Ray Rowe's Journey to Erik

Erik? Rowe? Either way, he'll kill it. Photo Credit: WWE.com

In August of 2014, Ray Rowe suffered a motorcycle accident where struck a car and went flying through the rear windshield. When the dust cleared, he was in a hospital with his wrestling career in jeopardy. Motorcycle accidents are usually bad news for the ones riding the bike. So when he showed up at Inspire Pro's Ecstasy of Gold II on January 4, 2015, that alone was reason enough to feel an incredible amount of thanks for the man. A recovery time of four months from such a horrific accident is nothing short of miraculous. Everything after would be gravy, which makes his arrival last night to RAW a gravy train.

Rowe and his partner Hanson took everywhere they went by storm as War Machine and then the War Raiders in NXT. Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and NXT all showed how they were one of the most brutal and unique tag teams out there. As the list of names have proven over the years, success in NXT doesn't exactly translate into escalation on the main roster. So getting to RAW is only the first start in a difficult journey, especially given the handicap Vince McMahon and his braintrust gave them out of the gate. Hanson became "Ivar" and Rowe was renamed "Erik." The War Raiders had become The Viking Experience.

A lot can be said about WWE's naming conventions. A company that has rebranded people with names familiar and obscure with things I'd be embarrassed to call characters in fictions that I'd never show anyone else somehow destroyed rock bottom and careened into the abyss of awful names. Not since the Submission Sorority has anything come close. The Viking Experience has been roasted online because it sounds like a softcore Nordic-themed porn, a rocking-ship ride at an amusement park with Norse marauder theme, a LARPing outfit, really, anything but a wrestling tag team. It makes "Lucky Cannon" sound like "'Stone Cold' Steve Austin." McMahon has been out of touch for a long, long time, but this proves he should probably be put out to pasture for good. Hey, I hear he's got a whole new football league to run in the spring of next year though.

No matter what the obstacles though, Rowe, or Erik, I guess, will make the best of his opportunity. He wouldn't have come all the way back from his injuries if he didn't. I wouldn't be surprised if the former War Raiders lit the RAW tag division on fire in spite of the names given to them. WWE is littered with stories of wrestlers who overcame obstacles placed in front of them. If Erik fails, it won't be because of a lack of effort on his part.