Former WWE Superstar Jack Swagger Announces His Retirement From MMA

Jake Hager, formerly known as Jack Swagger during his WWE days, has been consistently portrayed as a formidable force in AEW since his arrival. He’s been a fixture on AEW television from its inaugural Dynamite episode. Notably, Hager also boasts a credible MMA background. However, it seems that Hager has officially announced his retirement from the world of MMA.

While Jake Hager has spent the majority of his career in professional wrestling, lately as a champion with a penchant for purple bucket hats, his side gig as an MMA fighter under Bellator MMA since 2017 has largely gone under the radar. It’s been three years since he last entered the cage for a professional fight, and there are no indications of that changing anytime soon.

Hager holds a respectable MMA record of 3 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw, all within the Bellator promotion. However, his last MMA bout was in October 2020 at Bellator 250. Since then, he shifted his focus back to his professional wrestling career.

Previously, Jake Hager expressed his desire to return to MMA in 2022 and even had a fight scheduled for October of that year. However, the fight never materialized. During a virtual signing event with K & S WrestleFest, Hager confirmed his retirement from MMA due to Bellator’s failure to provide him with a fight opportunity. He stated, “Officially, I’m retired from MMA. I trained hard last year but Bellator was jerking me off, and I retired, and I am now just focusing on wrestling.”

Even in the world of professional wrestling, Hager has maintained a limited schedule. In the current year, he has participated in just 14 matches within the AEW promotion. He was previously associated with the Jericho Appreciation Society but departed from the group in recent months. Instead, he has aligned himself with other former J.A.S. members and was recently involved in the Over Budget Charity Battle Royal during the All Out Zero Hour pre-show.

As for what’s next for Jake Hager in AEW, it remains to be seen. With his MMA career now officially concluded, fans are curious to know if AEW has any significant plans in store for him.

What are your thoughts on Jake Hager’s retirement from MMA? Do you believe he should have continued with it? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments!