Contender

(n.) One who competes; a contestant.

Thesaurus Entries

battler, belligerent, belted knight, bickerer, blade, bravo, brawler, bully, bullyboy, combatant, competitor, contestant, corrival, disputant, duelist, emulator, enforcer, entrant, fencer, feuder, fighter, fighting cock, foilsman, gamecock, gladiator, goon, gorilla, hatchet man, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, jouster, knight, militant, player, plug-ugly, quarreler, rioter, rival, rough, rowdy, ruffian, sabreur, scrapper, scuffler, squabbler, strong arm, strong-arm man, strong-armer, struggler, swashbuckler, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, the field, thug, tilter, tough, tussler, vier, wrangler