On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer has stated that UK sensation Viper – who competed in the inaugural WWE Mae Young Classic as Piper Niven – has turned down an offer from the new All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and will be heading to the WWE when her current deal with World of Sport expires sometime in the coming months. Many were surprised the standout from the first Mae Young Classic wasn’t announced for the NXT UK brand last year, but it turned out she had committed to World of Sport’s reboot this past year instead.
The 27-year old from Ayrshire, Scotland has been wrestling since she was only 16, coming out of the Source Wrestling School, where she was trained by Mikey Whiplash and WWE Superstar Killian Dain (formerly Big Damo). She soon debuted with the Scottish Wrestling Alliance (SWA) in 2009, and then Pro Wrestling EVE in 2011. She really broke out in the UK scene in 2013, when she began to work regularly with Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW), and has since gone on to work for SHIMMER and Shine in the US, as well as other British promotions like Defiant Wrestling, Preston City Wrestling (PCW), and Southside Wrestling Entertainment (SWE).
In 2016, she travelled to Japan to begin working with Stardom, the country’s top joshi promotion, where she still works regularly. She’s also worked more in the US, with Bar Wrestling and RISE, as well as in Germany with Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw). Viper is the current reigning EVE International Champion and Stardom Wrestling Alliance (SWA) Undisputed World Women’s Champion, and is a former 2x ICW Women’s Champion. With Viper reportedly WWE bound in the coming months, it will be interesting to see if her best friend, another former Mae Young Classic and NXT competitor, Kay Lee Ray, will join Viper in NXT UK when her own WOS deal expires, or if she’ll take the chance with AEW.
