Piper Niven

Piper Niven Bio

Kimberly Benson is a Scottish professional wrestler born on 6 May 1991 in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Piper Niven and is a member of The Green Regime stable. Benson began her wrestling career in 2007 and has competed under multiple ring names including Viper and Doudrop during her journey through independent promotions and international wrestling organizations.

Before joining WWE, Benson established herself as a prominent figure in the UK independent circuit and gained international experience competing in Japan for World Wonder Ring Stardom and in the United States for Shimmer Women Athletes. Her impressive performances in these promotions led to her participation in the 2017 Mae Young Classic tournament, which ultimately resulted in WWE signing her to a contract in 2019.

Early Life and Background

Kimberly Benson was born and raised in Kilbirnie, Scotland. Growing up, she kept her passion for professional wrestling private because she worried her female friends would consider it unusual, as they viewed wrestling as a sport primarily for men. This hidden interest persisted until Benson was fifteen years old, when her oldest nephew began watching wrestling. This shared experience rekindled her passion and gave her the confidence to be open about enjoying the sport.

Benson began training in professional wrestling at age fifteen. According to her own account, she debuted one year after beginning her training. She has described her early training experience as intense, recalling being completely beaten up and lying in bed the next day in agony, yet finding herself compelled to return to training because she loved it so much.

Her dedication to the sport led her to pursue wrestling seriously, setting the foundation for what would become a successful professional career spanning multiple countries and promotions.

Path to Professional Wrestling

Benson launched her professional wrestling career on the UK independent circuit in 2007, adopting the ring name Viper. She quickly made a name for herself through her performances and began expanding her reach beyond the United Kingdom. Her talent and hard work earned her opportunities to compete in the American independent promotion Shimmer Women Athletes, further building her reputation in the wrestling world.

In 2016, Benson began competing in Japan for World Wonder Ring Stardom, one of the premier women’s wrestling promotions globally. Her international experience helped her develop as a performer and gain valuable exposure to different wrestling styles and audiences. During this period, she also appeared on ITV World of Sport Wrestling as part of a special program on New Year’s Eve 2016.

Her breakthrough moment came in 2017 when WWE invited her to participate in the Mae Young Classic, an all-women’s tournament. Benson had to request a release from her World of Sport Wrestling contract to compete in the tournament. She adopted the ring name Piper Niven for the tournament because her previous ring name Viper was already associated with WWE superstar Randy Orton. The name Niven was chosen as a tribute to her father, combined with her childhood experience playing the bagpipes.

Piper Niven Career

Early Career (2007-2019)

Benson’s early career was marked by significant achievements on the independent circuit. She made her debut for Insane Championship Wrestling in February 2013 under the ring name Viper. In November 2015, she became the inaugural ICW Women’s Champion, winning a tournament final against Kay Lee Ray and Nikki Storm at Fear & Loathing VIII. She regained the title in 2018 during an episode of ICW Fight Club, holding it for 283 days before losing to Kay Lee Ray in the inaugural Queen of Insanity match.

During her time in Japan with World Wonder Ring Stardom, Benson achieved major championship success. On 13 August 2017, she joined Queen’s Quest alongside Io Shirai and HZK to win the Artist of Stardom Championship from Team Jungle. The team successfully defended the title three times before vacating it in April 2018 following a draft, ending their reign at 245 days. In March 2018, she defeated Toni Storm to capture the SWA World Championship, also unifying it with her ICW Women’s Championship. She held the SWA World Championship for 292 days before losing to Utami Hayashishita in January 2019.

NXT UK Era (2019-2021)

Benson officially joined WWE in March 2019, making her debut on the NXT UK brand under the ring name Piper Niven. She confronted Rhea Ripley in her first appearance, establishing herself as a competitor in the NXT UK women’s division. Her first televised WWE match occurred in April 2019 at WWE Worlds Collide, where she defeated Zelina Vega of SmackDown in a cross-brand match.

In January 2020, Niven competed in a triple threat match against Toni Storm and Kay Lee Ray for the NXT UK Women’s Championship at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II, though she was defeated and pinned by Kay Lee Ray. She continued to challenge for the championship throughout 2020, facing Kay Lee Ray in September and again in November in a Falls Count Anywhere match that ended in a loss due to interference from Jinny. In March 2021, Niven competed in NXT UK’s first-ever mixed tag team match, teaming with Jack Starz to defeat Jinny and Joseph Conners in what would be her final appearance for the brand.

Raw and Main Roster Breakthrough (2021-2023)

In June 2021, Niven was traded to the Raw brand, debuting as Eva Marie’s unnamed protege and defeating Naomi in her first match. The following week, Marie introduced her as Doudrop. Their partnership was short-lived, with Doudrop turning against Marie at SummerSlam 2021. She went on to defeat Marie twice in September and challenged Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship. Doudrop also competed in the Queen’s Crown tournament, defeating Natalya and Shayna Baszler before losing to Zelina Vega in the finals at Crown Jewel.

In early 2022, Doudrop challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship at Royal Rumble after winning a triple threat number one contendership match. She also participated in the Elimination Chamber match for a Raw Women’s Championship opportunity at WrestleMania 38. Later that year, she pursued and won the WWE 24/7 Championship twice. She formed a tag team with Nikki A.S.H. in May 2022, with the pair challenging for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship throughout the summer and competing at NXT Worlds Collide.

SmackDown Era (2023-Present)

Doudrop returned to the Piper Niven ring name in January 2023, participating in the Royal Rumble match as the 18th entrant. She lasted over 28 minutes and eliminated two competitors before being eliminated by Raquel Rodriguez. In August 2023, Niven returned to Raw and became Chelsea Green’s new tag partner for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship after Green’s previous partner Sonya Deville was injured.

Niven and Green won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, with WWE recognizing Niven’s reign as a continuation of Deville’s. They successfully defended their titles against Chase University at NXT: Halloween Havoc and against Natalya and Tegan Nox on Raw. In December 2023, they lost the titles to Kayden Carter and Katana Chance, ending their reign at 126 days. At the 2024 WWE Draft, Niven and Green were drafted to the SmackDown brand. In June 2024, Niven challenged Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship at Clash at the Castle: Scotland but was unsuccessful.

Current Team and The Green Regime (2024-Present)

Following Chelsea Green’s victory to become the inaugural Women’s United States Champion at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2024, Niven took on the role of Green’s bodyguard. This character was dubbed Green’s Secret Hervice, a pun on Secret Service. In March 2025, fellow Scottish wrestler Alba Fyre aligned herself with Green and formed a tag team with Niven. The trio became known as The Green Regime stable on the SmackDown brand.

Style and Strengths

Niven’s wrestling style is characterized by her powerful finishing move, the Loch Ness Slam, which is a spinning side slam. Her ability to work as both a singles competitor and a tag team specialist has made her a versatile performer. During her alliance with Chelsea Green, Niven demonstrated her ability to adapt her character, taking on the role of a protection agent while maintaining her effectiveness in the ring.

Notable Events and Milestones

Niven’s career is highlighted by multiple championship victories across different promotions. She became the inaugural ICW Women’s Champion and won the title twice during her independent career. In Japan, she captured the Artist of Stardom Championship as part of Queen’s Quest and held the SWA World Championship for nearly 300 days. In WWE, she has won the WWE 24/7 Championship twice and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship once. Her participation in the 2017 Mae Young Classic served as her pathway to WWE, where she has become a main roster performer competing at major events including Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and Elimination Chamber.

Piper Niven Career Wins

Throughout her career spanning nearly two decades, Piper Niven has accumulated championship victories across multiple promotions and countries. Her success includes titles in the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States, establishing her as an accomplished international wrestler. She has held both singles and tag team championships, demonstrating her versatility as a competitor.

World Wonder Ring Stardom Highlights

Niven’s most significant achievement in Japan came in August 2017 when she won the Artist of Stardom Championship as part of Queen’s Quest alongside Io Shirai and HZK. The team successfully defended the championship three times during their 245-day reign. In March 2018, she defeated Toni Storm to win the SWA World Championship, holding the title for 292 days until January 2019.

Insane Championship Wrestling Highlights

Niven’s career in Insane Championship Wrestling was highlighted by her becoming the inaugural ICW Women’s Champion in November 2015. She won the championship in a tournament final against Kay Lee Ray and Nikki Storm. She regained the title in 2018 and held it for 283 days before losing to Kay Lee Ray in the Queen of Insanity match.

WWE Highlights

In WWE, Niven has won the WWE 24/7 Championship twice during 2022. Her most significant WWE achievement came as part of a tag team with Chelsea Green, winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship in 2023. Their reign lasted 126 days with successful title defenses on both Raw and NXT programming.

Piper Niven Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Piper Niven, born Kimberly Benson, hails from Kilbirnie in Ayrshire, Scotland. Her ring name Niven was chosen as a tribute to her father, using his first name as part of her wrestling identity. Growing up in Scotland, she developed a connection to Scottish culture, which included playing the bagpipes as a child. This musical background influenced her ring name selection when she transitioned to WWE.

Personal Life

Benson publicly came out as bisexual on Celebrate Bisexuality Day in 2019. She has also been open about living with Bell’s palsy, a condition that affects facial muscles. In September 2021, Benson married her husband. Throughout her career, she has maintained connections to her Scottish heritage while building her life as a professional wrestler traveling internationally for her work.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season began with significant developments for Piper Niven as she solidified her role within The Green Regime stable on SmackDown. In March 2025, the formation of this alliance with Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre created a powerful trio on the SmackDown brand. This grouping positioned Niven as a key protector and enforcer for the group, particularly supporting Green as the reigning Women’s United States Champion.

However, Niven’s 2025 season faced a major setback in September when reports emerged indicating she had suffered a serious neck injury that would keep her out of action indefinitely. This injury occurred during what had been a productive period as part of The Green Regime, forcing her to step away from wrestling competition. The injury timeline and recovery process will determine when she can return to active competition and resume her role within the stable.

Before her injury, Niven had been contributing to The Green Regime’s presence on SmackDown programming, working alongside Green and Fyre in various capacities. Her power and experience had made her an valuable asset to the group, and her absence presents a challenge for the stable’s dynamics moving forward. The wrestling community awaits updates on her recovery and potential return to the ring.