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“I DON’T want fans to look at me and believe in me – I want them to look at me and believe in YOU.”
So says history maker and Scottish ring queen Viper. She is set to co-main event the biggest ever women’s wrestling show in Europe run by the pioneering promotion ProWrestling:EVE at London’s York Hall on May 5. At the epicentre will be the talented “Vixen of Violence” taking on Japanese legend AJA Kong in a once-in-a-lifetime bout on UK soil. She says: “I am equally excited and terrified if I’m honest!” Ayrshire native Viper boasts vast experience, havdifferent. ing wrestled in Stardom in Japan, over the UK for ICW, EVE, ITV, Rev Pro and others and in WWE’s Mae Young Classic last year.
“I don’t want to say it’s the highest point in my career,” says the 26-yearold. “It’s the highest point in my career so far.
“I’ve got no intention of slowing down.”
WWE efforts to achieve parity for women in recent times are most welcome, but EVE is a different animal altogether, with a self-styled punk rock, feminist mantra – empowerment in every exchange.
Veteran
This is their biggest step into the mainstream, having garnered media attention over the past year.
“EVE is the grassroots,” says Viper. “They have always believed women’s wrestling should be getting the attention it’s getting now.”
Viper is an EVE veteran, working since its inception, and is looking forward to celebrating their eighth anniversary next month, the week after the York Hall show. She is swift to pay tribute to owners Dann and Emily Read’s vision, drive and commitment.
“It was a different ball game. With the mixed shows there was maybe only space for one women’s match on a show, but with Dann and Emily, it gave us a chance to learn, to be It was a platform to grow. I am so proud to be a part of EVE.”
Trained by Big Damo (Killian Dain) and Mikey Whiplash, Viper heaps praise on their attitude, bringing in the likes of Fergal “Finn Balor” Devitt to broaden their horizons.
The raft of talent from that corner of Scotland active now at the top level speaks for that philosophy.
Viper is an articulate, intelligent and confident young woman with the world at her feet and says she is delighted to be a role model to women who might not yet have that confidence in themselves.
“It’s not that I didn’t have amazing role models growing up, it was just hard for me to see them in the fields I wanted them in!
“It was harder to see women who didn’t fit the mould a few years ago – and it didn’t make any sense whatsoever! This is wrestling! You put a 130lb girl in the ring with me, who’s going to win?
“I had a period in my life where I was low on confidence. I didn’t want to go out because I was worried what people might think.
“One day I thought why do I care about what other people think? The only person responsible for your happiness is you.”