Commander Nova unmasks in front of the IPW New Zealand crowd (photo courtesy of @dfuphotos)
The independents are the backbone of professional wrestling. Many wrestlers across the world cut their teeth in front of small crowds before finding stardom, cultivating relationships with audiences and chemistry with different stylistic wrestlers alike. DSR/CBC’s latest series, Indie Darling, aims to highlight the talents of different talents across the globe to show that pro-wrestling transcends physical borders.
Our first featured wrestler, Commander Nova is a professional wrestler hailing from Auckland, New Zealand. In early July, Nova made the decision to turn on his Nu Blood brethren and former best friend Zac Kelly before unmasking in front of the live Impact Pro Wrestling (IPW) New Zealand crowd.
I had the pleasure of watching both Nova and Kelly tag across three different shows during my semester abroad in Auckland last year. Going to my first IPW New Zealand show, IPW Reckoning, I didn’t know what to expect. One of the matches that had piqued my interest in the show was the 2-out-of-3 falls match scheduled between SAS and Nu Blood. I love tag wrestling, I love the stipulation, what could go wrong? Man, little did I know I was about to discover one of my favorite tag teams. From their first entrance together, I was Team Nu Blood. The chemistry these two men had together could only be crafted by years of friendship. Mix that with their fast-paced offensive style and natural fire, I could tell why the crowd loved this team. Hands down that match became my match of the night, a tough feat considering the main event of that show was a beautifully violent dog collar match. Still, a year and a half later, probably one of my favorite matches I’ve seen live.
Needless to say, I was shocked to see Nova’s decision to separate from Kelly, in a quite violent manner too. However, I knew that the two talented wrestlers were only going to be able to co-exist for so long before the inevitable split happened. Now you may be thinking, especially any readers back in Aotearoa New Zealand, “Why interview not interview Zac Kelly? His friend just turned on him!” Trust me, I am a Zac Kelly fan too (sorry Nova), but it has truly yet to be seen how these actions will change Kelly, for better or for worse. Instead, Nova has taken his actions, no matter how cruel, in stride to define a new era of his career. One where it is truly him vs the rest of the Aotearoa New Zealand wrestling scene. As Nova starts to venture down this path alone, only one thing is on his mind: to make Aotearoa New Zealand wrestling more serious as he sets out for championship gold alone.
Adding “Nu” Blood to the Aotearoa New Zealand Tag Scene
Zac Kelly (left) and Commander Nova (right) pose for the IPW New Zealand crowd (photo courtesy of @dfuphotos)
In order to properly understand this mission, I think some context in regard to the Aotearoa New Zealand wrestling climate is needed. As explained to me by Nova, the country originally was home to an NWA territory. Stars like Rick Flair and Dusty Rhodes frequently traveled to the country prior to the territory's collapse. By the 2000s, pro-wrestling began to reemerge as a handful of people taught themselves how to wrestle, passing it down from wrestler to wrestler. Today, new stars like New Japan’s HENARE and British standout Ringo Ryan bring experience to a burgeoning scene ready to raise the standard. This a scene ready to be taken seriously with talent capable of wrestling outside of the island country.
No one wrestler, in my opinion, matches these sentiments more than Commander Nova — formerly known as Kid Nova. Together with Zac Kelly, the former friends came together to form Nu Blood with a mission to make tag wrestling feel important again. “We set out to make tag team wrestling not just a sideshow act but show everyone that it deserved to be at the top of the card…” recounted Nova as the two young men set out to make tag history.
As a duo, Nova and Kelly became one of the longest running and one of the most successful tag teams in Aotearoa New Zealand. During their over half decade as Nu Blood, the team’s 406-day long IPW Aotearoa New Zealand Tag Team Championship reign became the longest in the promotion’s history. Beloved by the Kiwi crowd, Nu Blood also claimed the title of “Best Tag Team or Faction” in the yearly NZPWI People’s Choice Awards from 2022-2024. Together, they proved that tag wrestling wasn’t only for “wrestlers who aren't good enough to be singles guys”, becoming trend-setters in the growing Aotearoa tag scene.
While finding success together as a tag team, both men would occasionally venture off into singles competition. In 2024, Nova would claim the One Above All Championship in Heathen Combat. During his almost year-long reign as the promotion’s top champion, he fielded challenges from some of the country’s top stars like former champions Vic Craig and Horus. Quickly, Nova’s reign as One Above All champion became a pivotal point in his career. “Having the confidence to know I was able to succeed at the top of the card in a highly competitive company like Heathen Combat was a huge boost in my confidence in singles competition,” expressed Nova.
His first challenger of his 357-day reign? None other than his best friend Zac Kelly. However, Kelly would ultimately get the upper hand in September of 2025 in a sold-out rematch against his Nu Blood stablemate, crowning him as the new and current One Above All Champion. This would mark the beginning of the end of their time together as a tag team and ultimately, their friendship.
Despite both men proclaiming for months that “Nu Blood is fine”, Nova would make the death of Nu Blood known at IPW’s yearly Fans Bring the Weapons event on July 11th – an event the two had main evented and sold out together less than a year prior. After their loss, Nova maimed Kelly in the center of the ring in front of a stunned Kiwi crowd. After being separated, Nova made the shocking decision to remove the mask he had worn for his entire career. The official start of a new era.
The New Nova
Nova attacks Kelly after their loss at IPW New Zealand’s Fans Bring the Weapons (photo courtesy of @dfuphotos)
Anger towards Zac Kelly and IPW management as a whole fueled Nova’s actions that night. Knowing that all tag team partnerships often turn sour, he made the decision to “trim the fat” and cut himself off from Kelly before it was too late. “What people don't realize are the small things behind the scenes, the arguments, the side glances, and the difference of opinion,” Nova explained. In his eyes, Nova only turned on Kelly to prevent Kelly from doing the same to him.
The decision to unmask, however, was much tougher. Prior to July 11th, Nova had only wrestled without his mask once during his career. Despite going back and forth on the decision, he ultimately decided that it was officially time for a change. “People had to know that this wasn't just a small lapse in judgment… [it] put a hard full stop on the chapter of Nu Blood,” described Nova. “I wasn't going to leave any doubt that I am a new me.”
Similar to when he and Kelly set out to form Nu Blood, Nova has one goal in mind for this new era: to restore real wrestling to Aotearoa New Zealand. The type of wrestling similar to the likes of greats like Bryan Danielson, Zack Sabre Jr, and William Regal – all of whom have influenced Nova’s style over the years. Making short work of this mission, Nova specifically called out Pariah and former IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Champion Jayrilla. Both men, from Nova’s perspective, embody the type of wrestling he wants to eradicate from the country due to both men’s outlandish, but entertaining, characters.
When looking to the future, Nova knows that his former friend likely isn’t finished with him, despite his belief that he is done with his former tag partner. However, if Kelly does decide to “cling” to Nova, he stated he will “happily dislocate his other shoulder.” Beyond that, Nova has some other ambitions in mind like wrestling internationally, establishing himself as a singles competitor, reclaiming his One Above All Championship, and, most importantly, winning the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship.
Hearing this, I leapt at the opportunity to ask him about another friend of his, the three-time and current IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Champion, Horus. Another personal standout from my time abroad, the “Duke of Death” has solidified himself as one of the top singles talents in the country, a path he paved with the blood of his opponents. Before the Nu Blood split, both Horus and Nova have found themselves as teammates or opponents on many occasions. I wondered how the two stood now that Nova and Kelly had gone their separate ways.
Turns out their relationship had been on the rocks prior to Nova’s actions on July 11th, their desire to both climb to the top clearly taking a toll on their friendship. “[Horus] is a jealous, bitter man who can't handle the fact I'm pushing him out of the spotlight he's held for so long,” remarked Nova, believing that these feelings stem from their competition for the coveted spot of ‘Ace’ in Heathen Combat.
Moving forward into this next phase of his career, Nova has tough shoes to fill given the legacy Nu Blood as left in the Aotearoa New Zealand wrestling history books. As he ventures down this path alone, I believe he has the passion and ambition to succeed in the competitive environment the country has created. However, I do wonder if in an effort to move towards his own endeavors, he has turned strong friendships into powerful enemies. With former and current champions in the mix across multiple promotions, the Aotearoa New Zealand wrestling scene is set for an explosive, and probably bloody, future. At its forefront, two former friends that redefined an entire tag division and, despite Nova’s wishes, are destined to meet across the ring from each other for years to come.
To fans new to Commander Nova’s work, he recommends Nu Blood vs SAS at IPW Fans Bring the Weapons and himself vs Zac Kelly at Heathen Combat's heavydirtysouls as must-watch matches from his career. To stay up to date with Commander Nova’s work, you can find him on Instagram or follow IPW and Heathen Combat. He also wanted to highlight his partner’s podcast, Skull and Microphones, which can be found on Spotify.
Feature images courtesy of @dfuphotos on Instagram
Amanda Woods is an independent filmmaker and writer residing in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. She loves any medium that is able to tell a good story. Recently, she’s fallen in love with international pro wrestling, having watched matches in three different countries and hopes to travel for more shows soon! Amanda really should have a website to view all of her work, but for now, her Instagram page will do.