Luke Harper Returns at WWE's No Mercy

Luke Harper has returned to a WWE ring. The Wyatt Family member, who has been out for several months with a leg injury, crashed Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt's match at No Mercy. Orton was setting Wyatt up for an RKO when Harper suddenly appeared in the ring. The distraction gave Wyatt an opening to deliver his "Sister Abigail" finisher on Orton and win the match.

Harper's return was part of the end of No Mercy, as the WWE chose to open the match with the WWE World Championship triple threat match so viewers could see the match then watch the debate. Although some assumed that the Intercontinental Championship match between Ziggler and the Miz would close the show, the WWE chose to end No Mercy with the Orton/Wyatt match, presumably so they could hype Harper's return to action.

Harper dislocated his patella and tore a ligament back in March during a dark match at Raw. He officially was cleared to return to the ring last month and made his first appearance at a house show last week. Because the house show was a "Raw" brand show, many assumed that Harper would appear on Monday instead of showing up at Smackdown with his former Wyatt Family members.

Harper's return is well-timed, as fellow Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan recently underwent shoulder surgery and will be out for several months. Rowan posted a video on Twitter today showing that he was "burying" his iconic lamb mask, indicating that he might be moving on from the Wyatt family gimmick.

Harper and Wyatt have worked together since August 2012, when Wyatt introduced Harper as the first member of the Wyatt Family in the NXT developmental system. Although the Wyatt Family broke up in 2014, Harper returned to the Wyatt's side in 2015 to help Wyatt beat Roman Reigns at Battleground.