Randy Orton Vs. Luke Harper Signed For WWE Smackdown

Problems within The Wyatt Family will come to a head next week, as group leader Bray Wyatt announced that members Randy Orton and Luke Harper will face off in a singles match on Smackdown.

Randy Orton's association with The Wyatt Family began way back in the summer, when Wyatt singled him out for destruction following "The Viper's" SummerSlam loss to Brock Lesnar. The two men were scheduled to clash at Backlash, but Orton was replaced by Kane after he wasn't cleared to compete for the event (WWE knew this, but never changed the advertising).

Wyatt and Orton finally squared off at No Mercy, but the returning Luke Harper - who had been on the sidelines since March with a knee injury - interfered to give his leader the win. Following that, Orton turned on Kane during a tag match with The Wyatts, telling an interviewer "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Orton and Wyatt eventually captured the Smackdown Tag Team Championships, but since losing them, the group has been in disarray. Miscommunications have led to losses for the members, and more than once, Wyatt has had to get between Orton and Harper. This dissolution seems to part of a long-term plan by Orton to destroy the group from the inside.