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.