10 Worst Wrestling Name Changes

Although Shorty G might have been an infamous example of WWE making a baffling decision, it still doesn't reach the wild heights of this rebranding.

When War Machine made it to WWE, it was logical to give them an alternative name, as this was a family show, and their moniker was aggressive/violent by nature. The team of Rowe and Hanson began their NXT career under the name The War Raiders, and while it wasn't quite as punchy, it seemed like a good compromise. But, things were about to get weird.

Eventually, the team made their way to the main roster, and they had their names changed to Erik and Ivar. This wasn't too bad, but their team name caused an instant backlash as they were billed The Viking Experience.

There are so many flaws with this, and it's unfathomable as to why someone would sign off on it. What exactly does the name convey? They're Vikings all of a sudden? Are they also an experience? Are they a tourist attraction? It made the Shining Stars make sense by comparison.

It's pretty rare for WWE to change its mind on something after fan backlash, so the fact that this name was ditched in favour of The Viking Raiders within a week goes to show how poorly it was received.