One of the most intriguing narratives within the entertainment field, regardless of the form the genre takes, is the dichotomy of how the performers balance their lives off-screen as compared to the place they hold on-screen. It’s so much a part of the fabric of show business that the narrative itself has become a part of some of most ironic stories of the industry.
Peter Parker worked for The Daily Bugle in the afternoon before he clashed with The Green Goblin in the evening as Spider Man, Bruce Wayne was a CEO during the day before Batman battled The Joker, and Clark Kent reported for Metropolis’ Daily Planet newspaper when he saved the world as Super Man.
It’s no surprise that professional wrestling, an art form where heroes and villains in distinctive outfits, can have a similar dynamic, as seemingly average citizens in the daylight are transformed by the bright lights of the ring when the opening bell sounds for that night’s action.
For George Zavadak, he’s an average educated guy with a good job, making a solid living, and working on new recipes in the kitchen when he isn’t on the clock in the office. A graduate of law school, Zavadak works as a lawyer, shifting through land contracts and researching building codes throughout the counties and townships of western Pennsylvania. It’s not uncommon for him to have thick directories on his desk of zoning laws next an to equally gigantic cup of coffee to keep him sharp as he scans the details of each page.
A lawyer, a comfortable paycheck, and an endless work ethic to make the most of his career opportunities seems to check all the boxes for a nice average American existence. However, George’s life is anything but average.
Every week, multiple times a week, Zavadak trades in the suit and tie for a stripped shirt to referee the in-ring action as close as his hometown or as far away as several states from home.
“I do a lot of traveling, but I’ve always tried to not let how far away a possible career making opportunity is dissuade me,” George explained.
Nothing exemplified the balancing act between the mundane and the mayhem more than his travels just a few weeks ago when he was invited to officiate at The Gathering of The Juggalos, a four-day festival of a combination of music, pro wrestling, and other events. Over the course of the work week, Zavadak made the five-hour round trip from suburban Pittsburgh to Thronville, Ohio three different times to be able to check-in at the office for his legal duties of the contractual nature before he had legal duties as referee George Ross in front of the notoriously rabid Juggalo crowd throughout the festival.
On August 15th, as he wrapped up the legal filings in the office on a Friday afternoon, he shared the ring former multi-time WWE champion, Nic Nemeth and independent standout, Atticus Cogar to count the Cogar victory that night.
“I do my best to keep as diverse of an offering of companies on my calendar as possible. One night you may see me at Enjoy Wrestling and the next night I may be reffing a deathmatch tournament or be on tour with JCW,” he added.
Pittsburgh, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey are all on Ross’ calendar this month alone, but he’s already worked his way through just the typical independent circuit. He also had a cup of coffee as a referee on TNA television and has worked with the organization in almost every facet possible over the past few years. In the past, Ross would drive or fly to TNA events to work as an assistant in any role needed, as he added even more versatility to his tool belt.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything for TNA. From extra work to security to selling t-shirts and other assorted merchandise to fans. The biggest moment though had to be making my referee debut at the ECW Arena on last year’s July 4th episode. Any time I’m there, I try to study how things are done, and I do my best to carry some of the better operational practices to indie shows to make them better,” George said.
In an effort to continue with that versatility and become more well-rounded in as many areas of the business as possible, George became a fixture, both in front of and behind the camera, of 880 Wrestling, an upstart league that began in his hometown before it switched locations to Pittsburgh’s south side. The 880 concept was based on an open door policy, welcoming anyone from any background that wanted to try to chase their pro wrestling dreams. Naturally, there are a lot of youngsters that go through the doors of 880, and that allows George to use his seven years of experience to help guide them throughout their early journey in the sport.
“I got involved when it was a New Kensington project at its beginning, but I’ve even taken on a bigger role as things keep going forward. It always provides for an interesting Thursday night. I’m a Swiss Army knife at 880 Wrestling. Depending on the night, I could be the iron man ref. I could be the one timing out the show to make sure matches and segments don’t run too long. I could be helping agent segments or matches to help come up with finishes. I could be helping set up and tear down the ring for whatever next spot show we have,” Ross commented.
Through a tireless work ethic, countless miles on the road, and too many mugs of coffee to count, George Zavadak made himself a staple of the business on his home turf, across the independent scene in different states, and an occasional appearance on the semi-national level, but he stays motivated with “the hustle never ends” mentality to try to reach the biggest peaks possible in the industry.
“I’m still in a bit of a weird spot where I love what I’m doing and I acknowledge how lucky I am to be doing it, but balancing it against wanting to achieve even more and reach the highest possible levels I can in this business. I’m having more fun in wrestling now more than ever. And I’ll keep having fun while trying to chase my dream of getting signed somewhere,” he remarked.
“Referee Ross is someone that you want on your show. He’s an example of professionalism that enhances everything he’s involved with, in the ring or behind the scenes,” added Declan Finnegan, color commentator for the West Virginia-based Victory Championship Wrestling
A reflection of his dedication to the accomplishments of his hometown and his aspirations to make it big on a national level, George cites the useful knowledge that those close to home were willing to share with him, as well as the reason behind his motivation to continue to grind his way through the independent circuit every weekend just for the chance to make the most of every possible opportunity.
“I have a stated goal of wanting to be held in the same regard as a lot of the great referees that have come through the Steel City. Mark Curtis, Shawn Patrick, Bobby Williams, CJ Sensation, Joe Mandak, Nick Brown, but I want to be known for having done it walking his own path. A lot of people have graciously shared their knowledge with me and I just want to have the kind of career worthy of my teachers at the end of the day,” Zavadak concluded.
For more information about George, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/george.zavadak
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
