Disqualification
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A disqualification, in professional wrestling terminology, is when a wrestler performs an act in a match that earns him an instant loss. Methods of disqualification include, but are not limited to:
- Using a foreign object, such as a steel chair, sledgehammer, timekeeper's bell, kendo stick, championship belt, or brass knuckles.
- This does not include performing moves through an object such as a table.
- Refusing to break an illegal hold by the referee's count of five.
- Illegal holds include any blatant choke holds (holds in which the opponent's air supply is directly cut off), using the ropes in a move, and keeping a submission move held while the opponent has his leg over/under a rope.
- Low blows — direct and intended hits or kicks to the opponent's crotch.
- Harmful physical contact with the referee of the match.
- Outside interference on the behalf of the offender.
A countout is a form of disqualification. This occurs when the offender refuses, or is unable, to re-enter the ring after a ten-count (or other count, depending on the promotion) after leaving or being thrown out.
Certain match types are inherently run under no-disqualification rules, such as ladder matches, TLC matches, and hardcore matches. Furthermore, a wrestling match can simply have a no-disqualification stipulation attached to it. No-DQ does not always include no-countout, as this is a separate stipulation. No-countout stipulations, however, usually apply to inherently no-DQ matches, such as those previously listed.
Under strict win-loss-draw statistics keeping, a disqualification counts as a loss.
In a championship match, a loss by disqualification or countout never results in a loss of the championship by the offender, unless otherwise explicitly stated.
