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On RAW, The Viking Raiders had gained popularity after a victory over Alpha Academy some time ago. However, since then, Erik from the popular faction has gone missing. Currently, only Ivar and Valhalla are making appearances on the red brand. This has led to fans wanting to know what happened to Erik.
The reason Erik has been absent from WWE programming is due to an injury. His last match was at a Main Event taping where he and Ivar defeated Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin. Since this match, the 39-year-old has been out of action due to injury. However, recently the RAW superstar shared some good news.
On Instagram, the former RAW Tag Team Champion said he had a successful C6/C7 surgery, and added his recovery begins now. The member of The Viking Raiders also expressed his gratitude to the doctors and WWE. He wrote:
"I cannot express the proper gratitude and thankfulness to the amazing Dr Cordover and his incredible staff @andrews_sports_medicine and St Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL and to @wwe for always making sure I have the best care possible. C6 / C7 fusion surgery was successful and recovery begins now. I’m excited for all the possibilities once my cybernetic upgrades come fully online."
Erik's successful surgery and recovery are good news for his fans and WWE. Before getting injured, the 39-year-old was enjoying a successful run with the Stamford-based promotion. Once he recovers, it will be interesting to see how the promotion pushes him and The Viking Raiders.
WWE is reportedly impressed with Ivar of The Viking Raiders
Erik's injury and absence from RAW led to Ivar getting a singles push on the red brand. While the latter was known for his credentials in tag team competition, he exceeded expectations by performing well in singles matches. Till now, Ivar has been heavily praised by the WWE Universe for his performances.
However, along with fans, Ivar has also reportedly managed to impress higher-ups in the Stamford-based promotion. As per Fightful Select, the promotion's original plan some time ago was to have a match between The Viking Raiders and The New Day. But due to the injury to Erik, a match between Kofi Kingston and Ivar was booked instead.
This match reportedly garnered several positive reactions backstage. One producer noted that despite not having a singles match that went over 10 minutes in the last five years, Ivar did not miss a beat. This comment is indeed massive for the member of The Viking Raiders.
While Ivar hasn't been used much recently, his follow-up matches against The New Day members were decent as well. His current run in singles competition is a huge positive for WWE since they can explore many potential angles with each member of The Viking Raiders.
Would you like to see The Viking Raiders have more singles matches upon Erik's return? Sound off in the comments section below.
