the entire promotion). A wrestler in this case is often utilized to "protect" the leader of the faction, and is often relegated to tag team matches to help him get over with the fans.

Ringside enforcer

The term ringside enforcer or special enforcer in wrestling is a reference to a wrestler or celebrity who acts as special outside referee during a match. This can be done either to ensure that there are no unfair advantages in the match (usually the case when another wrestler is the enforcer), or it can be done to create a cross-promotional effort (involving a celebrity).

See also

• List of professional wrestling terms