WWE News: The Viking Experience already gets a new name
What's the story?
In one of the strangest moments in the Superstar Shake Up last week, the current NXT Tag Team Champions, the War Raiders, debuted on Raw as 'the Viking Experience'. They were also given the first names of Erik and Ivar instead of Rowe and Hanson, respectively.
Several news outlets, including a bio of Erik and Ivar on WWE.com as well, are reporting that the former War Raiders will now be the former Viking Experience. The bio on WWE.com refers to Erik and Ivar as 'the Viking Raiders'.
In case you didn't know...
The War Raiders made an impact in NXT right away after attacking the Undisputed Era when they still held the NXT Tag Team Titles.
The former Hanson and Rowe topped TUE for the titles and even successfully defended them at TakeOver: New York against Ricochet and Aleister Black. The duo debuted on Raw last week under the name 'the Viking Experience'.
The heart of the matter
When the War Raiders were announced as the Viking Experience during their main roster debut last Monday, it was both confusing and shocking to most WWE fans.
Not only did WWE change the team's name, but Hanson and Rowe were also given new first names, with Hanson now being called Ivar and Rowe being referred to as Erik.
The current NXT Tag Team Champions teamed with the Revival to upend the foursome of the Raw Tag Team Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins and the duo of Black and Ricochet.
Both name changes puzzled fans, wrestlers and analysts alike, and it appears that due to the negative reaction to the Viking Experience name, WWE has opted to alter their name once again.
Erik's bio on WWE.com refers to the team as the 'Viking Raiders' within the first sentence in their bios, stating 'The Viking Raiders, Erik and Ivar, are bent on world domination'.
While it still kept out the word 'war' it appears that the 'experience' part of the Viking Experience was the most confusing and strange part of the new name.
What's next?
Another puzzling fact about the duo debuting on Raw last week was that they still held the NXT Tag Titles. That is likely to be changing this week on NXT as they are set to face the Street Profits for the titles.
How will the world react to the change tonight on Raw when the former War Raiders get yet another new name, albeit a much better one?