In wrestling, the bodyguard gimmick is one that has been used plenty of times, with a wrestler bringing another wrestler to the outside to help protect them and guarantee they will win matches. Right now, AJ Styles is implementing this with Omos, who has been a really dominant presence outside of the ring.
While not every bodyguard gimmick goes on to have success after that run is over, many of them use this moment as a launching pad for their own careers. There are plenty of huge stars who all started out in a bodyguard-type role, and certainly used it to their benefit.
10 Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash is someone who went on to become one of the biggest stars of his generation, but it all started with him working as a bodyguard. Nash (working as Diesel) would be the outside muscle for his real-life friend, Shawn Michaels.
It was something that worked perfectly as it allowed HBK to be incredibly arrogant as a heel, with Nash on the outside helping to enforce fear into all of his opponents, making for a perfect combination.
9 Brodus Clay
While his individual run was totally different from the serious gimmick that he first had, Brodus Clay was introduced in a bodyguard role. He worked on the outside as protection for Alberto Del Rio, and Brodus certainly did a good job in this position.
However, he was then thrown into a comedy gimmick with his dancing Funkasaurus character. However, that is how people remember Brodus, with this allowing him to inject personality into his character to become a star.
8 Virgil
Virgil might be the most famous example of a bodyguard gimmick in the entire history of wrestling, and it's a role that he excelled in. It was actually as a bodyguard that Virgil was able to step up and become a star, which was very impressive.
He worked as the bodyguard for Ted DiBiase during his major main event push as the Million Dollar Man. It's a character that worked out perfectly for having a bodyguard, and Virgil was the best person for that role.
7 Big E
While Big E was technically the second NXT Champion, at that point, the black and gold brand wasn't as popular as it is now. Because of that, when he joined the main roster he was slotted into a bodyguard role for AJ Lee.
It worked out perfectly, with the size difference really making this standout. Big E was able to look incredibly intimidating on the outside while AJ Lee was incredibly confident inside the ring, and he really did add to her gimmick overall. However, Big E certainly went on to become a huge star in his own right.
6 Luke Gallows
While he had already worked in WWE as Festus, that was a gimmick that most people were happy to forget, and it certainly didn't make Luke Gallows a 'star.' However, when he began working as an enforcer for CM Punk during his Straight Edge Society days, Gallows began to get noticed.
However, it wasn't until he left WWE to head to New Japan where Gallows really excelled as a star. He broke out as a core member of Bullet Club, and from that point the rest was history.
5 Test
WWE debuted Test as an actual bodyguard during a live performance by the band Motley Crue. They shot an angle where a 'fan' attempted to get on stage with the band, only for Test to launch him off the stage, showcasing his strength and dominance.
From then on, Test was put with The Corporation where he really did act as the muscle of the faction. Of course, he would go on to have a great career in his own right, but it all started out as a bodyguard.
4 Umaga
Everyone remembers Umaga as being a terrifying heel who was incredibly dominant and athletic inside the ring. However, his original run was actually working as an enforcer for Eric Bischoff, alongside his cousin, who went on to become Rosey.
They were the Three Minute Warning that Eric Bischoff would call upon to protect him and do his bidding when needed. However, Umaga went on to thrive later in his career, becoming a very memorable character.
3 Ezekiel Jackson
Ezekiel Jackson ended up having an impressive WWE career, being a member of The Corre, as well as a former ECW and Intercontinental Champion. However, it all started for him as a bodyguard.
This role came during Brian Kendrick's big singles push on SmackDown, where the former tag team star was really breaking out as a heel on his own. Jackson was added to his character to be a force on the outside, and he certainly did well within the role.
2 Chyna
Chyna is one of the most well-known female wrestlers of all time and someone who had an incredible career. She was certainly a physical presence and someone who used her strength and power to her advantage in the ring to set her apart from the other women.
However, this also allowed her to work as an enforcer/bodyguard at the start of her career. This was the original role she had in WWE for D-Generation X, often being the straight-faced, serious member of the group, dominating on the outside and cheating to help them win.
1 Batista
The Animal, Batista is probably the greatest example of someone going from a bodyguard to a star. It's hard to picture the Hollywood star being someone's bodyguard now, as he is such a big name and someone who had an amazing WWE career, but this is how he started out.
Batista was the bodyguard for D-Von Dudley, during his run as Reverend D-Von. Batista worked as 'Deacon Batista' and he would be in charge of getting the collections on the outside, providing a real physical presence to help D-Von win his matches.