6 Ups & 1 Down From WWE SmackDown (July 29)

3. Domination (Viking Style)

The Viking Raider New Day
WWE.com

Last week's countout win over Jinder Mahal and Shanky was a colossal step backwards for The Viking Raiders. On Friday, Erik and Ivar confidently stepped back out of that creative misery towards something brighter - they positively pasted New Day members Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

Ooft, this was good stuff.

It's always fun when heel teams are built up as destroyers who don't give a toss about anybody but themselves. The Viking Raiders smashed New Day around, then wrecked Woods' ankle with an old-school Steve Austin on Brian Pillman homage.

Using their shields was also a nice touch that added to the moment and sold the uniqueness of Erik and Ivar as characters. This is how you hype up a heel unit to be something special, people. It's the kind of booking these Raiders could've done with a good few years ago.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.