7 minute read
The Unstoppable David George
NH boxing and wrestling commissioner and business owner brings the fight to many rings
BY LYNNE SNIERSON / PHOTOS BY WANDERING WILDFLOWERS PHOTOGRAPHY
It’s often said that up until age 40 life is only a dress rehearsal. Now, newly minted New Hampshire state boxing and wrestling commissioner, former MMA fighter and promoter, lumberjack, published author and business owner David George is starring in front of the footlights.
“Everything up until now has been practice. Now, I’m recreating my entire life,” says George, who turned 40 in September and lives in Hampstead with his wife, Danielle, and daughters Ava, 14, Kiana, 12, and Savannah, 3. “It’s game on.”
Six months ago, he retired from the tree industry, where he had spent 23 years as a climber and lumberjack while founding and owning the successful Free Bird Tree Service company. Through the years, he was also a major player on the combat sports scene.
“I started training in martial arts when I was 19, and then I saw my first (MMA) show ever in New Hampshire. I thought it was amazing,” George says. “I’m an adrenaline junkie, so I had to try this. I love being an athlete, and conditioning and pushing myself. My first fight was in Revere, Massachusetts, at the old Wonderland Dog Track.”
He was 22 and won in two minutes of the first round.
“It was exhilarating. The energy was incredible. I wanted more. I needed more,” George says. “My second fight was in Derry and went the full three rounds to a decision, and I won again. When you’re a warrior and you put in everything you have inside of you and you win, that’s the reward.”
His third bout in 2007 included much more drama. During his training camp, not only did his fight scheduled at Wonderland fall through, but the entire card was scratched because the promoter was going under. He requested a sit-down with him. By meeting’s end, George had bought his company, Combat Zone Mixed Martial Arts (CZMMA). He was 24.
“I became the promoter of an event I competed in, which is really messed up. They have rules against that, but the sport was still unsanctioned in Massachusetts, so there were no rules that night,” he says. “It was a learning experience to the fullest. I got my first loss as a competitor and my first real experience of how much of a disaster promoting my first show was. It was live and learn to the max.”
He rebranded and rebuilt CZMMA by taking on the role of matchmaker and promoting popular fight cards at the old Rockingham Park in Salem. When he sold the business to the Kattar Brothers, Calvin and Jamison, in 2013, it was the most successful and longest running MMA promotion in New England.
It was also a full-circle moment. Calvin Kattar rose to UFC superstardom fighting for George at The Rock, and as of press time, he was the #8 ranked featherweight in the world.
Earlier this year, there was a significant turnover on the five-member New Hampshire Boxing and Wrestling Commission. Bobby Stephen, 83, who is legendary in the fight world and in the Granite State, retired in February after 50 years (many of which as commission chair), and Art Nolin, 90, resigned in March after 30 years of service. Calvin Kattar recommended George fill an open spot.
“I took a leap of faith, wrote a resume and sent it in. It’s an honor to be nominated by Gov. Sununu and confirmed by the Executive Council,” George says. “Moreover, it’s a way for me to explore the political arena and get my foot in the door. It’s opening my awareness and allowing me to learn more. I come from the combat sports world, and it’s been a big part of my life, but for me this appointment is a lot larger than sitting cage-side at an event.”
Nolin says, “David is a class act. He is a perfect gentleman and a wonderful person. He knows the MMA inside and out. He’s an excellent addition to the commission. They couldn’t have gotten anyone finer.”
Or busier. George is also the owner of Incredible Publishing and has authored four books — three for children, which are a collaboration with his daughters and illustrated by them— and he is finishing a fifth.
Along his journey, he was recruited by CBS-TV for a role in the cast of “Survivor.” He learned the true meaning of the word when he had to turn down the invitation at age 28 because he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Despite surgery and chemotherapy, it later metastasized into his spine and came back again before he defeated the disease the third time around.
“I could have been a reality TV star. It’s ironic that I had the opportunity to be a cast member on “Survivor” and I put time and energy into trying for that, and instead I became focused on trying to be a survivor in my real life,” he says.
“That changed my direction and my perspective. I became devoted to self-reflection and to spending quality time with my wife and children. I developed a passion for writing, and these books I wrote with my daughters enrich my relationship with them and strengthen our connection.”
He’s also part-owner of the e-commerce premium watch company NOTU and is taking on an executive role with the established New Hampshire-based CBD company Primary Jane. He is also pursuing a model, TV and film career in the New England market and has an established portfolio and website (DavidGeorgeModels.com).
“It’s not easy to shift your life at 40. You have to be unstoppable,” he says. “It’s about being great, expecting more than others think is practical or possible. My dad taught me to never feel scared or stuck, and to see life as a great adventure. That’s how I live my life. I’m living the most crazy, wonderful, exciting, full life, and I believe it’s only going to get better.”
Writing and Illustrating Books is a Family Business for the Georges
“Story by: Pops. Written and Illustrated by Ava D. & Kiana.” That’s on the cover of the children’s book titled “Work or Play, Make the Best of Your Day,” which is the creation of the George family of Hampstead.
“I created Incredible Publishing in 2018 because I always wanted to write children’s picture books,” David George says. “For a while I struggled with what to do about the illustrations and considered hiring someone. A family member suggested my children should do it. That’s when the light bulb went off.”
He turned the family dining room into an art studio, gave young daughters Ava and Kiana a set of oil pastels, and told them to have fun. They did, the book was published, and two more young artists — cousin Aliya and neighbor Juliette — joined future projects “Penny and the Pig; a Fun Way to Talk About Currency” and “Fun Never Stops.” Once sister Savannah came along, by the age of 2, she was involved in the next book, “Keep it Simple.”
“The greatest part was working with the children and finding what we could draw that a child could draw and would go with the words. That was the fun part of it,” George says. “What is amazing through working with the children through the years is to see their thinking, skills, and talent improve since we did the first book. That is very rewarding.”
“Keep it Simple” is entirely in black and white.
“I had to figure out a way to do the illustrations with a 2-year-old. Savannah did it all. Ava and Kiana did all the penmanship,” George says. “This book, done by three daughters and a father, is the most magical book I’ve ever put together.”
