On April 15, 2019, they debuted on Raw as "The Viking Experience", with Rowe and Hanson now called "Erik" and "Ivar".[20] This new name was very negatively received on social media.[21]Pro Wrestling Insider reported that another name considered was "The Berzerkers".[22] They teamed with The Revival to defeat the team of Aleister Black, Ricochet, Curt Hawkins, andZack Ryder. The next week, the team was renamed "The Viking Raiders" while their finisher was renamed to "The Viking Experience".[23] They relinquished the NXT Tag Team Championships at the May 1 NXT television tapings (aired May 15). After relinquishing the championship, however, The Viking Raiders were challenged to one final NXT match for the titles by The Street Profits. The match, however, ended in a disqualification after The Forgotten Sons attacked Ivar, followed by an ensuing brawl between the teams.[24]
On the September 9, 2019 episode of Raw in Madison Square Garden, The Viking Raiders saved Cedric Alexander from The O.C., thus turning face once again.[25] On the October 14 episode of Raw, Erik and Ivar captured the Raw Tag Team Championship from Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler, becoming the first tag team in history to win tag team championships in ROH, New Japan and WWE.[26] However, they suffered their first loss as a team in WWE at Crown Jewel in a tag team turmoil match for the WWE Tag Team World Cup, ultimately losing the last match against The O.C. At Survivor Series, they defeated The New Day and The Undisputed Era in a champions triple threat tag team match, scoring Raw's only victory at the event, which was ultimately won by NXT. On the January 20th episode of Raw they lost the titles to Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy ending their reign at 98 days.[27] On the May 4 episode of Raw, The Viking Raiders defeated The Street Profits in a non-title match. In the following weeks, The Viking Raiders would feud with The Street Profits as they faced each other in several competitions such as basketball, axe-throwing, golf, bowling, and a decathlon which was later dubbed as the "Anything You Can Do, We Can Do Better" series. A running gag in these segments would see the women involved in the competitions flirting with Ivar and ignoring Erik much to his annoyance. The series would end with a 3–3 tie between the Street Profits and The Viking Raiders.[28] This led to a match scheduled between the two teams for the Raw Tag Team Titles at Backlash. However, the match never began as The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders brawled backstage which also saw them work together to fend off Akira Tozawa and a gang of ninjas on motorcycles. The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders continued brawling afterwards until they fell into a dumpster.[29] On the June 22 episode of Raw, The Viking Raiders finally received their Raw Tag Team Title match against The Street Profits where they were defeated.[30] On the September 7 episode of Raw, The Hurt Business defeated Apollo Crews, Ricochet, and the Raiders in an eight-man tag team match, with Alexander scoring the pinfall over Ricochet, with the match being forced to an abrupt ending due to Ivar suffering a legitimate cervical injury during the match.[31][32] On September 14, Ivar underwent successful surgery to repair a neck injury thus rendering him out of action and putting the team on hiatus.[33][34]
After a seven month absence, The Viking Raiders returned on the April 12, 2021 episode of Raw, defeating Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin. On the June 7 episode of Raw, The Viking Raiders would win a battle royal to determine to #1 contenders for the Raw Tag Titles. It would be announced that The Viking Raiders would face the Raw Tag Team champions, AJ Styles and Omos at Money In The Bank.[35][36] At the event, The Viking Raiders would fail to capture the titles, as Styles and Omos retained.[37]
Brand switches (2021–2024)
In the 2021 Draft, The Viking Raiders were drafted to the SmackDown brand. On February 19, 2022 at the Elimination Chamber, they were attacked by The Usos before their match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, but on the March 4 episode of SmackDown they unsuccessfully challenged the Usos for the titles. On the June 24 show of SmackDown the Viking Raiders would return with new gear and face paint, being called "The Vicious" Viking Raiders, and would violently attack The New Day & Shanky, turning heel for the first time in their careers, and began a feud with the New Day ending on the September 2 show of SmackDown in a Viking Rules Match (No rules, Falls Count Anywhere) which the Viking Raiders won. It was later reported that Erik suffered an injured foot in that match, and will be sidelined indefinitely, putting the team on hiatus.
On the May 14, 2024 show of NXT, Ivar, Wes Lee and Josh Briggs were victims from a backstage attack by the returning Gallus. Ivar would later confirm that he is suffering from a spinal injury, putting him and the tag team out of action indefinitely.
Return (2024–present)
In October 2024, cryptic messages began airing on Raw featuring Nordic characters that translate to "WAR" to promote the team's return. On the October 14 episode of Raw, Ivar and Erik returned defeating Alpha Academy reverting back to their War Raiders name and gimmick. They would win the World Tag Team Championship from Finn Bálor and McDonagh on the December 16 episode of Raw.[39]
^Khan, Steve (15 April 2019). "WWE Raw results: The Superstar Shake-up begins". f4wonline.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019. War Raiders are now The Viking Experience. They've also been given new individual names: Erik (Rowe) and... Ivar (Hanson).
