A hot topic of discussion after last night’s Superstar Shakeup edition of RAW was NXT Tag Team Champions The War Raiders being brought to RAW with new names.
They are now being called The Viking Experience, and Hanson is known as Erik while Rowe is now known as Ivar.
WWE Hall of Famers Mick Foley and “Road Dogg” BG James had a back & forth with fans over the name change while Lance Storm, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross and WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray also chimed in.
JR wrote, “Athletic, aggressive big men are often times “Money” in pro wrestling and have been for decades. #Raw I’m a fan of #VikingExperience (maybe the name will grow on me) by any moniker.”
“Good debut and win for WAR MACHINE,” wrote Ray.
Storm said the change probably doesn’t matter much as the talent will get the name over.
Storm wrote, “While I don’t like The Viking Experience either, I doubt it really matters that much. Talent will get over a name. I thought The Undertaker was a stupid name when I heard it. Worked out okay for him in the end.”
Foley also wrote about talent making names work. He said, “So maybe #VikingExperience wouldn’t have been my first choice, BUT, had there been social media in 1996, I’m guessing the name #Mankind would not have been greeted with much happiness either. Enjoy this match with Fergal ….um, Finn Balor. Names can be tweaked, if the talent is there to back it up – which in this case, it is. Does the name “Kane the Undertaker” ring any bells?”
Road Dogg replied, “Beautifully said Mick!”
A fan asked why would WWE change the name in the first place and Foley said anything with the word “war” in it just won’t work in WWE in 2019. He wrote, “Anything with the word ‘war’ in it is just not going to fly in @WWE in 2019. The #Warlord is now taking bookings at #VikingLord and old Attitude Era #Raw episodes have been renamed #RawIsViking”
Another fan asked Foley and James to “stop defending something so obviously bad” because it just makes it worse. James responded, “Only if you’ll admit that in 3 months, heck, 1 month, they’ll just be called, Viking Experience and more people will know that name than ever knew War Machine! I thought y’all were ‘woke’ c’mon man”
The Viking Experience teamed with The Revival for a win over Ricochet, Aleister Black and RAW Tag Team Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins on RAW this week. They got the pin on Hawkins, moving them closer to a title shot on the red brand. There’s no word yet on what the call-up will mean for their NXT Tag Team Titles, but we will keep you updated.
You can see the related tweets below:
Athletic, aggressive big men are often times “Money” in pro wrestling and have been for decades. #Raw
I’m a fan of #VikingExperience (maybe the name will grow on me) by any moniker. ??
@InglesAdvantage has JR’s! pic.twitter.com/bWVUGi78tk
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 16, 2019
Good debut and win for WAR MACHINE.#RAW@BustedOpenRadio
— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) April 16, 2019
While I don’t like The Viking Experience either, I doubt it really matters that much. Talent will get over a name. I thought The Undertaker was a stupid name when I heard it. Worked out okay for him in the end. #RAW
— Lance Storm (@LanceStorm) April 16, 2019
Hello, I’m 3X @WWE champion Mick Foley…and I am
LIKING THE VIKINGS here…right here on #RAW pic.twitter.com/G1yr3gDFHa— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 16, 2019
So maybe #VikingExperience wouldn’t have been my first choice, BUT, had there been social media in 1996, I’m guessing the name #Mankind would not have been greeted with much happiness either. Enjoy this match with Fergal ….um, Finn Balor.
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 16, 2019
Names can be tweaked, if the talent is there to back it up – which in this case, it is. Does the name “Kane the Undertaker” ring any bells?
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 16, 2019
Anything with the word “war” in it is just not going to fly in @WWE in 2019.
The #Warlord is now taking bookings at #VikingLord and old Attitude Era #Raw episodes have been renamed #RawIsViking https://t.co/PDORKHF88K— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 16, 2019
Look, I just wanted to express some happiness upon seeing @RAYMONDxROWE & @WarBeardHanson debut on #Raw. I never intended this to turn into a #TwitterViking with the @WWEUniverse
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 16, 2019
Beautifully said Mick! https://t.co/fgHxM0zuNJ
— Brian G. James (@WWERoadDogg) April 16, 2019
Nope, just calling out the knee jerk reactions only Mick said it with some tact!
— Brian G. James (@WWERoadDogg) April 16, 2019
Only if you’ll admit that in 3 months, heck, 1 month, they’ll just be called, Viking Experience and more people will know that name than ever knew War Machine! I thought y’all were “woke” c’mon man
— Brian G. James (@WWERoadDogg) April 16, 2019
But that’s up to the team, the talent themselves, right? Do you have faith in these guys talent? I do! It doesn’t matter what their name is! Lol sorry
— Brian G. James (@WWERoadDogg) April 16, 2019
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