WWE Rumors: Update on former Intercontinental Champion who asked for his release

What's the story?

The current WWE roster is the healthiest it has been in years but that also means that many talented superstars don't get the deserved spotlight on WWE programming.

Luke Harper is one of those superstars who has not been seen on WWE TV for quite some time. That could all change soon as according to Mike Johnson from PWInsider, WWE could get the former Wyatt Family member back on TV.

In case you didn't know...

Harper first took a hiatus in August 2018 after dropping the tag team titles along with Erick Rowan to the New Day. He made his in-ring comeback in March 2019 in a live event match against Mojo Rawley.

Despite being cleared to return, Harper's return was held off as the WWE Creative didn't have anything substantial for him. He wrestled Dominik Dijakovic at the Worlds Collide event. He also appeared in a few matches at various house shows before making his PPV return as part of the Andre The Gian Battle Royale at WrestleMania 35.

The 2-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion put out a post on April 16th in which he revealed that he had requested a release from the WWE. It was later reported that Vince McMahon and the WWE had turned down it down. It was stated by Dave Meltzer that Harper's contract was originally supposed to expire in November of 2019 and that the company intended on adding an additional six months - which was the time Harper was out of action due to injury.

Backstage reports also revealed that Vince McMahon 'doesn't get' Harper, which explains his stagnant WWE career.

The heart of the matter

On the PWInsider Elite Audio, Mike Johnson provided an update regarding Luke Harper's status. He said, "We heard rumblings that Luke Harper would be at this week TV tapings."

Harper is rumoured to be present on the Raw or SmackDown tapings this week and it would be interesting to see whether WWE does use him in some capacity.

What's next?

With Daniel Bryan teasing a singles run, Erick Rowan is left without a partner and that's where Harper could slot right back in. The future does seem bright for underrated talents who have not bee utilized to their fullest potential in the Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman era.

However, we will have to wait and watch whether or not Luke Harper is a beneficiary of the change as Vince McMahon still has the final say. Should Harper stick around in the WWE or should he see out his contract and look for opportunities outside WWE, namely AEW?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.