Piper Niven Addresses Confusion Surrounding Controversial UFC Tweet

Piper Niven had the internet talking this week after dropping a three-word jab at UFC—but now the WWE star is clearing the air and explaining exactly what she meant.

On June 19, WWE shared a promotional tweet hyping up the UFC 319 main event between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev, scheduled for August 16 at Chicago’s United Center. The post featured a presale code—“UFCWWE”—aimed at merging the two fanbases under the TKO umbrella.

Niven quote-tweeted it with three words that immediately set off alarms across both communities: “Fake and gay.”

The post sparked confusion, with many questioning whether Niven genuinely dislikes UFC or was trying to stir the pot. One fan directly asked her on Twitter, “Do you acc hate ufc genuine question?”

Niven replied: “No, I just saw an opportunity to do something funny and couldn’t get it out of my head until I did it.”

The phrase she used has a long (and controversial) history in internet culture—often used in early message boards and forums as a sarcastic or dismissive shot. While clearly intended as a joke, the comment reignited debate between pro wrestling and MMA fans, who’ve long had a rocky relationship despite now being under the same corporate roof.

It’s far from the first time the two fanbases have clashed—especially in crossover moments where talent from both sports share space on the same promotions. Still, Niven’s clarification helped ease some of the tension and reminded everyone it was, at least in her mind, all for the laugh.

Do you think Piper Niven’s tweet was harmless humor or did she cross a line? Drop your take in the comments and let us know how you feel about the WWE-UFC crossover.