5 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 28)
3. Luke Harper, Superstar
A dishevelled, vest-wearing hillbilly who can barely string a sentence together is on the verge of becoming one of WWE's biggest babyfaces. Luke Harper has been excellent since splitting from the Wyatt Family, and after starring in last week's Battle Royal, he looked like a star again last night.
Harper took a pinfall to AJ Styles, but he lost nothing in defeat. Styles is one of the company's biggest stars, and there's no shame in losing to him, particularly if you're a guy whose singles peak came through a forgettable Intercontinental Title run a few years ago.
Harper looked totally at ease working with one of the best in the business, and Styles held-up his end of the bargain. The duo were on the verge of having one of the best TV matches of the year until Shane McMahon's interruption, and it's a shame they weren't allowed to wrestle to a more natural conclusion. Regardless, the two work extremely well together, and Harper genuinely looks like he belongs in the ring with Styles.
It's tough to say what Harper's next move will be. He still has unfinished business with Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton, but he has no obvious WrestleMania match on the table. Recent weeks should make him a leading candidate to win this year's Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but as one of SmackDown's foremost rising stars, Harper's performances have earned a bigger spotlight.