Brodie Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brodie Lee |
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Huber as Luke Harper in 2016
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| Birth name | Jonathan Huber |
| Born | December 16, 1979 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 26, 2020 (aged 41) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis |
| Spouse(s) |
Amanda Huber
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Brodie Lee Harper Huberboy #2 Jon Huber Luke Harper Mr. Brodie Lee |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
| Billed weight | 275 lb (125 kg) |
| Billed from | Buffalo, New York Butte, Montana Lincoln, Nebraska Rochester, New York |
| Trained by | Kirby Marcos Rik Matrix Tony Mamaluke |
| Debut | October 7, 2003 |
Jonathan Huber (born December 16, 1979 – died December 26, 2020) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known by his ring names Brodie Lee and Luke Harper.
Huber wrestled as Luke Harper in WWE from 2012 to 2019. He was also known as Mr. Brodie Lee in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2020. Before joining WWE, he was known as Brodie Lee on the independent wrestling scene from 2003 to 2012. He wrestled for companies like Chikara and Ring of Honor.
In WWE, Luke Harper was a key member of The Wyatt Family. This group included Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan. Together, they won the NXT Tag Team Championship and the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Harper and Rowan also teamed up as The Bludgeon Brothers and won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship again. As a single wrestler, Harper won the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Huber left WWE in December 2019. He then joined AEW in March 2020 as Mr. Brodie Lee. He became the leader of a group called The Dark Order. In August 2020, he won the AEW TNT Championship. Sadly, Huber was hospitalized in October 2020 for a serious lung condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He passed away on December 26, 2020, at the age of 41.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Jonathan Huber was born in Rochester, New York, on December 16, 1979. He went to McQuaid Jesuit High School. He played lacrosse for four years and also played hockey in youth leagues.
Huber started wrestling in his backyard, using the name Huberboy #2. He was later trained by professional wrestlers like Kirby Marcos and Rik Matrix. He made his official wrestling debut in 2003. He soon started using the name Brodie Lee. He got the name from the movie Mallrats, combining the names of actor Jason Lee and his character Brodie Bruce.
Professional Wrestling Career
Early Independent Wrestling (2003–2012)
Brodie Lee quickly became a popular wrestler on the independent circuit. He won many championships in different wrestling promotions. For example, he won the heavyweight championship three times in Rochester Pro Wrestling (RPW), which later became NWA New York.
Chikara (2007–2012)
Huber joined Chikara in 2007. He became known for his "Big Rig" trucker character. He had a long winning streak where he wasn't pinned or made to give up. He had a big rivalry with Claudio Castagnoli. Their feud ended in Chikara's first-ever steel cage match in 2008, which Castagnoli won.
Lee also formed a team called The Roughnecks with Eddie Kingston and Grizzly Redwood. They competed for the tag team championships but didn't win. Lee eventually left Chikara in March 2012 after signing a contract with WWE.
Other Independent Promotions (2008–2012)
Lee also wrestled for other well-known promotions. He appeared in Ring of Honor (ROH) in 2008, joining a group called The Age of the Fall. He also wrestled for Evolve and Dragon Gate USA (DGUSA). In DGUSA, he joined a group called Blood Warriors. He even wrestled in Japan for the Dragon Gate promotion.
Jersey All Pro Wrestling (2009–2011)
In Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW), Lee was part of The Hillbilly Wrecking Crew. He and Necro Butcher won the JAPW Tag Team Championship. Lee later won the JAPW New Jersey State Championship and then the JAPW Heavyweight Championship, combining the two titles.
WWE (2012–2019)
Joining The Wyatt Family (2012–2014)
In March 2012, Jonathan Huber signed with WWE. He started wrestling under the name Luke Harper in WWE's training territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). When FCW became NXT, Harper debuted as the "first son" of The Wyatt Family, led by Bray Wyatt. The group also included Erick Rowan.
Harper and Rowan quickly formed a tag team. They competed in a tournament for the first-ever NXT Tag Team Championship. They won the title in May 2013, defeating Adrian Neville and Bo Dallas. They held the championship for a while before losing it in July.
In July 2013, The Wyatt Family made their big debut on WWE's main shows, Raw and SmackDown. They immediately attacked Kane. Harper and Rowan had a long winning streak as a tag team. They had big matches against teams like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, and later against The Shield. The Wyatt Family also feuded with John Cena and The Usos.
Becoming Intercontinental Champion (2014–2015)
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In late 2014, The Wyatt Family split up, and Harper began wrestling on his own. On November 10, 2014, he surprised everyone by joining Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's group, The Authority. Right after, he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship from Dolph Ziggler. This was his first championship on WWE's main shows. He held the title for 27 days before losing it back to Ziggler in a ladder match.
Harper then got involved in a storyline where many wrestlers were stealing the Intercontinental Championship belt. This led to a big ladder match at WrestleMania 31 in March 2015, which was won by Daniel Bryan.
Wyatt Family Reunion and Injuries (2015–2017)
In May 2015, Harper reunited with Erick Rowan. Then, in July, he helped Bray Wyatt defeat Roman Reigns, bringing The Wyatt Family back together. Braun Strowman also joined the group. They had big matches against teams like Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, and later against The Undertaker and Kane.
In March 2016, Harper suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out of action for many months. He returned in October 2016, helping Bray Wyatt. In December 2016, Wyatt and Randy Orton (who had joined the group) won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Harper was also recognized as a champion under a special rule called the "Freebird Rule," which allowed any two members of the group to defend the title.
The Wyatt Family lost the tag team titles in December 2016. After this, Harper started having problems with Randy Orton. This led to a match where Orton won. Wyatt then attacked Harper, removing him from the group. Harper then became a fan-favorite wrestler and had matches against Orton and AJ Styles.
The Bludgeon Brothers (2017–2018)
In October 2017, Harper returned to television with Erick Rowan. They were now called "The Bludgeon Brothers," and Harper's name was shortened to just "Harper." They carried large wooden mallets to the ring. The Bludgeon Brothers quickly became a dominant tag team.
At WrestleMania 34 in April 2018, The Bludgeon Brothers won the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a match against The Usos and The New Day. They successfully defended their titles several times. They lost the championships to The New Day in August 2018, ending their reign after 135 days. Soon after, Rowan suffered an injury, putting the team on hold.
Final WWE Appearances (2018–2019)
Harper took time off after having wrist surgery. He returned to wrestling at house shows in March 2019. He made a surprise televised return at Clash of Champions in September 2019, helping Erick Rowan attack Roman Reigns. He also teamed with Rowan against Reigns and Daniel Bryan.
In December 2019, it was announced that Harper had been released from his WWE contract.
All Elite Wrestling (2020)
Huber made a surprise debut for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on March 18, 2020. He went back to his old ring name, Brodie Lee. He was revealed as "The Exalted One," the mysterious leader of the villainous group The Dark Order.
Lee quickly became a top star in AEW. He challenged Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship but lost. He then recruited new members to The Dark Order. On August 22, 2020, Brodie Lee defeated Cody to win the AEW TNT Championship. He successfully defended the title twice. Cody won the championship back from Lee in a dog collar match on October 7, 2020. This was Brodie Lee's final match.
Wrestling Style and Characters
Huber's wrestling style was a mix of strong power moves and surprising quickness. He was known for being an "athletic giant." He said that wrestlers like Jake Roberts and Rick Rude influenced him.
When he was Luke Harper in WWE, he was part of The Wyatt Family, which was like a mysterious cult. Later, as part of The Bludgeon Brothers, he and Rowan carried mallets and had a tough, destructive look.
When he joined AEW as Mr. Brodie Lee, he became the leader of The Dark Order. He played a character who was like a strict corporate boss, always wearing a suit. He would punish his followers for small mistakes. This character was inspired by mafia films.
Other Appearances
Outside of wrestling, Huber appeared in a TV show called Damnation in 2017. He also acted in the action-horror movie Mohawk in 2018. As Luke Harper, he was a playable character in several WWE video games, including WWE 2K15 through WWE 2K20. He is also a legend in the AEW Fight Forever video game as Mr. Brodie Lee.
Personal Life
Jonathan Huber married Amanda, who was also a professional wrestler, in 2011. They had two sons, Brodie and Nolan. After Huber's death, his son Brodie was signed by AEW at the age of eight. He became an honorary member of his father's group, The Dark Order. AEW stated he could wrestle for the company when he gets older if he wants to.
Huber was a fan of the Washington Commanders football team and the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.
Death and Legacy
On December 26, 2020, Jonathan Huber passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 41 years old. His wife, Amanda, shared that he had been getting treatment for a lung issue since October. This issue was not related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amanda later said that he died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare condition that causes lung tissue to thicken.
Many wrestlers and wrestling personalities shared tributes to Huber. They spoke about how much he loved his family and how he always helped and supported other wrestlers. His former Wyatt Family teammates, Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan, shared emotional messages about him. Big E, who was very close to Huber, spoke about how the wrestling community came together to mourn his loss.
WWE also paid tribute to Huber on their shows. Commentators and wrestlers used his catchphrases, like "it's Monday, you know what that means." They also wore armbands and used his wrestling moves to honor him. WWE released a special video collection of his best matches.
AEW held a special show called "Brodie Lee Celebration of Life" on December 30, 2020. The entire AEW roster stood on stage for a ten-bell salute. Huber's former tag team partner, Erick Rowan (now Erick Redbeard), made a surprise appearance. At the end of the show, Huber's wife and son placed his wrestling boots and a purple bandana in the ring. As a special honor, AEW retired the red strap version of the AEW TNT Championship belt, which Huber had held. They gave the belt to his son Brodie, naming him "TNT Champion for life." AEW now starts every episode of AEW Dynamite by saying "it's Wednesday night, (and) you know what that means" as a tribute to Huber.
A special T-shirt was released in memory of Brodie Lee, and it broke sales records, with all money going to his family. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer created the Shad Gaspard/Jon Huber Memorial Award in Huber's honor, for wrestlers who make positive contributions to society.
Championships and Accomplishments
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- Alpha-1 Wrestling
- A1 Zero Gravity Championship (1 time)
- All Elite Wrestling
- AEW TNT Championship (1 time)
- Jersey All Pro Wrestling
- JAPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- JAPW New Jersey State Championship (1 time)
- JAPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Necro Butcher
- Next Era Wrestling
- NEW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Empire
- NWA Empire Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Mississippi
- NWA Southern Television Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 24 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015
- Rochester Pro Wrestling/NWA Upstate/NWA New York
- NWA Upstate Kayfabe Dojo Championship (1 time)
- NWA Upstate/NWA New York Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- RPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Freddie Midnight
- RPW/NWA Upstate Television Championship (1 time)
- Squared Circle Wrestling
- 2CW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- World of Hurt Wrestling
- WOHW United States Championship (3 times)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Gimmick (2013) – as part of The Wyatt Family
- WWE
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
- WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton (1) and Rowan (1)
- NXT Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Erick Rowan
- Slammy Award (1 time)
- Match of the Year (2014) Team Cena vs. Team Authority at Survivor Series
See also
- List of premature professional wrestling deaths
- List of professional wrestling memorial shows
