As we reported earlier punches are now legal in WWE, which was a good change.
But it is getting tougher to be a heel in WWE given some other rule changes that are automatic DQs if seen by the ref.
There has already been at least one DQ finish for a heel using a handful of tights and being caught by the ref.
Choking with the hands or using the ropes to choke will be a DQ instead of a 5 count, if seen by the ref, and just added to the growing list are eye poke or rakes and throwing someone into the ringposts outside the ring. Both now will lead to a DQ too.
So WWE heels will need to get very sneaky now, or refs need to be easily distracted or both.
Posted on WZ. Firstly, are these related to WWE announcing that there going to be calling wrestlers 'entertainers', from now on. Second point I'd like to mention, it's going to be reall hard for Flair to make a comeback ever in the WWE, what with eye pokes and rakes now being DQ's. It'll be like when Sabu came to WWE ECW and his match ended in DQ and we were 'what the F?'
Now on to the issue the article pointed out, it's going to be harder to be a heel. I don't see it being too much of a big deal for them yet, but we'll see if the list grows. Roll up with the tights I always thought was a DQ if caught, and that's how it's gonna stay. Wrestlers always pull the tights and the refs never see it. So little will change there. Chocking with the ropes I'm gonna miss, chocking with hands, that's just uncreative, there are so many different holds you can use. Eye pokes are also going to suck not seeing, but most people don't even use eye pokes or rakes so it won't be much different. Throwing people into steel poles I'm saddened to see go as I've always found it to be a creative weapon, but at least we still have steel stairs.
Now will heels have a more difficult job, not really yet. In most cases it'll force them to be more creative and unique. To choke someone on the ropes, they'll have to do more 'ref distraction/manager/partner chokes them a bit' things more which generally draw good heat well. So I don't think it's going to be too much more difficult for heels to be heels yet, but it does suck to see some of these changes. Except allowing fistycuffs that's awesome, opinions?