"Jonathan Huber, better known by his ring names Luke Harper and Mr. Brodie Lee, was a prominent figure in professional wrestling. He rose to fame during his tenure with WWE from 2012 to 2019, captivating audiences as Luke Harper. In 2020, he joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he further solidified his legacy under the moniker Mr. Brodie Lee. His career was tragically cut short, but his impact on the wrestling world remains undeniable. "
Jonathan Huber, later known by his ring names Luke Harper and Brodie Lee, was born on December 16, 1979.
Jonathan Huber made his professional wrestling debut in 2003 for Roc City Wrestling (RCW) under the masked persona Huberboy #2. He later unmasked and adopted the ring name Brodie Lee.
Jonathan Huber, under the ring name Brodie Lee, began his professional wrestling career in 2003, competing on the independent circuit.
Jonathan Huber, using the "The Right Stuff" Brodie Lee gimmick, made his debut for the Philadelphia-based promotion Chikara on March 24, 2007.
Brodie Lee made his debut for Squared Circle Wrestling, teaming with Colin Olsen in a losing effort against the Wyld Stallyns on August 20, 2007.
Brodie Lee's bullying of smaller wrestlers led to a feud with Claudio Castagnoli, culminating in a series of matches, including two disqualifications.
Brodie Lee was involved in a storyline suspension after punching a fan in the parking lot following a match on July 26, 2008.
On September 7, 2008, Brodie Lee faced Claudio Castagnoli in Chikara's first-ever steel cage match, which Castagnoli won, ending their feud.
Brodie Lee debuted for Ring of Honor, aligning himself with The Age of the Fall and assisting Jimmy Jacobs in defeating Austin Aries on October 25, 2008.
Brodie Lee joined forces with Eddie Kingston and Grizzly Redwood in late 2008 to form the stable known as The Roughnecks.
Brodie Lee teamed up with the Olsen Twins as Team Dr. Keith for the 2008 King of Trios tournament. After a first-round loss, Lee turned on their substitute partner, Retail Dragon, ending his alliance with the Olsen Twins.
Brodie Lee, Eddie Kingston, and Grizzly Redwood formed the stable The Roughnecks, earning a spot in the 2009 King of Trios tournament.
Brodie Lee was defeated by Necro Butcher in an Anything Goes match on February 27, 2009, during their feud.
Brodie Lee debuted for Jersey All Pro Wrestling as part of The Hillbilly Wrecking Crew on March 28, 2009.
Brodie Lee transitioned into a fan-favorite character in April 2009, marking a significant change in his 2CW career.
Brodie Lee's friendly rivalry with Slyck Wagner Brown continued, with the two exchanging victories in singles matches, including one on September 19, 2009.
The Roughnecks challenged The Colony for the Campeonatos de Parejas but were defeated.
Brodie Lee made his Evolve debut at their inaugural event, teaming with Gran Akuma and Icarus in a losing effort against Team Frightning on January 16, 2010.
Brodie Lee and Necro Butcher lost the JAPW Tag Team Championship to Da Heavy Hitters at JAPW's 12th Anniversary Show on January 23, 2010.
Brodie Lee defeated Slyck Wagner Brown in a rubber match, solidifying his dominance in their rivalry on February 19, 2010.
Brodie Lee decisively ended his feud with Slyck Wagner Brown by defeating him in a two-out-of-three falls match on April 3, 2010.
Tensions rose between Brodie Lee and Grizzly Redwood, leading to Lee attacking Redwood, effectively disbanding The Roughnecks.
Brodie Lee debuted for Dragon Gate USA, winning a dark match and declaring his intention to target Japanese wrestlers on May 8, 2010.
Brodie Lee unsuccessfully challenged Jason Axe for the 2CW Heavyweight Championship, losing due to outside interference on June 20, 2010.
Brodie Lee retained the 2CW Heavyweight Championship against former champion Jason Axe in an "I Quit" match in Binghamton, New York, on September 24, 2010.
Brodie Lee unsuccessfully challenged Dan Maff for the JAPW Heavyweight Championship in a Champion vs. Champion match on October 23, 2010.
Brodie Lee lost the 2CW Heavyweight Championship to Slyck Wagner Brown in Elmira, New York, on November 19, 2010.
Brodie Lee made his debut for Dragon Gate in Tokyo, representing The Warriors stable and defeating Kzy on December 21, 2010.
The Warriors stable, including Brodie Lee, turned heel, aligning with Naruki Doi's group in Dragon Gate on January 14, 2011.
After months of feuding, Brodie Lee and Grizzly Redwood reunited as The Roughnecks, defeating The Throwbacks in a tag team match.
Representing the Blood Warriors, Brodie Lee secured a victory against Jimmy Jacobs at Dragon Gate USA's 'United: NYC' event on January 28, 2011.
Brodie Lee suffered a legitimate injury during the 12 Large: Summit tournament, forcing him to withdraw.
Brodie Lee was defeated by Sami Callihan via submission in his return match at Evolve on May 20, 2011.
Brodie Lee was stripped of the JAPW Heavyweight Championship after a nine-month absence from the promotion, as announced on December 30, 2011.
Huber married Amanda, a fellow professional wrestler known as Synndy Synn, in 2011.
On March 12, 2012, it was reported that Jon Huber signed a developmental contract with WWE, taking on the ring name Luke Harper.
Brodie Lee made his farewell appearance for Chikara on March 25, 2012, unsuccessfully challenging Eddie Kingston for the Chikara Grand Championship after signing a developmental contract with WWE.
Brodie Lee won the 2CW Heavyweight Championship in a four-way match but relinquished the title due to signing with WWE on April 13, 2012.
After establishing himself on the independent circuit, Brodie Lee signed with WWE in 2012.
In 2012, Jonathan Huber signed with WWE and adopted the ring name Luke Harper. He debuted as part of The Wyatt Family.
On January 9, 2013, Luke Harper, alongside Erick Rowan, made their tag team debut, defeating Percy Watson and Yoshi Tatsu.
Luke Harper participated in his first Royal Rumble match on January 26, 2014, where he eliminated two participants before being eliminated by Roman Reigns.
On January 25, 2015, Luke Harper competed in the Royal Rumble match, entering at number 4, before being eliminated by Bray Wyatt.
On January 24, 2016, Luke Harper participated in the Royal Rumble alongside other Wyatt Family members.
On January 10, 2017, after losing a match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, tension arose between Harper and Orton, leading to a miscommunication where Harper accidentally superkicked Wyatt.
Huber made his acting debut in 2017 as Pitchfork Perry in an episode of the period drama series "Damnation".
In 2017, The Wyatt Family split, and Harper later formed a tag team with Erick Rowan called The Bludgeon Brothers. They used wooden mallets and had a look inspired by the tag team Demolition.
The Bludgeon Brothers made a powerful statement on March 11, 2018, by interfering in the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at Fastlane.
In 2018, Huber appeared in the action-horror film "Mohawk," playing the character Lachlan Allsopp.
Throughout 2018, The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) made a significant impact, establishing themselves as a dominant force in the tag team division.
On March 9, 2019, Harper returned to in-ring action after recovering from wrist surgery, defeating Mojo Rawley at a WWE house show in his hometown of Rochester.
Harper's contract was originally set to expire in November 2019, but WWE added six months due to time off for injury, as reported by Dave Meltzer.
Throughout 2019, Harper returned to WWE television under his Luke Harper name, engaging in a feud with Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan alongside Erick Rowan. Following a draft that moved Rowan to Raw, the team was disbanded.
After joining AEW in March 2020, Brodie Lee adopted the gimmick of "The Exalted One," a corporate executive and leader of The Dark Order. His character drew comparisons to Vince McMahon, which Huber denied.
Jonathan Huber, now known as Mr. Brodie Lee, debuted in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in March 2020 as the leader of The Dark Order.
On March 18, 2020, Huber debuted in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as Brodie Lee, revealed as "The Exalted One," the leader of The Dark Order. He remained undefeated for several weeks before challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship.
Wrestler Shad Gaspard, who would later be honored alongside Jon Huber in a memorial award, died in May 2020 while saving his son from drowning.
In October 2020, Mr. Brodie Lee was hospitalized due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Jonathan Huber tragically passed away on December 26, 2020, at the age of 41, due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
WWE Raw opened with an "In Memory of Jon Huber ('Luke Harper')" graphic. Performers and commentators paid tribute by using some of Huber's catchphrases.
During the Brodie Lee tribute show in 2020, Pro Wrestling Tees released a commemorative T-shirt in his honor, with all proceeds going to the Huber family. The shirt quickly broke sales records, becoming the highest-selling T-shirt of the year.
The January 1, 2021 episode of WWE SmackDown also featured an "In Memory of Jon Huber ('Luke Harper')" graphic.
In January 2021, it was revealed that Huber's death was caused by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare lung disease.
The Shad Gaspard/Jon Huber Memorial Award was established in March 2021 to honor individuals in professional wrestling who make positive contributions to society. The award is named after Huber and fellow wrestler Shad Gaspard, who tragically passed away in May 2020.
At WrestleMania 37, Bray Wyatt honored Huber by shouting his signature "yeah, yeah, yeah" catchphrase during his match.
In August 2021, CM Punk revealed that Huber's death and the respect shown by the AEW locker room in keeping his illness private inspired him to return to professional wrestling after a seven-year hiatus. Similarly, Bryan Danielson shared that the Brodie Lee Tribute Show played a role in his decision to join AEW.
After winning the WWE Championship in September 2021, Big E celebrated with The New Day and acknowledged the support of fans and "one incredible friend above" as the crowd chanted Huber's ring name.
Bray Wyatt passed away from a heart attack, leaving Erick Rowan as the only surviving member of the original Wyatt Family.
In January 2024, AEW returned to Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, a venue where Brodie Lee was a prominent figure during the COVID-19 pandemic. AEW paid tribute to Huber by airing a video package and holding three multi-person tag team matches featuring current and former members of The Dark Order.