If you’ve been waiting to see Luke Harper make his return to WWE television, it appears you’re going to be waiting a really long time.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE has no plans to use the former Wyatt Family member at any point in the near future. In fact, Meltzer went one step farther by explaining that Vince McMahon himself does not want to use Harper on television again because he “doesn’t see anything” in him, despite fans and industry experts long seeing him as one of the best big men in the industry between the ropes.
Outsiders are clearly going to look at the situation as WWE holding Harper to his contract, despite having no interest in using him, solely to keep him away from going to a company like New Japan Pro Wrestling or All Elite Wrestling.
Harper has made headlines several times in the last year despite not being used on television hardly at all. After coming back from an injury, he worked some house shows and dark matches in March and April, but Harper’s only television match this year was the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 kickoff show.
When Harper’s return didn’t play out as planned, Harper went on to publicly request his release from WWE. Not only was that request for release denied by WWE, but they added six months to his contract for the time he was out of action due to injury. Officials didn’t take kindly to his making the request release so public.
Harper is now under contract to WWE until next April, and though they continue to pay him, he looks to continue to collect a paycheck while sitting at home until the contract expires. Though it’s certainly an easy way to make a living, it has to be frustrating for someone as creative as Harper who has several goals left to achieve in the wrestling industry.
