Viktor Eric Thompson ( December 4 , 1980 ) , is a Canadian professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE under the ring name Viktor . He is currently one half of the The Ascension , with Konnor . He has also worked as APOC for Ohio Valley Wrestling , as well as WFX Wrestling . He has also worked for Stampede Wrestling in Canada . Professional wrestling career . Independent circuit ( 2001 - 2011 ) . Apoc began his career in the Hart Dungeon , under the teachings of Bruce and Ross Hart . He also received training under Tokyo Joe . He started working for Stampede Wrestling in 2001 as Bishop , later to be renamed " Apocalypse " which he continued to work as until 2008 . In Stampede Wrestling , he won the North American Heavyweight Championship . He also held the International Tag Team Championship twice with partner Dave Swift . He did a tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling as " The Shadow " in November – December 2003 . In his first match , he teamed with Scott Norton against Josh Barnett and Hiroyoshi Tenzan . He also had matches with Manabu Nakanishi and Tenzan . In addition , he teamed with Norton frequently on the tour . APOC would debut under the name Apocalypse for Derby City Wrestling in a thirty - man battle royal , which was eventually would be won by Electrico . Apocalypse would team up with Al Barone to take part in the DCW Tag Team Title Tournament but were defeated by Damian Adams & Jamin Olivencia in the first round . Apocalypse got to the final of the DCW Championship Tournament but would lose to Big Cat . For the rest of 2008 , Apocalypse would form multiple tag teams with Kharn Alexander , Vaughn Lilas and Fang . On January 16 , 2008 , APOC would debut under his new name Erik Doom and lost to Justin LaRouche . He would continue to lose most of his matches which is customary in nearly all wrestling promotions . Doom and Kharn Alexander lost to Los Locos ( Ramon & Raul ) in a match for the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship . He went back to his old name , Apocalypse before being renamed Apoc in late spring . On May 21 , Apoc toke on Nick Dinsmore for the OVW Heavyweight Championship but lost . Apoc teamed with Vaughn Lilas for several months before winning the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship from Darriel Kelly & Josh Lowry . The team would lose the titles to Dirty Money & Scott Cardinal in a championship vs $ 1000 match . After the lose the team would split and the two began feuding for the OVW Heavyweight Championship which Vaughn was currently holding . In February , Apoc beat Vaughn for the championship and would hold it for two months before losing it to Vaughn once again and regaining the championship in May . He would go on to lose the championship to Low Rider . While wrestling in Canada in 2010 , Apoc primarily wrestled for WFX Wrestling and Prairie Wrestling Alliance . He took on Jack Sloan for the PWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship twice but failed both times . He formed a stable with Kevin Thorn and Gangrel and took part in WFX Tag Team Championship Tournament but went out in the first round . He would go on to feud with the PWA Mayhem Champion Randy Myers , after losing a few times , APOC defeated Myers in a two out of three falls match for the championship . World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE . Developmental territories ( 2011 - 2013 ) . In February 2011 , Thompson signed a developmental contract with WWE and was assigned to their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling under the ring name Rick Victor . Victor made his televised in - ring debut for on the May 29 , 2011 episode of " FCW TV " , teaming with Leo Kruger in a loss to Hunico and Epico On the July 31 episode of " FCW TV " , Victor challenged Seth Rollins for his FCW 15 Championship , but was defeated . From April to May 2012 , Victor formed an association with the Anti - Divas ( Sofia Cortez and Paige ) . At a FCW live event on June 16 , 2012 , Victor defeated Seth Rollins to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship for the first time . Immediately afterwards , he lost the title to Bo Dallas in another match . He regained the title from Dallas at another FCW live event on July 13 , 2012 , making him a two - time champion . He lost the title to Richie Steamboat a week later . On July 28 , 2012 , Victor won the Florida Tag Team Championship with Brad Maddox . When WWE rebranded its developmental territory , FCW , into NXT Wrestling , Victor ' s NXT television debut took place on the first episode of the rebooted " WWE NXT " taped at Full Sail University , where he lost to Bo Dallas . On the July 12 episode of " NXT " , Victor confronted and slapped the NXT Champion , Seth Rollins , leading to Rollins facing and defeating Victor in a non - title match on the July 19 , 2012 " NXT " . The Ascension ( 2013 - Present ) . Victor resurfaced nearly a year later in " NXT " when he became Conor O ' Brian ' s partner in the Ascension . On September 12 , 2013 , the Ascension won the NXT Tag Team Championship . On November 10 , 2013 , Victor was given the name " Viktor " . On February 27 , 2014 at NXT Arrival , he and Konnor successfully defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against Too Cool . On May 29 , 2014 at NXT Takeover , they would again retain the NXT Tag Team Championship titles against El Local and Kalisto . A NXT Tag Team Tournament was set up for the winning team to become the # 1 contenders to face the Ascension at NXT Takeover II . On September 3 , the team of Kalisto and Sin Cara won the tournament to become the # 1 contenders and will face the Ascension at " Takeover II " . At " Takeover II " , The Ascension lost their NXT Tag Team Championship to Lucha Dragons . Still upset after losing the titles earlier that night , Viktor along with Konnor interrupted Hideo Itami ' s debut segment and proceeded to attack Itami and then demand a rematch . Itami recovered and cleared the ring of both members of the Ascension . Both members of the Ascension would continue their assault on Itami until Itami brought the debuting Finn Bálor on the November 6th episode of " NXT " to help stop the Ascension . A tag match between the Ascension and the team of Itami and Bálor was announced for the NXT Takeover : R Evolution special event . At " NXT Takeover : R Evolution " , The Ascension lost against Bálor , with a war paint look , and Itami at the special event . On the December 12 episode of " Smackdown " , a vignette aired for their call - up to the main roster . On the December 29th edition of " Raw " , they made their official main roster debut by defeating The Miz and Damien Mizdow . They made their " Smackdown " debut on January 2 when they defeated local wrestlers in a squash match . Extending their winning streak through more wins over local wrestlers , The Ascension would also criticize legendary WWE tag teams including Demolition and The Road Warriors . On the January 19th edition of " Raw " , also known as " Raw Reunion " on that night , The Ascension would confront the reuniting members of the New World Order members Kevin Nash , Scott Hall and X - Pac , and were about to attack them before they were interrupted and brought down by the Acolytes Protection Agency and the New Age Outlaws . Later that night it was announced that a tag match was set up between the Ascension and New Age Outlaws at the Royal Rumble pay - per - view . The Ascension would then defeat the New Age Outlaws at the event , continuing their winning streak .