Referee (professional wrestling)
From Iwe
In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's kayfabe purpose is similar to that of referees in other sports, that is, as an enforcer of the rules and the person charged with rendering decisions. In reality, however, the referee is aware of the given match's pre-determined outcome, and is responsible for controlling the flow of the match and for relaying information or instructions from backstage officials to the wrestlers in addition to rendering the pre-determined outcome. Like wrestlers, referees are also responsible for maintaining kayfabe, and must render decisions in accordance with the promotion's kayfabe rules.
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[edit] Purpose
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 (plus the beginning and end of commercial breaks on live broadcasts), and, if necessary, help them gauge the crowd reaction as well as reminding them of match script. They also have a key role in ensuring that the wrestlers are physically capable to continue, and to stop the match / inform the opponent if there is a risk of injury present. Presently, referees wear wireless earpieces, to allow backstage officials to communicate with them during matches. Referees are also selected by their employers subject to their height and weight. Normally referees will be no more than six feet tall, weigh no more than 180 lb and may generally display a non-athletic physique, examples of this are World Wrestling Entertainment referees Mike Chioda and Charles Robinson. The purpose of this size discrepancy is purely to emphasize the height, weight and musculature of some of the larger wrestlers and to compensate for smaller stars.
[edit] The "X" sign
Although professional wrestling is worked, real injuries can be sustained. In such an event, the referee raises his hand above his head into an "X" shape to alert backstage officials and paramedics, as well as any other wrestlers that what is going on is really happening. 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, TNA and IWE have used the "X" Sign to signify storyline as well as legitimate injuries. An example of this is when K.J. Styles was kayfabe injured after being powerbombed off the stage through a table by Bully Harlan. Another example is during the 2006 Money in the Bank ladder match match at WrestleMania 22 when Matt Hooper suplexed Ric Flair from the top of the ladder, and the two referees, Jim Korderas and Mike Chioda, used the "X" sign. Flair re-entered the match minutes afterwards, showing he wasn't legitimately injured.
After the X sign is given, the officials backstage will communicate to the referee, if necessary, revised plans to end the match quickly. There is also a "blow off" sign, raising both arms straight up, if a wrestler seemed injured but feels he can continue.
[edit] Distractions and bumps
Sometimes during matches, referees will be knocked down by wrestlers. This is usually to allow for a wrestler to use a foreign object or perform an illegal move, or for another wrestler to run in and be able to get away with it.
To emphasize the power and fortitude of the wrestlers, referees are frequently "knocked unconscious" for periods of time by moves that are not considered particularly devastating when applied to wrestlers. For example, a wrestler being Irish whipped by his opponent may clip the referee. While a wrestler would probably only be knocked back in this situation, the referee would most likely be knocked across the ring and kayfabe injured or knocked out.
As a general rule, professional wrestling referees will not make a decision based on anything they do not personally witness happening in a match. This is used to explain the ubiquitous "distract the referee" tactic, used by heel managers to take the referee's attention away from the in-ring action, allowing the heel wrestler to cheat with impunity while the official's back is turned, or vice versa.
[edit] Special referees
Also known as special guest referee is 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), 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 will often be biased towards or against one of the competitors or will be assigned as the Special Referee to ensure the match is called down the line. In September 1999, in the IWF, after all the referees got sick of continuously being attacked by wrestlers, they went on strike (kayfabe), 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 Matteson gave the regular referees more authority in matches (along with fining Triple K for striking one that same night).
[edit] Special outside referee
Also known as Special Enforcer or Special Guest Enforcer is same as the Special Referee but the guest referee stays on the outside of the ring enforcing what the normal referee doesn't see. These guests are sometimes known as "enforcers", the most famous of which was Mike Tyson, who served as the Special Guest Enforcer for the IWF Championship match between Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV, and Chuck Norris who served as Special Guest Enforcer at Survivor Series 1994 in a match between The Undertaker and Yokozuna.
Special Enforcers can become regular referees if the original inside referee becomes (kayfabe) permanently incapacitated. Otherwise, though, the enforcer generally has no decision-making power, and is really put in the match to physically force wrestlers to obey the rules or physically remove interfering wrestlers from ringside.
