The WWE Hall of Fame has inducted a few stables into their halls of history. It seems only natural that the Wyatt Family will eventually receive that honor, but Erick Rowan believes it is too early for that.

The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame is set to include Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson. Lia Maivia is also expected as an inductee this year, but Bray Wyatt is still absent, along with the Wyatt Family.

Bray Wyatt’s Legacy

Since Bray Wyatt’s passing last year, the WWE Universe has urged the company to acknowledge The Wyatt Family. Now, Erick Rowan, one of the group’s members, has addressed the rumors and speculation.

It was thought that Wyatt would be a likely lock for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. At this time, he has not had his name called. One would argue that Wyatt deserves three inductions, one for himself, with The Wyatt Family, and another as The Fiend, because that character broke out of the pro wrestling bubble as well.

Led by The Eater of Worlds, The Wyatt Family engaged in battles against notable opponents like The Shield and John Cena, etching a significant legacy in WWE. Despite fans and his peers advocating for Wyatt or the group’s Hall of Fame induction this year, it seems unlikely to happen this time.

During an interview with Counted Out, the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion commented on the fan-driven campaign, noting that it reflects the impact Wyatt and Harper had on people’s lives.

“I wouldn’t even begin to think about it [who would induct us]. It’s so soon since everything, with the passings and to even think about something like that, is just ridiculous to me, but I’m holding a tiny microphone talking to you about this, I feel ridiculous in that sense as well. So it’s just not something that really crossed my mind.”

2024 WWE Hall of Fame

On March 4, 2024, Paul Heyman was revealed as the inaugural inductee. Heyman had previously declined WWE’s proposal due to his active wrestling career but accepted the honor in 2024 due to WrestleMania’s location in Philadelphia.

The following day, Triple H announced Bull Nakano as the second inductee. Then, on March 8, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda) were named as the next inductees, and on March 11, Muhammad Ali was announced as an inductee into the Celebrity Wing. Finally, on March 13, Thunderbolt Patterson was revealed as the fifth inductee.

The Rock is expected to have a hand in his grandmother, Lia Maivia, receiving an induction this year as well. As of this writing, Maivia has not been officially announced.

It only makes sense that Bray Wyatt will receive a WWE Hall of Fame induction, and quite possibly the Wyatt Family as well, but they may have to wait. Bray Wyatt’s upcoming documentary, Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal, will drop on April 1st. We will have full coverage of the program here at SEScoops.

Seth Rollins paid tribute to Brodie Lee and Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda in an emotional tribute in the closing moments of this week’s live event in Madison Square Garden. 

The December 26 event in the World’s Most Famous Arena has been a staple of WWE for years now and typically features a much bigger card compare to other untelevised shows. This year’s event proved to be no different, with CM Punk defeating Dominik Mysterio in his firstn WWE match since 2014. The show also saw Cody Rhodes defeat Shinsuke Nakamura in the first Bull Rope match in WWE since 2009. The match was Cody’s first Bull Rope match in WWE and the second of his entire career. 

Seth Rollins’ Touching Tribute

In the main event of the show, Rollins retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre in a No-DQ, No Count Outs match. Adressing the fans after the match, Rollins reflected on the death of Brodie Lee, who died on Boxing Day in 2020. Rollins also spoke about Rotunda, who died in August of this year. 

“On the 26th of December, a few years back, my good friend, our good friend Brodie Lee passed away. I miss him [fans chant Brodie]. And just a few months ago we lost Windham Rotunda as well. But earlier tonight when the lights were down, that’s right, I saw some fireflies out there in the Garden. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah man. So look, here’s the deal. They’re kicking me out of here. We’ve got a curfew but I’m not leaving this building until you guys light this place up with those fireflies and you sing my damn song so loud Brodie and Windham can hear you! Let’s go New York! [fans sing Rollins’ theme song] I love you forever, get home safe. 

Long Live Brodie Lee and Windham Rotunda ??? #WWEMSG pic.twitter.com/LWRmd5RnVv

— peach (@peach4peeps) December 27, 2023

The pro wrestling world has dealt with many tragedies over the years. Few have been as shocking and sudden as Brodie Lee’s passing. Now, as we get closer to another year without the former Exalted One from the Dark Order, tributes are pouring in. Of course, the loss of Bray Wyatt is still fresh on everyone’s minds as well, leaving half of the Wyatt Family gone.

Seth Rollins Pays Tribute To Brodie Lee and Bray Wyatt

Seth Rollins is the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and he is a locker room leader through and through. The Visionary demonstrated his camaraderie with the roster by paying homage to the late Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee at a recent WWE house show.

During a WWE event in Rochester, a place with special significance to Brodie Lee as his hometown, Seth Rollins engaged with the audience’s passionate side. He asked if there were any fireflies in the crowd, prompting fans to take out their phones and illuminate the arena with their lights as a tribute to Wyatt. Rollins also paid homage to Brodie Lee by incorporating his signature “Yeah yeah yeah!” catchphrase into the tribute.

“The mood is set. Anybody got any fireflies among the audience tonight? I see a couple. I see a few now. This time of year loved ones are always on our minds, man, you know what I’m saying? Yeah yeah yeah!” 

Brodie Lee and Bray Wyatt’s Legacy 

Brodie Lee, who passed away on December 26th, 2020, due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, continues to be fondly remembered by anyone he ever met. Similarly, the sudden and untimely demise of Bray Wyatt at the age of 36 on August 24th, 2023, had a profound impact on fans and the wrestling community. The loss of two out of the four Wyatt Family members left fans in disbelief.

We will have to see how the pro wrestling world continues their tributes for Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee. Rochester is certainly a special place for Brodie Lee, and Seth Rollins understood that all too well.

You can watch Seth Rollins’ tribute below, and keep coming back to SE Scoops for more of the pro wrestling world’s most important stories. 

@WWERollins pays tribute to Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee #WWERochester #WWERochesterMN pic.twitter.com/LZMVFw4LLa

— MachoHypeman (@bruski12345) December 18, 2023

WWE has had fans talking about their most recent trademark filings, which are believed to be connected to Bray Wyatt.

In the past, trademark filings have often been a sign of future plans for the company.

A recent example includes WWE trademarking the term ‘Damage CTRL’ which would go on to become the name of the stable of Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY.

Trademarks

Fightful report that WWE filed trademarks for the term ‘Uncle Harper’ and ‘Uncle Howdy’ on October 8.

The listing for both terms gives the following description for their usage.

Trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment.

Horror fans may recognize the term ‘Uncle Howdy’ as the nickname for the demon Pazuzu who possesses the young girl Regan in The Exorcist.

Luke Harper

The Uncle Harper term is seemingly a nod to Luke Harper, who was part of the Wyatt family for years.

In late 2019, Harper would leave WWE, and would later join AEW as the leader of the Dark Order Brodie Lee.

In December 2020, Lee sadly died aged 41, and tributes to the former TNT Champion were paid by both WWE and AEW.

WWE has not confirmed what exact plans they have for the ‘Uncle Harper’ term, which some believe will be part of a new Wyatt family.

It’s official, Brodie Lee, formerly known as Luke Harper, is All Elite. 

The former WWE Tag Team Champion has signed with AEW (All Elite Wrestling) as he made an appearance on their weekly television show, Dynamite, on Wednesday. 

This is where he was revealed as The Exalted One, the leader of The Dark Order. He cut a promo about how Christopher Daniels wasn’t the only old man who didn’t believe in him. He would then attack Daniels and Kaz alongside The Dark Order.

Brodie Lee’s Road to AEW

Brodie Lee (Luke Harper) requested his release from WWE back in April 2019. He remained under contract until December when WWE finally granted the request.

At the time of his release, he had a 90-day no-compete clause with WWE, which prevented him from appearing on AEW television until late March 2020.

Harper recently trademarked the name Brodie Lee, the ring name he used prior to joining WWE in 2012.

Harper’s time in WWE had both ups and downs as he found success as a singles star by winning the Intercontinental Title as well as a tag team competitor while with The Wyatt Family. 

Things took a turn when it was reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon didn’t see anything in him. Thus, they stopped using him, which resulted in Harper asking for his release. 

Luke Harper & AEW’s Inner Circle Member Attend Hockey Game Together

Former WWE Superstar Luke Harper is seen in a recently posted Instagram photo by All Elite Wrestling star and member of Chris Jericho-led Inner Circle, Sammy Guevara.

Both the wrestlers attended a Corpus Christi Icerays game against Shreveport Mudbugs. They were even given special jerseys by the team. You can check out the photo posted by Sam Guevara below:

Harper and Guevara attended an event before the match organized by indie fed GCWA. The event, dubbed “Pro Wrestling Night” featured matches outside the American Bank Center prior to the hockey game. Harper and Guevara were both part of the ceremonial puck drop as well as a meet and greet.

AEW Executive VP Cody Rhodes is a fan of Harper and thinks he would make a great fit in AEW. In an interview, Rhodes was asked about Luke Harper, and this is what he said:
“He would be great as part of AEW. He’s a name that when you hear they’ve asked for their release, you definitely think about that and the next steps, for sure. I think he’s going to flourish with what he does next, he’s very special.”

Luke Harper was released on December 8, 2019, as he requested to be let go. He previously asked for a release back in April last year but he was denied. According to reports, Harper along with other names who were released during the time, are under a 90 days non compete clause and they can’t make TV appearances during this time. This means Luke Harper will only be able to join a major promotion after March 8, 2020.

Harper seems to be already preparing for a return as he recently applied to trademark his former wrestling ring name of Brodie Lee on November 26, 2019. The last time the 39-year-old used Brodie Lee as his ring name was in a match against BJ Whitmer on a Dragon Gate USA show in November 2011.

Cody Rhodes thinks former WWE Superstar Luke Harper would be a great fit in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

The AEW Executive VP recently spoke with Talk Sport. Alex McCarthy released a teaser quote of his chat with Cody, who feels Luke Harper is a “vey special” talent.

Cody Rhodes on Luke Harper

“He would be great as part of AEW. He’s a name that when you hear they’ve asked for their release, you definitely think about that and the next steps, for sure. I think he’s going to flourish with what he does next, he’s very special.”

AEW executives have been open about their efforts to avoid the stumbles of other promotions. For example, TNA Wrestling became notorious for signing any former WWE Superstar that became available.

AEW does have several former WWE Superstars on its roster. Cody Rhodes is one of them. However, men like Cody, Jon Moxley and even Chris Jericho are doing the best work of their careers.

• Cody Rhodes on AEW Fans Being ‘Overly Protective’ of the Product

Luke Harper’s Future

Luke Harper requested his release from WWE back in April. He remained under contract until December, when WWE finally granted the request. It is believed that Harper has a 90-day no-compete clause with WWE. This would prevent him from appearing on AEW television until late March 2020.

It’s worth noting that Harper recently trademarked the name Brodie Lee, the ring name he used prior to joining WWE in 2012.

Luke Harper finally got his release from WWE a few days ago but it appears that this decision will not affect the former Champion’s schedule in any significant way.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio talked about the releases recently and he revealed that all the released stars have a 90 days non compete clause in place and they will only be able to make TV appearances after that.

This means that the former Wyatt Family member and other stars will only be able to join any major promotion after March 8, 2020.

What’s interesting to note here is that Harper’s contract was originally going to expire on March 25th anyway, so his early departure does not affect his return to the free market in any major way.

Meltzer also mentioned that after the latest releases this past Sunday, more could be coming soon. He noted how several other stars have asked to be let go recently and he believes that more announcements could be on the way.

In addition to Luke Harper, WWE released Sin Cara and the former NXT Tag Team Champions Konnor and Viktor from their contracts this past Sunday.

Out of these four, both Harper and Sin Cara had asked for their release publicly with lengthy statements on social media, while on the other hand, there was no news of the Ascension asking for their release from the promotion.

Villain Enterprises leader Marty Scurll has teased interest in recruiting the recently released Luke Harper into his stable. Harper, Sin Cara and The Ascension were all recently given their releases from WWE. Following the news that Harper had finally been granted his long-sought release, Scurll uploaded a photo to his Instagram account with a teasing question.

In the post, he shared a photo of himself posing with Harper. He accompanied the picture with a caption, reading: “Villain Enterprises ?! #villain ??”

Despite his interest in bringing in Harper, there is still a question regarding Scurll’s future in Ring of Honor. His current contract with ROH allegedly expired at the end of November, with the expectation currently being that he will join All Elite Wrestling. Regardless, Scurll has agreed to perform at ROH’s next pay-per-view, Final Battle, which takes place this Friday. He will be teaming up with Villain Enterprise’s stablemate “The Mercenary” Flip Gordon in a matchup against Bandido and Flamita.

WWE is said to be interested in “The Villain,” and if they make him a compelling enough offer, it may not be impossible that Scurll ends up on WWE’s roster. He has also previously expressed his interest in returning to New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

ROH’s next pay-per-view, Final Battle, takes place on Friday 13th December in Baltimore, Maryland.

In the wake of several WWE Superstars being released from the promotion, other Superstars have since reacted to the news. Luke Harper, who has been lobbying for his release for some time, was one of those who have finally been granted it. Sin Cara, who recently took to social media to inform his followers he had requested his release was another. Both Konnor and Viktor of the tag team The Ascension have also been released by WWE.

Their former colleagues Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and Rusev, were just some of the few WWE Superstars who reflected and commented on their departure.

Ryder posted pictures from different moments featuring each of the released Superstars. One shows him and several Superstars about to have Sin Cara land on them during WrestleMania 32. Another has Harper clotheslining him, and the last is Ryder in makeup posing with The Ascension. He accompanied the memories with the caption, “Gonna miss these brothers.”

Ziggler uploaded a post similar to Ryder’s, thanking them. He also shared photos of him in-ring with Harper and Sin Cara as well as a picture of The Ascension with Tyler Breeze during a backstage segment.

Rusev addressed their leaving WWE by paying respect to Harper, writing “Salute to one of the Best @LukeHarperWWE.”

WWE continued to release talent who has requested to be let go as Luke Harper is no longer under contract with the company. 

On Sunday, not only did WWE grant the release of Sin Cara but also Harper as they issued the following statement: 

“WWE has come to terms on the releases of Jonathan Huber (Luke Harper) and Sin Cara. WWE wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.”

Back in April, Harper requested his release from WWE but the request was denied at the time. This came after he worked some NXT live events in the latter part of 2018 and also underwent surgery due to a wrist injury.

Harper did work the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 Kickoff Show but disappeared until he returned to help Rowan beat Roman Reigns at the WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view event in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Spectrum Center in September. 

At Hell in a Cell, Harper and Rowan were defeated by Bryan and Reigns in a tag team match.

After being part of the feud with Reigns and Bryan, WWE decided to separate Rowan and Harper as Rowan was sent to RAW while Harper remained on SmackDown.

• Sin Cara Granted WWE Release

Luke Harper might be preparing to resume his pre-WWE pro-wrestling career. The 39-year-old recently applied to trademark his former wrestling gimmick name of “Brodie Lee” on November 26th, 2019.

The purpose of the trademark is listed as “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”

The last time Harper wrestled for WWE was two weeks ago on a November 16th, 2019 house show from Washington. He last wrestled on WWE programming in the 20-person battle royal at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

Luke Harper Applies To Trademark “Brodie Lee”

The last time Harper wrestled as Brodie Lee he defeated BJ Whitmer on a Dragon Gate USA show from November 13th, 2011. It was reported in March of 2012 that he had signed with WWE. That year he would debut in FCW and later became a member of the Wyatt Family when the territory was re-branded as NXT.

As Luke Harper, he is a former NXT tag champion, 2x Smackdown tag team champion, and a 1x Intercontinental champion.

Luke Harper Asks For His Release

Harper is believed to have asked WWE for his release over a year ago. It was not reported on until this spring, however. Harper is expected to become a free agent approximately around WrestleMania season next year.

• News On Vince McMahon’s Reaction To Luke Harper’s Release Request

Several WWE Superstars have requested their release from the company in the last few months. In some cases, such as with Shawn Spears, KENTA and Dustin Runnells, the releases were granted. In other cases, however, the requests have not been granted and the talent is left to wait out the remaining time on their contract.

In an update to WWE’s policy on granting releases, it is being noted by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that some wrestlers may receive their release from the company.

“It was noted that they may be giving releases to some people with the idea they don’t believe they would be going to AEW, or if they do, wouldn’t help them, and it is possible he will get his release.”

WWE Wrestlers Requesting Their Release From The Company

Oney Lorcan is the latest WWE Superstar to request his release:

• Oney Lorcan Reportedly Requests His Release From WWE

Sin Cara is also reported to have asked for his release recently:

• Update On Sin Cara Asking For WWE Release, His Current Contract

Other wrestlers to have requested their release from the company in 2019 include Mike Kanellis, ACH, and Luke Harper. As of this writing, none of their releases have been granted.

Luke Harper made an interesting claim on Twitter in the bio section on his account. 

Part of the bio reads that WWE threatened to fine him but it’s cool to have NXT cuss on Twitter. As of this writing, his bio still reads like that. You can see a screenshot here: 

This isn’t the first time that Harper has expressed not being happy with the company, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to many fans.

Just last month, he took issue with the fact that WWE still hasn’t released merchandise for him despite being with the company for seven years. 

Luke Harper Takes Issue With WWE Merchandise

His contract with the company is slated to expire in November, but WWE could extend it due to time that he missed because of injury. 

It’s been reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon does not see any value in Harper and that was the reason he was being paid to stay at home. 

That all changed once Erick Rowan was put into a program with Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns. According to reports, this is the reason that Harper was brought back and paired with Rowan as they needed a tag team partner for Rowan.

With NXT premiering on USA Network, WWE had a major merchandising push for the black-and-gold brand’s Superstars. They released an image on social media featuring brand new t-shirt designs for all 155 NXT Superstars. This revelation, however, hasn’t been taken well by one WWE Superstar: Luke Harper.

Taking to his Instagram account, Harper shared his frustrations with WWE’s advert. He wrote:

“Larry, In over 7 years with @wwe I’ve never had a single Luke Harper tshirt but now all 155 NXT wrestlers each get their own. Got it. Good luck tonight 8e/7c LIVE on USA!!!!! @erickredbeard @wweshop”

Despite the amount of time working for the company, Harper has never had a piece of ‘Luke Harper’ merchandise despite having solo runs as a singles competitor. At one point, he even held the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

After time away from WWE programming, Luke Harper recently returned to WWE television. He assisted Erick Rowan in Rowan’s matchup against Roman Reigns during WWE’s recent Clash of Champions pay-per-view.

Harper’s inclusion into the match sees him once again partnered with Rowan. The two were not only previously stablemates in the Wyatt Family, they also teamed together for a time as The Bludgeon Brothers on SmackDown Live.

Luke Harper has returned and helped Erick Rowan. 

Harper made his return by helping Rowan beat Roman Reigns at the WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view event in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Spectrum Center. This was a return that many people thought they wouldn’t see. 

WWE Clash Of Champions Results (9/15)

Harper hasn’t been on the road with the rest of the crew since earlier this year. This comes after Harper publicly disclosed that he had requested a WWE release in April, but WWE declined to grant it.

His contract with the company is slated to expire in November, but WWE could extend it due to time that he missed because of injury. 

It’s been reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon does not see any value in Harper and that he was being paid to stay at home. 

He did work working some NXT live events in the latter part of 2018 and also underwent surgery due to a wrist injury.

Harper did work the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 Kickoff Show but hasn’t worked a match since the April 9th SmackDown TV event where he lost to EC3 in a dark match. 

What are your thoughts on Harper’s return? 

While Luke Harper is still under contract with WWE, he doesn’t seem to be on good terms with the company and latest reports suggest that we might not see him on WWE Television anytime soon.

Dave Meltzer talked about Harper’s status during the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio and implied that Vince McMahon does not see any value in the former IC Champion.

According to Meltzer, Vince does not want to use Luke Harper. He is currently being paid to sit at home and we shouldn’t expect to see him in WWE again.

The former Wyatt Family member made some headlines in May this year when he requested his release from the company and went public with his request by posting about it on Twitter.

WWE Officials did not like this move from the former NXT Star. They not only declined the request for his release but added 6 more months to his contract for the time he missed due to injury.

With this extension, Harper’s contract which was originally expected to expire this fall will now end in April next year and the 39-year-old star will have to wait until then to get his release from the promotion.

Though it’s possible that the company changes its mind about him and bring him back to TV for lower card feuds or to put some star over before he is done with the promotion.

The latest update on former WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champion Luke Harper has surfaced online as PWinsider.com reports that he is back on the road with WWE this week. He hasn’t been on the road with the rest of the crew since earlier this year. 

This comes after Harper publicly disclosed that he had requested a WWE release in April, but WWE declined to grant it.

His contract with the company is slated to expire in November, but WWE could extend it due to time that he missed because of injury. 

• WWE Reportedly Denied Luke Harper’s Request To Be Released In November

Harper hasn’t been seen on TV since August 21, 2018 during an episode of SmackDown Live in Brooklyn, New York where he and Rowan lost the SmackDown Tag Team Titles to The New Day. Rowan suffered a torn bicep and WWE took Harper off of television. 

He did work working some NXT live events in the latter part of 2018 and also underwent surgery due to a wrist injury. 

Harper did work the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 Kickoff Show but hasn’t worked a match since the April 9th SmackDown TV event where he lost to EC3 in a dark match. 

Luke Harper is currently sitting at home with no hope of being released from his contract anytime soon and as the time is passing, new details regarding his exchanges with WWE management is coming out.

We noted before how Harper wanted to leave the company but the management decided to keep him engaged because of his choice to go public with his request.

Now a latest report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter reveals that at one point Harper had even asked Vince McMahon if he could be freed from his deal in November when his contract was originally expected to expire.

However, he did not receive a response from the Boss and the former IC Champion was told to discuss his situation with Triple H instead.

The Observer notes that Triple H also didn’t respond to him. The company then made the decision to add 6 months to Harper’s contract for the time he missed due to his wrist injury and Luke was made aware of it in writing last month.

Though while the company is keeping him engaged, they appear to have no plans for Luke Harper and currently he is not booked for any future events of the promotion.

By the looks of it, it appears that the Officials will pay him to sit at home for the remainder of his deal and he will only be freed when his contract expires sometime around April next year.

Bray Wyatt recently said on Twitter he is working on getting former Wyatt Family member Luke Harper as a guest on his new show. Wyatt is now the host of the FireFly Fun House. Videos featuring Wyatt’s PeeWee Herman style children’s show have been airing on RAW and Smackdown in recent weeks.

A fan on Twitter expressed that Luke Harper might make a great guest on the FireFly Fun House and Wyatt agreed.

Luke Harper Has His WWE Release Request Denied

Luke Harper publicly requested his release from WWE last month. According to a recent report, Vince McMahon denied his request in writing. Harper apparently asked for his release after WWE creative neglected to place him on either brand during the Superstar Shakeup and Vince McMahon expressed he doesn’t “get him”.

• News On Vince McMahon’s Reaction To Luke Harper’s Release Request

Bray Wyatt Forgives Randy Orton

Wyatt also made public comments recently forgiving Randy Orton.

Orton defeated Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33. Wyatt and Orton would meet again the next month in a House of Horrors match as well. Prior to that, Orton and Wyatt held the Smackdown tag team championships together.

The director of the FireFly Fun House vignettes, Jason Baker, recently praised Wyatt’s commitment to the character:

“I’ve had the opportunity of working on films with Russell Crowe, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and a bunch of other people working here in the Pittsburgh film industry and his mindset for his character development is on par with those guys,” Baker said.

• Firefly Fun House Director Talks About Working With Bray Wyatt

Luke Harper publicly requested his release from WWE last month. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Vince McMahon rejected Harper’s request in writing. The report continues to say that WWE made the decision not to use Harper after Vince McMahon expressed that he doesn’t “get him”.

“The update on Harper is that Vince McMahon, in writing, told him he wouldn’t release him,” Dave Meltzer wrote.

“One person close to the situation told us that (Harper) needs to get out because they made a call that they weren’t going to use him after Vince saw him in his return,” the report continued.

Evidently, Vince had concerns that Harper was unable or unwilling to do a Southern accent.

“Vince said that he didn’t ‘get him’ and complained that he couldn’t even do a Southern accent (that was from them wanting him to do a Southern accent four years ago).”

Harper worked a dark match with EC3 on the Smackdown after Mania which was largely done to test Drake Maverick being paired with EC3. Vince McMahon reportedly hated the match and did not like the manager spots with Maverick and EC3.

Timing Of Luke Harper Requesting His Release

The report continues to mention what led to Harper requesting his release from the company.

“The creative meeting the day of the draft when it was asked about which brand Harper would be on, Vince said how the guy can’t even do a Southern accent, said the match with EC3 was bad, so they didn’t put him with either brand and that’s when he asked for his release.”

• Backstage News On WWE’s Plans For Luke Harper

It was recently revealed that Cody’s opponent at All Elite Wrestling’s Double Or Nothing, would be his brother, Dustin Rhodes. Dustin initially denied the possibility, claiming to still be under WWE contract.

It turns out that he was granted his release back in January and has been under a 90-day non-compete clause.

Not everyone who requested their release has been granted it, however, as Luke Harper recently discovered.

Harper, who shared that he had requested his release via social media, was denied his release by WWE. He isn’t the first Superstar to ask for their release, with Hideo Itami and Tye Dillinger doing the same in recent months.

According to Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio, Triple H is the man behind Dustin being granted his release.

Meltzer stressed that Vince McMahon doesn’t want to release anyone right now, especially with AEW on the horizon, but Triple H reportedly convinced Vince to permit Dustin Rhodes his release.

The same, ultimately, can’t be said for Luke Harper.

Instead, WWE has chosen to trigger a clause in Harper’s contract. They have added the time that he missed due to surgery onto the end of his contract. This has apparently extended it by an additional six months. He was supposedly meant to be entering into a feud with Sami Zayn, but those plans have changed.

It appears as though, at least at one point, WWE had a feud in mind for Luke Harper.

According to Dave Meltzer on Westling Observer Radio, the former Wyatt Family member was scheduled to feud with Sami Zayn.

The details of the feud are unknown, but it’s clear that the proposed program has since been cancelled entirely.

“This Decision, As Difficult As It Was, Feels Right”

Harper received double ligament reconstruction surgery last October. Despite being cleared to return since February 6th, he has yet to be given a new televised feud or storyline.

He recently wrestled Dominik Dijakovic at WWE’s Worlds Collide event. He was also a participant in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35.

Luke has been transparent about his frustrations within the company, highlighting that his goal going forward is to “continue to grow as a performer and person” outside of the remits of WWE.

WWE, however, declined his release request. Instead, the company has enforced a six-month extension, adding the time he missed working due to his initial injury. This means that, unless anything changes, Harper will be with WWE until roughly next year’s WrestleMania in April 2020.

This could be a tactical decision on WWE’s part—much in the same way as they handled Neville’s contract. Given the upcoming All Elite Wrestling and the surge of other independent promotions, it seems WWE are content with keeping Harper close for the time being.

Luke Harper requesting his release from the WWE after his in-ring return during WrestleMania weekend made some headlines recently but latest reports suggest that he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Per the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE has not only declined the request for his release but they have also added 6 months to his contract for the time he missed due to his wrist injury.

As we noted before, Harper’s contract was originally set to expire in November, and the added time means that he can’t leave the company until just before next year’s WrestleMania.

What’s interesting to note here is that while Luke Harper’s request was denied by the company, at the same time, Dustin ‘Goldust’ Runnels was granted his release without a hassle.

Runnels had also been out for months with double knee injuries, but he stayed silent about his position and denied the reports of him leaving when they came out.

It’s unknown if his contract was up or he had time left. Though the Officials could have still kept him engaged by freezing his contract for the time he was out.

However, they chose not to and as a result, Dustin was able to walk out of WWE and into a good position in AEW without much problem.

On the other hand, Harper went public with his request so it appears that
with his treatment, the company is trying to dissuade people from going public and saying they’re unhappy.

Luke Harper Requests WWE Release

Luke Harper issued the following statement on social media last week:

“As of this evening, I have requested a release from WWE. The past 6 years have been a simply, amazing journey around the world and back with lifelong friends and family. I am proud of it all and proud to say I shared the ring with my co workers.

This decision, as difficult as it was, feels right for myself and WWE. My goal in the future is to continue to grow as a performer and person and continue to make my family proud.

Thank you. From the top to the bottom of WWE. Thank you to the fans for your undying support. Thank you everyone.”

Luke Harper announced on Tuesday that he has requested his release from WWE. The former Wyatt Family member has been with WWE since 2012.

Veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reports that Harper’s current deal runs through the 4th quarter of the year, likely in November (give or take a month).

We’ll provide an update on Harper’s status if and when WWE announces his release.

Luke Harper Requests His Release

Luke Harper is the latest disgruntled Superstar to request his release from the company. On Tuesday, he announced the following on Twitter:

“As of this evening, I have requested a release from WWE. The past 6 years have been a simply, amazing journey around the world and back with lifelong friends and family. I am proud to say I shared the ring with my co workers.

This decision, as difficult as it was, feels right for myself and WWE. My goal in the future is to continue to grow as a performer and person and continue to make my family proud.

Thank you. From the top to the bottom of WWE. Thank you to the fans for your undying support. Thank you everyone.”

Luke Harper’s WWE Career

Harper signed a developmental deal with WWE in March 2012. He made his NXT debut later that year and was dubbed the “first son” of Bray Wyatt’s Wyatt Family. Harper and Erik Rowan held the NXT tag team championships the following year.

The Wyatt Family’s main roster debut came occurred in the summer of 2013. The faction had mixed success before disbanding the following year. Harper captured the Intercontinental Championship as a singles competitor before. He’d later team with Erik Rowan again as Wyatt Family members and later the Bludgeon Brothers.

Luke Harper underwent wrist surgery at the end of 2018. Since then, he’s wrestled a handful of singles matches and most recently competed in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35.