Erik and Ivar, commonly known as The Viking Raiders on WWE SmackDown, weren't initially intended to be major fighters in the business.
If the promotion's NFSW intentions had been implemented, the face-painted,
shield-carrying celebrities would have been the exact reverse of their existing personas.
At a period when the notorious clan had achieved legendary status in fields like film and video games,
their Viking-like gimmick became a big success. They quickly took home the NXT Tag Team Title and continued to rule the main roster.
Unexpectedly, The Viking Raiders were first proposed for their own OnlyFans in WWE.
The concept was born after they "inadvertently created Ivar a ladies' man persona," according to former WWE creative writer Chris Dunn, who worked there from 2016 to 2021.