Luke Harper Is the Best Old-School Big Man in WWE

Luke Harper is emerging as a breakout star in WWE.  The former heavy for Bray Wyatt has left his family roots behind and has now ventured into the relative unknown of singles success in the company. Fans likely did not know what to expect when the Wyatt clan split, nor did they know what would become of Harper.

But so far, so good for the 6'5", 275-pound Superstar.  The man often compared by fans to Bruiser Brody is quickly making a name for himself in WWE and is beginning to see some return on his physical investment in the ring.  Indeed, Harper is the best old-school big man currently working for Vince McMahon.

WWE has historically always been the land of giants.  From Andre to The Big Show to The Undertaker and Kane, the company has often featured physically imposing monsters that use power and size to dominate every opponent in their path.

Superstars like Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart at one time had to fight to break the image that WWE had put forth for so many years, and once they did, they became the new norm. Suddenly fans seemed to care more about the technical prowess of the guys in the ring, rather than their stature and ability to demolish everyone else.

credit: wwe.com

WWE had apparently undergone a massive change in philosophy, and it was one that continued from the 1990's up to the present era.

But now there is more of a mix than ever before, a return to prominence for the big man in WWE.  And the best example of that is Harper, who is turning heads and impressing fans virtually every time he's in the ring.

The primary reason for that is the fact that Harper's work in the ring does not usually involve the typical power game that fans are accustomed to seeing from the big men. Harper is more of a brawler, a smash-mouth hardcore animal who is more cunning and devious than he is powerful and intimidating.  

Harper may use those tools to his advantage, but when it comes to his move-set in the ring, he seems content with hunting his opponent like his next meal rather than showing off his strength. Much of that ideology likely comes from Wyatt, who led both Harper and Erick Rowan down the path of destruction as The Wyatt Family.

Indeed, much of Harper's character is still highly reflective of Wyatt, and the image that he worked under for so long in WWE.  Harper is basically still that creepy backwoods stalker, only now he's operating without a leader to guide him.

credit: wwe.com

But the truth is he really doesn't need one.

Harper is not the yes man that perhaps some other big guys in heel factions have been in the past. He is taking the character that was born under Wyatt, and he is directly translating that to singles competition, making it fit in among other Superstars around him.  

Harper may be the rudderless big man now, but that has not stopped him from moving.

When he became aligned with The Authority, Harper almost immediately became the Intercontinental champion.  Suddenly, Wyatt's former disciple had found success on his own, and now there seems to be no stopping him.

That is perhaps the best part about Harper as a singles wrestler right now; there is virtually no way of knowing just how far he can go and just how much he can do.  That is exciting for fans that have always viewed Harper in the context of The Wyatt Family, an environment that was familiar and somewhat predictable all at the same time.

Harper acting alone now is a very intriguing prospect and one that certainly seems to have captured the fans' attention.

With Kane now being used very sparingly in the ring and Big Show's career likely only lasting perhaps a couple more years, the truth is that the time is now for Harper.  This is the best time for him to emerge as WWE's best new big man and thus far, he is doing a fine job of it.

He may not look like the typical professional wrestler. And he may not be the streamlined, intensely athletic technician that fans are used to seeing in WWE. But he is a throwback to the old-school era of big men in the industry.  He is a guy who uses his size and strength to get over initially but who then relies on his no-holds-barred brawling to win the match.

He is a menacing figure in the ring who reminds fans of just how punishing and how brutal the business can be when in the hands of a brawler.  Harper can dominate in WWE, and he will do it as the best old-school big man that the company has.