Why Vince McMahon Won’t Push Luke Harper

The past dictates the future.

by Michael Sidgwick
Luke Harper WWE
WWE.com

Did Luke Harper’s southern accent come out Jamaican?

“The Wyatt Family will rise again, mon!”

Is this why Vince McMahon refused to use him upon his return from injury in 2019, and why his presence was inconsistent and in a near-constant flux throughout his post-Wyatt Family career?

The past dictates the future. This is a truism especially true of WWE, in which ingrained mentalities are infamously resistant to change. To gauge whether Luke Harper’s shock return will materialise as a sustained push, his strange journey must first be revisited.

Harper signed with WWE years and years before the company signed or attempted to sign everybody. He wasn’t known to Vince McMahon of course, but still, back in 2012, talents were signed under the idea that they would one day work on the main roster, as opposed to now, where they are signed, re-signed or frozen in order to not sign elsewhere.

Harper seemed to intersect the outlooks of Vince McMahon and Triple H, who was deep into the process of taking over from John Laurinaitis as the head of developmental. A very tall performer with a distinct look and a supreme level of skill—an advancement on what it meant to be a hoss—Harper was destined for big things…

CONT'D...(1 of 5)

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Contributor
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!