Over the top Rope DQ rule?

[Trill Co$by]

So for a while I've been trying to figure this one out, but for some reason I can't find out what happened. Basically, in the good ol' days whenever a wrestler threw an opponent over the top rope it was counted as a disqualification. And traditionally, it's a great rule. It stops people from being injured, and it makes things a little safer in the ring. But for some reason, it was taken away.

But why? And for extra discussion, do you think that it could work in today's wrestling world?

I think that if ROH were to go back to its roots, then using this rule would be great. It would give them the whole "traditional" feeling back and maybe even get some old school fans to watch their product. Maybe not a lot, but still some fans.

 

[AhSpicyDrop]

I was both for, and later against the rule. It was interesting at first because it added a little bit of psychology to the matches... But eventually it just became an excuse for referee distraction so the heel could get cheap heat by throwing his opponent over the ropes. It started getting abused way too much. Point is you're looking way too much into the rule. It was never put in place to keep injuries down or make things "safer in the ring", it was a gimmick and nothing more.

Modern wrestling has moved so far away from actual "professional wrestling" that it would make very little sense to bring back a rule like this.

ROH isn't going to go back to "it's roots" because they've fought this hard and this long to get to where they are. If they switched back to being wrestling with no personalities, and a set of rules that's so outdated the dust has dust on it then they would probably fall behind TNA again in terms of interest.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

This was WCW as I remember and very much a product of the misguided Bill Watts era that also saw top rope moves banned altogether while guys like Scorpio and Bobby Eaton were major names... #dumbassmove. It probably was about safety to an extent, as WCW didn't even use mats back then. As I remember though it was more Watts just flexing his "control" and having an idea of how to "stick it to Vince" that lasted less than 6 months before everyone realised how horribly wrong he was for the job.

I don't really remember WWE doing it although to be fair most of their out of ring activity began by falling through the middle rope rather than throwing anyone over the top. As they promoted the Rumble as well it wouldn't have made sense for it to be legal there but not any other time.

 

[mral82]

The over the Top Rope was an Old NWA rule that the AWA used as well then TNA did it when the were apart of the NWA. As far as rules in Pro Wrestling in ROH there's a 20 count on the Outside before a Count Out and universally there's a Top Rope Rule where ya got to a Count of 5 b4 a DQ that DQ rule goes as well for Tag Matches and Rope Breaks.

 

[rbv13]

One of wrestling’s oldest rules brought to a newer generation by Watts. I am also pretty sure the AWA used this rule. At its roots the rule was put in place to keep a sense of realism in the sport. The true objective of wrestling is to use a series of technical and power moves to pin your opponent on the mat. In the beginning brawling and high flying tactics just seemed silly. It wasn’t until the masses grew tired of watching two guys roll around on top of another for hours that the sport began to evolve. One positive about the Over the Top rule was the Battle Royal. See guys get tossed over the top on their butts became a real treat.

 

[thebarber]

I do not recall WWF/WWE ever using this rule, it was more the NWA/WCW for a good period of time, until Bill Watts came in and wanted a more realistic approach to the matches(no mats at ringside, tossing guys over the top was legal).
I personally think it was an odd rule, and never want to see it return,

 

[keith hall]

i was never a fan of the over the top rule actually...taking your oponent out over the top rope made it seem more brutal in a way...An over the top rope closeline is one of my favorite moves...

oh yeah the wwe did use it once or twice...Tuesday in Texas 1991 Taker v.s Hogan
the WWF reversed the desision later on when the referre disqualified them both for going over the top rope...

 

[Mark0820]

oh yeah the wwe did use it once or twice...Tuesday in Texas 1991 Taker v.s Hogan
the WWF reversed the desision later on when the referre disqualified them both for going over the top rope...

Well that's just wrong. Tuesday in Texas ended after Hogan cheated to win by hitting Taker with a chair, Bearer hitting Taker with the urn and then Hogan throwing ashes into Taker's eyes. Flair revived Jack Tunney so he could see what was going on. Tunney vacated the title because Survivor Series match saw Flair interfere and let Taker tombstone Hogan on a chair while the ref was distracted and what I said previously about Hogan cheating to beat Taker at Tuesday in Texas.

 

[DarksideEric]

I always, always thought it was one of the dumbest rules I had ever heard of.

It just never made sense to me, especially when it did happen sometimes the commentary would act like it was the most diabolical thing that the heel could get away with.

 

[tvcolosi]

honestly, I blame Dusty. The "Dusty Finish" was used so much they had to get rid of the rules used for those, that and accidental ref bumps, so you could think when you left the arena the finish would stick.

 

[Pedigree1]

It was a dumbass move used by NWA/WCW and i hope to never see it return.. I cant honestly recall the WWE ever using the rule.. I get it,it was about safety to some extent but still a dumb move! Thank god it didnt last long

 

[keith hall]

oh sorry...hogan mentioned the finish has beeing that in his autobigraphy...should've checked...sorry

 

[Asmo]

It was a dumbass move used by NWA/WCW and i hope to never see it return.. I cant honestly recall the WWE ever using the rule.. I get it,it was about safety to some extent but still a dumb move! Thank god it didnt last long

I remember the WWF using it when they had those matches under NWA rules in 1998 or so (Jim Cornette managing the New Midnight Express.. Jarrett had some sort of NWA stable).

 

[zephyrs]

It was never about wrestler safety. It was just another way to end a match.

If it were about wrestler safety, the guys would simply be told not to do it, and if they did, they'd be punished (e.g. fined, suspended, de-pushed, etc.).