10 Dominant NXT Forces (That Were Ruined Immediately On WWE's Main Roster)
3. The Viking Raiders
The former 'War Machine' came to NXT with a solid reputation as one of the most hard-hitting tag teams in the business and they immediately made their mark on the tag division.
Their deceptive agility and speed meant they could hang with some of the more high-flying tag teams, whilst also being able to mix it up with brawlers. They were a versatile duo that could connect and surprise any audience they were put in front of.
They were another example of an act that were good to go, no need to tweak anything. So, of course, Vince changed everything.
Hanson & Rowe became Erik & Ivar and their NXT name 'War Raiders' was initially changed to 'The Viking Experience', sounding less like a formidable tag team and more like a bad school trip.
Their team name was quickly changed to 'The Viking Raiders' which is slightly better, I guess.
A Raw Tag Team Championship reign and main event matches against Seth Rollins' stable did offer a sense of hope that the company were behind them, but the lack of interest in the tag team division overall has often left Erik & Ivar floating around the card with nothing to focus on.