Zoro and Sanji fanboys fighting as usual aside
I think Luffy's new powers gives him the freedom to affect himself while for opponent and the environment only when he is actively touching them.
Notice in the panel when he grabs Kaido and drag him to roof piece, Kaido's surprise is cartoonish, however, when Luffy uses the ground to repel Bolo breathe, Kaido's shock isn't cartoonish like before. The reason he can affect Kaido and the ground is because he is touching them.
So I don't think that Luffy can affect things from afar or produce things out of nowhere like in cartoon. It's like the Gorosei said, it's the freedom to fights however he wants.