Foreign object " Foreign object " is a professional wrestling term for an object introduced into the match . Foreign objects are often used to give the bearer an unfair advantage . According to the supposed rules of professional wrestling , if a foreign object is used inside the ring on another wrestler in the presence of a referee , the user would be immediately disqualified . However , it is to note that forcing the opponent into parts of a ring ( such as the turnbuckles ) or the surrounding areas ( such as the announce tables ) is " not " illegal . Thus , while picking up the steel steps leading to the ring and using it on an opponent is illegal , ramming an opponent against the steps while the steps are on the floor is not . A common part of wrestling matches involving foreign objects ( where they are illegal ) would involve the referee attempting to restrain a wrestler from using a foreign object , only for the foreign object to either hit the referee ( typically allowing heel wrestlers to use foreign objects at will ) , or for another wrestler to use a different foreign object . Faces have also been known to distract referees long enough for a heel to use a foreign object . Notorious heel wrestlers who use foreign objects are often searched by the referee before matches , but , due to their nature , manage to bring one in anyway . Sometimes , the referee performing the search will intentionally " not " search a particular area of the body , giving away the location of a possible foreign object to the viewers . Foreign objects have also been used in storylines to demonstrate the ruthlessness of a heel wrestler ( or a babyface turning heel ) , by using an object repeatedly even after the match has ended . Babyface wrestlers have also brought foreign objects to the ring to intimidate heel wrestlers ( despite the fact that a babyface wrestler , by nature , would rarely use a foreign object ) . The repeated use of a specific foreign object by a wrestler may become part of the wrestler ' s gimmick - examples include Triple H and his use of a sledgehammer , Finlay and a shillelagh , Jeff Jarrett and acoustic guitars , Mick Foley and the use of a 2x4 covered with barbed wire , or Jake " The Snake " Roberts and various snakes . An alternate use of foreign objects was for the wrestler to bring in a foreign object , then at the time the referee would see what was going on , throw the object to the other wrestler and feign unconsciousness , thus winning the match by disqualification . Eddie Guerrero used this tactic frequently , often against heel wrestlers , as part of his " Lie , Cheat and Steal " persona . World Championship Wrestling referred to these as " international objects " for a time in order to parody political correctness . Extreme Championship Wrestling was notorious in its use of foreign objects : fans at ECW Arena shows would stop by a local dollar store and load up on cheap implements which they would pass to the wrestlers . Kitchen implements such as frying pans , cookie sheets and cheese graters appeared to be popular . Because of prevalent notions of violence against women , foreign objects are seen less often in women ' s matches , although special types of foreign objects in matches have been developed based on prevalent notions of T & A . Common foreign objects . Some foreign objects are often used due to their proximity to the ring . These include folding chairs that ringside crew may appear in , as well as timekeeping bells , or in championship matches , the championship belt itself . In the World Wrestling Federation ( now WWE ) , it is also common to use announcing tables and television equipment as foreign objects ; the table used by WWE ' s Spanish - language announcers is especially famous for being used in this role . There have also been cases in which electric cords used by ringside camera crews are used by wrestlers to choke each other . Some have also considered running other wrestlers into walls , floors ( other than the ring canvas ) , crowd barriers , exposed turnbuckles , or the steps leading to a ring as usage of foreign objects some wrestlers use the ramp to slam , powerbomb and suplex their opponents as well as DDT ' s . Foreign objects , such as trash cans , kendo sticks / Singapore canes , ladders , light tubes and tables , are sometimes also found under the ring . In some promotion , a match may change venues and end up among the wrestling audience or backstage , where objects found there can also be considered as foreign objects . Triple H often stowed a sledgehammer under the ring as well , which eventually led to fans cheering in anticipation when he threw up the ring cover to retrieve it . Comically , smaller cruiserweight wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio and Hornswoggle have been considered foreign objects that could be used by larger wrestlers , although in this case " usage " may involve the larger wrestler helping the smaller one perform an aerial attack . Other foreign objects used for comedic purposes include bowling balls , where they are rolled towards a wrestler resting at a turnbuckle so that the ball eventually hits the wrestler ' s groin , this weapon was popularized by Al Snow , as well as " Head " ( a mannequin head ) . Another comical weapon were the tongs used by Chyna against Jeff Jarrett . Usually non - wrestlers or part - time wrestlers with no full pro wrestling background would use foreign objects to attack a full - time wrestler . An example would be on one of the episodes of RAW , when the McMahons brutally attacked DX with chairs , a camcorder and a camcorder wire . Kane has used several types of weapons ; Steel Chairs , ( as a face and heel ) , Gasoline and matches ( as a heel ) and the hook that was used in See No Evil ( as a face ) Foreign Object Matches . Because of the common occurrence of foreign objects in matches , various match types have been developed so as to explicitly allow certain types of foreign objects - that is , their usage would not force an automatic disqualification . The simplest such match is simply the No Disqualifications match , where , as wrestlers cannot be disqualified for any reason , any and all foreign objects are allowed . The " no disqualifications " stipulation is often used as part of other match types , including hardcore matches and street fights . It can be argued that , in matches where wrestlers fight in ( and often around ) enclosures , such as the steel cage , Hell in a Cell , Elimination Chamber , or Lion ' s Den matches , that the enclosure itself can be treated as a legal foreign object . Another common match involving legal foreign objects is the Object on a Pole match , where a foreign object is suspended on a pole on one of the ring ' s turnbuckles , with the person who gets the object from the pole becomes the only one allowed to legally use it . A variation on this is either where a championship belt is on the pole ( in which the winner is the one who gets the belt ) , or Flag matches , where two flags are located on opposite turnbuckles , and the first to retrieve their opponent ' s flag being the winner . A Ladder Match is a similar match , except that the object in question is suspended above the ring , and ladders ( which are considered legal foreign objects in the match ) are needed to reach the object . Also , a ( weapon ) match is similar to the Object on a Pole match , but anyone can use the weapon in question , and there is usually more than one copy of the weapon . The most common example is the Singapore Cane Match , where a barrel full of Singapore canes is next to the ring , and anyone may use the canes . Recent trends in professional wrestling have also led to matches that are centered around one or several foreign objects : a table match is a type of elimination match in which the first person to send their opponent through ( i . e . break ) a table is the winner , while in ambulance matches , casket matches , and other similar matches , wrestlers attempt to confine opponents in the container bearing the name of the match . Perhaps the ultimate form of foreign object - centered matches is the Tables , Ladders , and Chairs match . Another commonly used match centered around foreign objects is one where a pair of wrestlers ( typically opponents , but sometimes tag team partners ) are somehow restrained together using a foreign object - a " ' Texas bullrope match " being an example . There , the object that binds the two wrestlers together can be used as a legal foreign object . Diva matches ( not to be confused with traditional wrestling matches among female wrestlers - even if they involve divas ) are often centered around a foreign object in an effort to attract the ( often male ) wrestling audience . Such matches , the prevalent type being the pillow fight , do not necessarily have winners or losers . However , many traditional wrestling fans do not consider these types of matches as wrestling matches , as no actual wrestling is involved .