Bellator signs former WWE champion, college wrestling standout Jake Hager

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TheEmperorRises

Right click hospital, left click cemetery
Dec 4, 2015
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Bellator MMA has signed former WWE star Jake Hager, better known by his ring name Jack Swagger, to compete in its heavyweight division, Hager announced Monday on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. Swagger said he’ll be making his debut in 2018.

Hager, 35, performed with WWE or its development territories for 11 years before being granted his release back in March. He’s a former WWE World Heavyweight champion and U.S. champion.

In legitimate competition, Hager was a standout at the University of Oklahoma as a wrestler. He set the Oklahoma single-season record for most pins in a season with 30 in 2006. He was also an All-American that year in the 129kg (285 pounds) weight class.

Hager, an Oklahoma native and Florida resident, has yet to make his MMA debut. Last month, he told FloSlam that he could be interested in one day fighting in mixed martial arts.



Full story here:
Bellator signs former WWE champion, college wrestling standout Jake Hager
 
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Haulport

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes
First 100
Jan 17, 2015
3,062
4,165
Shit I didn't see this thread and created one of my own. How did you not put "swagger" in your title muthafucka???
 

SongExotic2

ATM 3 CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. #FREECAIN
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
39,772
53,672
Hmmm

Had no idea he was into this kinda man slamming action.

Fwiw they say he was one of the most underused pro wrestlers of the last few years. Won the belt and then fell drastically from Grace and just never got back into any decent programming. Then people just forgot about him. He asked for his release this year.
 

IschKabibble

TMMAC Addict
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
15,829
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That's interesting. Will definitely be tuning in to see how it goes. Dude has freakishly long limbs.

 

Tiiimmmaaayyy

First 100 ish
Jan 19, 2015
7,990
9,940
So, he’s 35 with no pro fights and only expressed interest in fighting 6 months ago? Does he have any training besides wresting and rasslin?
 

ECC170

Monster's 11,ATM 2,Parlay Challenge,Hero GP Champ
Pro Fighter
Jan 23, 2015
14,376
23,677
So, he’s 35 with no pro fights and only expressed interest in fighting 6 months ago? Does he have any training besides wresting and rasslin?
D1 wrestling alone will go far at HW.. but to contend he better have gotten they hands crisp.
 

GSPTrainingInAPool

Man on the silver mountain
Dec 1, 2015
2,995
3,826
Bellators HW division is a weak. Their GP is full of LWH. I could see him becoming the champ unless he has a glass chin and terrible striking
 

TheEmperorRises

Right click hospital, left click cemetery
Dec 4, 2015
7,638
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Bellators HW division is a weak. Their GP is full of LWH. I could see him becoming the champ unless he has a glass chin and terrible striking
It's not bad, it's just they chose to go with their name guys instead of going with who deserves it. Hopefully they stack the undercard with guys like Fortune and Wren and they call these guys out.
 

Mix6APlix

The more you cry, the less I care.
Oct 20, 2015
12,918
13,449
Swagger v Punk openweight no time limit UFC 1 rules with a bunch of chick fights on the undercard.

Edit: $250 ppv.
 

TheEmperorRises

Right click hospital, left click cemetery
Dec 4, 2015
7,638
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Our sport isn`t growing.It`s declining.

Sorry Jake.
I still think it's growing. Bellator is hosting an event in Isreal on Friday (not a great one, but still). GSP' s return did over a million BUYS, and Conor's fight with Floyd definitely exposed new fans to the sport.
 
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LizaG

On Your Face
Nov 8, 2017
101
198
I love MMA, and I love Pro Wrestling, but not enjoying the crossover between the two :-/