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A match that happens in a WWE show is rarely absent a context. Wrestlers involved in the match usually portray dichotomous personas; a face and a heel.Ever since Hulk Hogan’s advent, the characteristic feature of a “face” is often established by the come-back that he makes in the end to win the match. A heel on the other hand, generally depicts a more cunning and opportunistic persona. While this has been formulaically cemented as the go-to mode of presenting the inter-character dynamic of a match, creative wrestlers continually push the boundaries to set up new frontiers in performance.As likely it is that a “no-sell” buys cheers and approval for a face, it is rather more imperative to establish contrast by enacting officially “illegal” spots that are sure to result in a cacophony of jeers for the heel. Although the WWE has outlawed these moves for the sake of Kayfabe, we do still witness a canny heel engineer a situation where he wrests the advantage in the match with a well-timed “cheap-shot”. he following is a list of 5 such illegal moves, that when used appropriately, not only slip under the official scanner, but also help a great deal in conveying the “heel” persona to the audience effectively.
#1 Rake to the Eye
A classic move we see employed by many heels, a rake to the eye is a sure-fire method by which the tide of the match can be turned. The remarkable ease with which this move can be employed makes it a favourite amongst heels – all it requires is a simple thumb or finger to the eye of the opponent. It is this precise simplicity of the manoeuver that has contributed to it being classified as a “short-cut” and hence makes it a natural move to be included in a heel’s repertoire.
Ric Flair comes to mind when thinking about the “thumb to the eye”, but it is as his wont that the Naitch could possibly justify his inclusion in the list of wrestlers to make use of each of the other following moves to be discussed in this list as well.
#2 Using the ropes in Submission Moves
Submission wrestling is an integral part of a wrestler’s move-set, with some excelling more than others at it. Wrestlers like Daniel Bryan and the forgotten Chris Benoit have always earned the respect of the audience purely due to their wrestling skills, with their ability to counter opponent moves into a leveraged position from where they could slip on the submission holding particular highlight.
The flipside of the coin yields an interesting dynamic – wrestlers that use the ropes for leverage when applying a submission move, or to try and choke the opponent. Usually used by heels, this move never fails to initiate disgruntled cat-calling from the audience, with the referee likely effectuating and admonishing a 5-count before disqualifying the perpetuator for prolonged use.
This still does not prevent savvy wrestlers from choking out opponents up till the 4 count, and releasing just in time so as to prevent a disqualification.
#3 Using the ropes as leverage for a pin
For the benefit of the storylines, and of course to keep the audience guessing and interested, WWE has to allow the heels to pull off unlikely victories once in a while. However, booking the heel in a “clean”, clear-cut victory over the face is something that the WWE does not resort to, unless completely necessary. Rather, the heel is shown as using other means of attaining a slightly more blemished victory, but a victory nonetheless.
One of the WWE’s favourite spots to use in such instances is having the wrestler pin his opponent using the ropes for leverage. While a conscious referee would vehemently veto any such attempt at a pin, this spot is usually used when the match referee has been “unintentionally” knocked out and a biased replacement is on hand, or when the referee is unsighted.
#4 Grabbing the tights during a pin attempt
Grabbing a wrestler’s tights during a roll-up pin attempt borders on preposterousness, primarily because if pulled with tad too much force, the wrestler’s dignity might be compromised. However, this does not stop heels from using this spot, especially when the referee’s view is obstructed, allowing them a window in which a roll-up victory could be secured.
Not only does this spot serve as a classic heel move, it also adds a subtle comical element to the proceedings, an often overlooked yet integral part of WWE programming. With heels like The Miz not shying away from clutching a handful of tights to score a victory, we can be sure that this “illegal” move will continue to feature, thankfully sparsely, in WWE programming.
#5 The Low Blow
If there existed a Slammy Award for Illegal Move of the Year, the Low Blow would present a legitimate claim annually. Few moves in the WWE make the audience cringe like the Low Blow and the move is rightly frowned upon. However, this still doesn’t prevent wrestlers from using it, with Ric Flair especially notorious in his perusal of the move. Not for nothing did he earn the moniker – The Dirtiest Player in the Game.
One can only imagine the level of professionalism that these wrestlers have to uphold in pulling off a spot like a low-blow while making it look believable to the audience and at the same time taking utmost care not to hurt their colleague. An unconventional, yet apt, example of just how much mental application wrestling actually requires.
