NOVA Pro Wrestling (often referred to as simply NOVA Pro) was an American professional wrestling promotion that was established in 2015 based in Northern Virginia. The company's name came from the abbreviation of its location, Northern Virginia ("NoVa"). The promotion was founded by Mike King Jr., and his son, Mike E. King, with the intention to showcase the top independent wrestlers of Virginia, Maryland, and the general Mid-Atlantic region, as well as bring some of independent wrestling's popular names to the Northern Virginia area. The debut show, titled "The NOVA Project", took place on September 25, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. The promotion closed its doors in early 2019
History NOVA Pro Wrestling began on Friday, September 25, 2015, with its first show, "The NOVA Project", taking place at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, in Fairfax. The event was presented by the Virginia promotion Ground Xero Wrestling (GXW), and was run using their promoter's license and much of their equipment. The first show, casually referred to as a pilot episode, was considered a borderline success, despite several last minute changes to the card. This was primarily due to issues related to Virginia's licensing committee, as the show took place with only one of the originally advertised matches taking place as planned.
NOVA Pro waited until the new year to run again, this time with their own promoter's license. The first show of 2016, titled "Stay Vicious", ran on Sunday, January 31, 2016, from the Annandale Sports Center in Springfield, Virginia. The promotion would continue to run, both in Springfield and Fairfax, every other month until July, when the frequency increased to monthly shows, as the crowds continued to grow. The company celebrated their one-year anniversary with "The NOVA Project 2" on September 16, 2016, which featured the first steel cage match in the promotion's history, capping off a year-long feud between Sonjay Dutt and Logan Easton Laroux. The last show of the calendar year took place on Black Friday, November 25, 2016, and featured one of the last independent wrestling appearances of Chris Hero before his second stint with the WWE.
2017 began for NOVA Pro Wrestling, with "RELoad" on Friday, February 17, 2017 drawing one of its biggest crowds at a brand new venue, the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department in Annandale, Virginia. This location would split time with the original Fairfax location for the year, with NOVA's return to Fairfax hosting the first ever Commonwealth Cup on Friday, April 14, 2017. The one-night, 12-man tournament was won by Logan Easton Laroux, and was made even more significant by his win in the finals over Arik Royal, who had previously been undefeated in NOVA Pro since its inception in 2015.
2017 continued to be a year of firsts for NOVA Pro, as the company slowly discovered its identity. June 10, 2017 featured the first ever tryout show, "Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates", with a full NOVA Pro show, "Hi Fidelity", later that evening as well. The show "American Slang '17", on July 14, was main evented by NOVA's first ever ladder match, between PWI Ultra J Champion Chet Sterling and Logan Easton Laroux. "Cool for the Summer", on August 18, 2017, marked the company's first ever sold-out crowd, and was headlined by a No Disqualification intergender match between Angelus Layne and Keith Lee. This match came about as the focal point of a feud between Layne and promoter Mike E. King, after Layne threw a fireball at the promoter's face one month earlier. Lee was brought in to face Layne in the first intergender main event, though not the first or only instance of intergender wrestling in the promotion's history.
Friday, September 22, 2017 marked a second consecutive sell-out crowd, this time in the larger Fairfax venue, for "The NOVA Project 3". As the promotion entered its third year of operation, it enjoyed significant growth in exposure thanks to features in The Washington Post and Washington City Paper, as well as many national outlets, in part thanks to appearances from viral sensation "The Progressive Liberal" Daniel Richards. Around this time, the promotion signed with streaming service Powerbomb.TV to make past shows available on the site, and announce their first live-streamed show on Thursday, December 28, 2017, main evented by Powerbomb TV Independent Champion Jonathan Gresham defending against Sonjay Dutt.
In June 2018, NOVA Pro produced both a men's and women's Commonwealth Cup, although the early rounds of the Women's Cup were not available live as the show was a matinee. In addition, in September, it was announced that NOVA Pro would do a show outside Virginia for the first time as the company would perform as part of WrestleMania 35 weekend.
Events
2015 EventDateVenueLocationMain eventRef.The NOVA ProjectJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, Virginia
2016 EventDateVenueLocationMain eventRef.Stay ViciousAnnandale Sports ClubSpringfield, VirginiaLast Exit To SpringfieldAnnandale Sports ClubSpringfield, VirginiaYou Only Move TwiceJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaAmerican SlangJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaOne Crazy SummerJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaThe NOVA Project 2JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaSaturdays of ThunderAnnandale Sports ClubSpringfield, VirginiaParadise By The Dashboard LightJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, Virginia
2017 EventDateVenueLocationMain eventRef.RELoadAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaGreat ExpectationsAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaCommonwealth Cup 2017JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaThe Great GrapsyJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaLife Is Like A Box Of ChocolatesAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaHi FidelityAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaAmerican Slang '17JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaCool For The SummerAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaNOVA Project 3JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaPumpkin Spice LariatsAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, Virginia11th DimensionJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaSuch Great HeightsAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, Virginia
2018 EventDateVenueLocationMain eventRef.Cupid's ChokeholdAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaArik Royal vs Gunner MillerSink Or SwimAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaTim Donst vs. Logan Easton LaRouxRip Her To ShredsAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaAngelus Layne vs. RainOld Dominion RumbleJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaThe 30-entrant RumbleThreat of JoyAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaTracy Williams vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Logan Easton LaRoux for the Powerbomb.TV Independent Wrestling ChampionshipCommonwealth Cup 2018 - Annandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaShow #1: P.C.O. vs. Nick Gage in a men's first round match Show #2: Allie Kat vs. Angelus Layne in a women's semifinal
Show #3: Sage Phillips vs. Wheeler Yuta vs. Arik Royal vs. Tracy Williams in the men's final four-way elimination matchAmerican Slang '18JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaWheeler Yuta vs. HomicideHarlem NightsElk's LodgeFairfax, VirginiaTim Donst vs. Nick Gage in a Harlem Street FightSummer of GeorgeAnnandale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaTELEVISED: Wheeler YUTA and Tim Donst vs. Homicide and Nick Gage LIVE: Jonathan Gresham vs. Sage PhilipsNOVA Project 4JCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaTracy Williams vs. Jordynne Grace for the Powerbomb TV Independent ChampionshipSadie Hawkins InvitationalAnanndale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaBreaux Keller and Willow Nightingale vs. Veda Scott and Jason Cade vs. Arik Royal and Faye Jackson vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Allie Kat, Sadie Hawkins Invitational finals elimination tag matchStay Gold, PonyboyJCC of Northern VirginiaFairfax, VirginiaLogan Easton LaRoux, Travis Huckabee, Kevin Ku, Victor Benjamin, Jaxon Stone, Paul Jordane, Teddy King, and Beau Crockett vs. Lance Lude, Rob Killjoy, Arik Royal, John Kermon, Nick Iggy, Tripp Cassidy, Kerry Awful, and Innocent Isaiah in a Torneo CiberneticoHoppy PlaceOld Ox BreweryAshburn, VirginiaLogan Easton LaRoux vs. Allie Kat37 (In A Row?)Ananndale Volunteer Fire DepartmentAnnandale, VirginiaTerra Calaway vs. Brittany Blake, "Fans Bring the Weapons" match
Working relationships In 2016, NOVA Pro Wrestling became a member of the governing body known as Pro Wrestling International, which included other promotions in the southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, such as CWF Mid-Atlantic and Premiere Wrestling Xperience. The relationship with PWI lasted for two years, and included title defenses of the Ultra J Championship. On January 7, 2018, in a tweet from the official account, NOVA Pro announced that they were no longer a member of Pro Wrestling International.
In August 2017, NOVA Pro announced that they had linked up with the streaming service Powerbomb TV, with a staggered rollout of the entire library of shows. On September 6, 2017, “The NOVA Project” marked NOVA Pro Wrestling's debut to the streaming service. Later that month, it was announced that the show “Such Great Heights” on December 28, 2017 would be the first ever live streamed event in the promotion's history. NOVA Pro has announced that they will continue to stream live on Powerbomb TV going forward.
Championships Unlike typical professional wrestling promotions, NOVA did not feature any Championships. It did however conduct a number of tournaments.
Other accomplishments AccomplishmentLatest winner(s)Date wonLocationMen's Commonwealth CupWheeler YUTAAnnandale, VirginiaWomen's Commonwealth CupJordynne GraceAnnandale, VirginiaOld Dominion RumbleArik RoyalFairfax, Virginia
See also List of independent wrestling promotions in the United States Independent wrestling
References
External links
Twitter Facebook