Former multi-time tag team champion and Wyatt Family member Luke Harper requests his release from his WWE contract, after only recently returning. Harper has worked for WWE since 2012, when he debuted on the revamped NXT developmental brand as part of The Wyatt Family stable. The group was led by cult leader character Bray Wyatt, while Harper and tag team partner Erick Rowan provided Wyatt’s muscle against those who would challenge the charismatic heel. Harper and Rowan would win the NXT tag team titles once before The Wyatt Family ended up moving to the main WWE roster in 2013.
Harper and Rowan would receive several title shots at WWE tag team champions The Usos, but failed to capture the gold. By the summer of 2014, The Wyatt Family had separated, leading to a Harper singles run in which he briefly held the intercontinental title. In 2015, The Wyatt Family reunited, and also added Braun Strowman to the group. Unfortunately, Harper suffered a knee injury in early 2016 that kept him out of the ring for months. By the time he returned Randy Orton had joined The Wyatt Family, and Harper, Wyatt, and Orton shared the SmackDown tag team titles for a few months. Orton eventually turned on Wyatt, which Harper saw coming.
From fall 2017 to summer 2018, the reformed team of Harper and Rowan - now called The Bludgeon Brothers - dominated the SmackDown tag team ranks, including a lengthy reign as champions. This ended when both men went down to injuries. Rowan now serves as enforcer for Daniel Bryan, while Harper just returned to WWE TV as part of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXXV on April 7. Now, Harper has taken to Twitter to announce that he’s asked for his WWE release.
For now, it’s unclear if WWE will grant Harper’s request, or instead force him to stay and fulfill his contract. If Harper leaves WWE, one assumes he might sign with soon to launch promotion All Elite Wrestling, which already boasts Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega among its ranks. Harper could also sign with Impact Wrestling if he wanted a lighter schedule than WWE’s notoriously difficult one. As of this writing though, everything remains up in the air regarding Harper’s future.
Harper is just one of many WWE stars said to be unhappy with their place in the company. Former Raw tag champions The Revival were repeatedly rumored to want out before winning the titles, and never publicly denied the reports. Sasha Banks is currently said to be considering leaving WWE following her and Bayley dropping the women’s tag titles at WrestleMania, and Dean Ambrose chose not to re-sign with the company when his contract expires later this month.
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Source: Luke Harper
