10 Impulse Reactions Following WWE Elimination Chamber 2017
6. Ex-Communicated
Elimination Chamber was a huge night for Luke Harper, having finally broken away from The Wyatt Family to begin a singles career that won't be without challenges as he tries to establish himself whilst heavily bubble-wrapped in the gimmick that has defined his WWE tenure so far.
Harper comes with pedigree too, having impressed on the independent circuit for several years before taking on the cult follower character that has at times hamstrung his progression.
The challenge in his solo effort with Randy Orton was to portray a top babyface against a heel that is primed to be a top babyface, such is the complexity of the inclusion of 'The Apex Predator' in to the world of the Wyatts.
Orton's experienced something of a career renaissance since his shocking switch to the Family late last year, and it's been reflected in his energetic in-ring work, which saved Harper the indignity of sitting in a chinlock for ten minutes in lieu of a 'classic' encounter.
Instead, the two built well to a climactic ending in which Harper unleashed his eclectic mix of power moves before succumbing to a genuinely 'outta nowhere' RKO as the WrestleMania Number One Contender marched on.