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The Viking Raiders will clash with The New Day on WWE SmackDown. The upcoming tag team bout is a month in the making following the powerhouse tag team returning to the main roster in June.
Erik & Ivar have always been a dominant pair, but they've been relatively jovial throughout their WWE careers. Upon returning to SmackDown last month, their attitudes have seemingly changed.
The Skyscraping Shanky, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Jinder Mahal have been victimized by the former RAW Tag Team Champions. The Viking Raiders have defeated the tandem of Mahal & Shanky on WWE SmackDown twice in July. Now, they have a chance to beat The New Day.
What happens when the two teams go at it on SmackDown? Will The New Day conquer the Raiders? Will Erik & Ivar shut down The New Day and continue their path of dominance?
Below are five possible finishes for The New Day vs. The Viking Raiders on WWE SmackDown.
#5. The New Day could pull off a surprise win
Any tag team's biggest mistake is to underestimate The New Day. Big E, Xavier Woods, and Kofi Kingston have been a team for eight years, longer than almost any other faction in wrestling today. They have a wealth of experience as a group.
Their experience hasn't been primarily on the losing end, either. The trio has held tag team gold in WWE on almost a dozen occasions. Yes, they've found success in the singles ranks, but they've seen far more success when united.
The Viking Raiders have a power advantage, but The New Day could defeat the dominant duo on WWE SmackDown. It speaks to Erik & Ivar's dominance that The New Day win would feel like a fluke.
#4. The Viking Raiders may get disqualified on WWE SmackDown
Since returning to SmackDown, The Viking Raiders have been dominant. The former RAW Tag Team Champions have decimated The New Day and Jinder Mahal & Shanky.
Along with their new attitudes, Erik & Ivar have brought something else new to the table. Since returning to the blue brand, they have been sporting giant shields on their way to the ring.
Things might get out of hand when The New Day clashes with The Viking Raiders. If chaos ensues, Erik & Ivar may use their shields to bludgeon Kingston & Woods. While this would result in a loss for the Vikings, it would showcase their meanness.
#3. Big E could cause a distraction
Fans shouldn't forget that while Woods & Kingston are waving The New Day banner on their own, there's a third member of the faction. Big E is also a member of the now-legendary group.
Unfortunately, the big man suffered a devastating injury earlier this year. His recovery has been slow yet steady, but there's no indication if he'll ever wrestle again. It isn't yet known if he'll even want to. Just because Big E isn't competing doesn't mean he can't make an impact.
The former WWE Champion has been helping with recent tryouts, so he'll likely be backstage at SmackDown. If he is, the star may come out and distract The Viking Raiders long enough for The New Day to score a quick win. Fans would love to see Big E back.
#2. Jinder Mahal & Shanky may get involved
The New Day hasn't been the only target for Erik & Ivar. Since The Viking Raiders returned to SmackDown, they've regularly beaten up Shanky & Jinder Mahal.
Surprisingly, this may have been the best thing for the tag team. Before Erik & Ivar's return, Mahal & Shanky were constantly arguing. Shanky has shown a love for dancing, and Jinder wishes to hinder Shanky's moves. Yet, they've been more on the same page in recent weeks.
A few weeks ago, Shanky & Mahal worked with The New Day to get payback on The Viking Raiders. If Mahal & Shanky want to get their hands on the Raiders again, they may interfere in the match. If they don't cause a disqualification, they may cause enough of a distraction for Erik & Ivar to be pinned or counted out.
#1. The Viking Raiders could get a dominant win
The most obvious direction for the upcoming bout between The Viking Raiders and The New Day is for the powerhouse duo to win. In fact, Erik & Ivar should dominantly defeat Woods & Kingston.
While their rivalry is fun in the short term, a bigger plan should be in mind. The Street Profits and The Usos will clash at SummerSlam for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship. Regardless of who wins, new challengers are a must.
The Viking Raiders could be fresh opponents, especially with their new attitude. If Erik & Ivar defeat The New Day on SmackDown, they could battle whoever wins at SummerSlam. A dominant win with a decisive pinfall could prepare the Vikings for whatever comes next.
What happens when two successful tag teams collide on SmackDown? Will the powerhouse tandem of The Viking Raiders manage to defeat Woods & Kingston? Will The New Day pull off a big win? For now, we'll have to wait and see. Regardless, SmackDown will be a must-see show for this bout.
Speaking of SmackDown, click here for five possible finishes for Lacey Evans vs. Aliyah.
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