Ivar of the Viking Raiders was out of in-ring competition for approximately seven months prior to his return on RAW a few weeks ago when he got to finally team with Erik once again and reunite the Viking Raiders. Ivar recently appeared on WWE's The Bump, where he talked about the whole time he was at the WWE Performance Center doing rehab, he watched all the talents down there and he was helping out with their training and stuff. Ivar also said it's been so frustrating for him to sit on the sidelines and wanting to be cleared, so it was important for him to feel that energy again because it has been long since he did.
Ivar said, “The whole time I had been out, I was at the Performance Center doing rehab. I was there on Wednesday nights for NXT, and I watched all the talents down there, and I was helping out with the training and stuff. I was in it, but I wasn’t able to be in it.” ”It’s been so frustrating sitting on the sidelines and wanting to be cleared and in the ring. So, yeah. It was important for me to feel that energy again ’cause it’s been so long.”
Ivar then spoke about how he has always loved teaching and helping out newer talent or younger talent as it felt natural for him to go ahead and help with that, but it is also a learning thing for him as when you are helping younger talent, it is also a learning experience for older talent.
Ivar said, “I’ve always loved teaching and helping out newer talent or younger talent. It felt natural for me to go ahead and help with that.” “But it’s also a learning thing for me because when you’re helping younger talent, it’s also a learning experience for older talent. ‘Cause we get to see things with different eyes and in different ways."
“Being a coach at the Performance Center as opposed to being a coach at an independent promotion like I was before, I get to see things, again, differently than I ever have before. So, I come back with a lot more skill, mentally, than I ever have previously,” Ivar stated. “Not only does it help me, but it helps the younger talent. It’s a big win all around. I’ve loved every second of it, and it’s definitely helped me prepare for this next step in The Viking Raiders journey.”
Ivar then talked about back in the day when he trained Kofi Kingston and Sasha Banks.
Ivar said, “Not only did I get to be there for Sasha and be able to see that special moment, but I was able to see Kofi’s special moment two years earlier. I was there for Kofi’s day-one as well.” “To be there for those two historic and magical moments, it’s…you can’t really describe the feeling. You know exactly where they came from and the struggles that they went through to make it to where they were or where they got to at WrestleMania. Those are moments that will live forever. To be able to take the journey with them from day one is really indescribable.”
You can check out Ivar's comments in the video below:
