Jake Hager, also known as former WWE champ Jack Swagger, has announced his retirement from MMA following a four-fight stint in Bellator, stating he is now focusing on wrestling.
Jake Hager, at the age of 41, has declared his departure from MMA following a four-match run in Bellator. He last partook in a Bellator battle in October 2020, where he triumphed over Brandon Calton at Bellator 250 in a tight-split decision. During a live autograph signing at K&S Wrestlefest, he announced his retirement publicly. He stated, “Officially, I’m retired from MMA,”. He expressed his experiences with Bellator as unsatisfactory, which ultimately led him to switch his focus solely to wrestling.
A representative from Bellator corroborated the news, confirming the end of Hager’s tenure with the promotional company a few weeks earlier. Reassuring their relationship with the newly retired fighter, the company representative implied a mutual parting of ways, stating, “We are on great terms with Jake.”. Jake, formerly known as the WWE champion Jack Swagger, had initially caused a stir in the MMA arena. His debut in Bellator was in January 2019, shortly after which he claimed two consecutive victories. However, a no-contest outcome in his third match due to repeated accidental groin kicks to his opposite number tainted his early successes.
In an arduous three-round contest with ex-Pittsburgh Steeler Brandon Calton, who almost knocked him out in the second round, Hager barely hung on before eventually winning on points. His bravery received wide recognition from pro-wrestling colleagues, such as Chris Jericho, and AEW, an organization he formerly affiliated with post his WWE exit. There is recent speculation about a potential acquisition of Bellator by rival MMA promoter PFL. However, there has been no official announcement. Notably, Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull mentions the possible sale might act as a catalyst for his move to the UFC.