WWC in Puerto Rico announced on Sunday that the former World Heavyweight Champion would be making an appearance on their 53rd Anniversario show on June 26 in San Juan. This marks his first pro wrestling match since the end of 2024.
Hager is best known for his run in WWE under the name Jack Swagger, where he held the World Heavyweight title at one point before departing the company in 2017. He made appearances during the fourth season of Lucha Underground before jumping to AEW in 2019, where he was mostly associated with Chris Jericho and his various stables early in AEW’s run. Once that group disbanded, Hager was used sparingly before leaving in 2024.
Tony Khan drama & Power Slap debut
In interviews since his departure, Hager has been critical of Tony Khan, saying AEW’s president “can’t make himself a sandwich, let alone write a storyline that will [last]” and said AEW changed when Cody Rhodes left for WWE in 2022.
Last month Hager made his Power Slap debut and won his debut match that took place during WrestleMania 42 weekend.
Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and former Bellator MMA fighter Jake Hager made his Power Slap debut on Friday a successful one.
Hager won by third round knockout over Devin “Big Jinxx” Jenkins (seen below).
Hager’s AEW contract expired in May 2024 and he was very critical of Tony Khan in an interview that came out last year, saying he was “very jaded” about his exit and lobbing claims about FTR that the team later refuted. He wrestled ten times following that exit, but has not been in the ring since November 2024.
He competed four times for the now-defunct Bellator MMA, going 3-0-1 and last fighting in October 2020. In a September 2023 interview, he said he was retired from MMA.
Also on the show, Lance Anoa’i scored a knockout win over Amanpreet Singh in his Power Slap debut while “Hollyhood” Haley J picked up a decision win over Destiny McCubbin.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including WWE Elimination Chamber, Jake Hager doing Slap Fight, Mark Nash, the RAW line-up for tonight, Paramount and WBD and how AEW might be affected, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Former WWE and AEW wrestler Jake Hager is getting back into the combat sports game.
On TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast, Hager revealed that he will be debuting for Dana White’s Power Slap promotion next month. He’s signed a six-appearance contract with the slap fighting company and will be making his debut during a show that’s taking place during WrestleMania week. The event will be broadcast on YouTube.
“I’m so excited to announce that I’ve signed with UFC Power Slap, and they are doing a show April 17 in Vegas live. That’s the Friday before Mania. I’ll be competing in that show in the heavyweight division,” the former Jack Swagger announced. “I’ve been told that I have a very slappable face, so I’m sure the line will be around the corner.”
Recruiting indie wrestlers into Power Slap has been a goal for the organization. Hager told Inside the Ring that Sinn Bodhi (former WWE wrestler Kizarny) works for Power Slap and was the person who reached out to him about joining the group.
Though slap fighting has drawn a lot of controversy for its risk of head injuries, Hager isn’t worried about that possibility.
“I mean, you know what you signed up for. You’re signing up to get slapped and trying to slap someone back as hard as you can,” he said. “So I expect injuries to happen. I know UFC does a great job of covering all expenses related to the injuries. I’m not worried about it, to be honest.”
Hager had a few fights for Bellator MMA from 2019-2020 but told Inside the Ring that he doesn’t think an MMA comeback is in store given that he’s about to turn 44 years old. A pro wrestling return could happen, though, despite Hager previously calling himself retired. Hager said he would like to get back into the ring now that his body is feeling better after some time off.
If a pro wrestling return does happen for Hager, it likely will not be in AEW. Hager has been very critical of AEW’s Tony Khan in other interviews, though Hager did have fun while with the promotion and appreciates that he got to be part of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle faction.
Hager said he does not keep up with the WWE or AEW product at the moment, telling Inside the Ring that he’s busy being a father and managing the trucking company he owns.
“I definitely don’t watch AEW,” he responded when asked if he still watches WWE or AEW programming. “Like you said, I was a founding member of that company. I don’t watch a lot of pro wrestling or MMA right now. I’m pretty busy with the company and keeping the wheels turning. When I do have some downtime, I’m playing video games with my kids or playing soccer with my daughter.”
Following his comments about AEW to Chris Van Vliet earlier this week, Jake Hager had more to say during a recent interview with Bill Apter, Dutch Mantell, and Dr. Chris Featherstone of Sportskeeda.
Hager was critical of Tony Khan’s booking, saying he can help create a big debut but isn’t able to craft storylines that last.
Hager said:
“He can’t make himself a sandwich, let alone write a storyline that will at last. He can spend a lot of money and make a big debut and make a lot of fireworks.”
Hager said he believes things in AEW began to change when Cody Rhodes left in early 2022.
“I think everything changed after (Cody Rhodes) left because he was involved with it and after that, it just kind of became a free for all. Young Bucks and Kenny still had a big say in what they were doing. Chris obviously still had a big say in what he was doing, but even Chris, he would tell me that Tony would not respond to his messages for like two weeks.“
Hager says he’s not sure if AEW was a top priority for Khan considering the other businesses he is involved with.
“It became a point to where either AEW is important or it’s not. It just seems like it was not to him because they stopped doing production meetings, they stopped doing anything to make the show timely. We would be waiting around till like 5:00 PM to find out what we’re doing that day.”
Hager says the only reason he was ever signed to AEW was because of Chris Jericho.
“The only reason why I got signed with AEW is because of Chris Jericho, so I’m very thankful for that. Tony wanted nothing to do with me because I was from the fed and he’s an indie darling guy, and I dare you to argue with me about that. He wants flips and hamburgers and hot dogs and not storylines.”
Jake Hager’s full interview with Bill Apter, Dutch Mantell, and Dr. Chris Featherstone of Sportskeeda is available below:
FTR are refuting a claim made by Jake Hager during a recent podcast appearance.
On a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet that debuted today, Hager discussed his 2024 departure from AEW and feeling jaded with pro wrestling due to the experience. He also took shots at Tony Khan, including recalling a meeting where Khan supposedly spoke disrespectfully to talent.
Hager said the meeting happened after “all of the [CM] Punk sh*t” went down in 2022 and was supposed to be wrestlers-only, but Khan stormed into the room and spoke. Hager claimed that Khan told the talent, “Listen, I’ll put you in a six-man, six minutes before the show and you’re going to do it.”
A reason for the alleged outburst, Hager said, was that someone had refused to come to TV that day because they didn’t like the creative. Hager said he thought it was FTR who refused to come to the show.
“Cash and I were at the all-talent only meeting that was called by Bryan, Jericho, and Mox. Tony never interrupted,” Dax Harwood of FTR tweeted in response to Hager’s comments. “Cash and I have NEVER refused to show up to work and, I’d to dare say, if you look at our schedules since Collision started, we’re the most consistent talent that make BOTH shows EVERY WEEK. Im not really sure where all this is coming from, but it’s mostly not true.”
Cash Wheeler also refuted what Hager said about FTR. On social media, he shared a DM exchange with Hager from today:
After joining the promotion in 2019, Hager’s time with AEW ended in a mutual departure last year when his contract expired. Hager said during the Insight episode that he felt disrespected when AEW only offered him an 18-month contract following his initial deal. He signed that extension in 2022 but knew the writing was on the wall and felt like Khan didn’t want him in AEW.
FTR competed at this Sunday’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view, where they were part of a three-way match for the AEW Tag Team titles. Brody King & Bandido won the match to dethrone Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin.
Jake Hager — who is now retired from the ring — feels jaded with pro wrestling following the way his AEW run ended.
The 43-year-old Hager recently confirmed that he’s stepped away from wrestling and is now focused on a trucking company he’s running in Florida, along with being a father to his two children. He rose to notoriety in WWE as Jack Swagger before later coming to AEW for a nearly five-year stint that ended in a mutual departure last year when his contract expired.
Appearing on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Hager discussed feeling jaded after his time with AEW.
“Absolutely,” he responded when asked if there was a moment where he stopped loving wrestling. “I’m very jaded from my exit at AEW. Like, I’m very proud of the stuff I did there, but at the same time, I find myself questioning right now. I wish I would have just stayed in MMA at some point.”
Hager competed in four MMA fights for Bellator from 2019-2020, with two of them overlapping with his AEW career.
Being part of the Inner Circle and Jericho Appreciation Society in AEW was one of Hager’s favorite things he’s ever done in wrestling. Hager had so much fun doing that, but he felt disrespected when he was only offered an 18-month contract after his first AEW deal. Though he re-signed, Hager knew the writing was on the wall and felt like Tony Khan didn’t want him in AEW.
“The negotiation process was very one-way,” Hager said. “And I could tell that — well, anyways, I always find a way to say this every day, so I think everyone should too: say, ‘F*ck Tony Khan.’ I could tell that he didn’t want me there. He offered me like a year and a half. I was like, bro, I just did Stadium Stampede twice. Don’t act like Stadium Stampede didn’t put AEW on the map. I was in the debut episode, I was the big spoiler. And you offer me 18 months after all that? So it was that and the way that he started running the business that it really — like he wasn’t a professional.”
Hager claimed that after “all of the [CM] Punk sh*t” went down there was a meeting that was just between the wrestlers. Veterans like Sting, Paul Wight, Chris Jericho, Bryan Danielson, and Jon Moxley were talking through the situation, but then Khan came into the room.
“Lo and behold, who comes into the room storming in — daddy’s little billionaire. And he’s like yelling at us, because I think it was Dax [Harwood] and Cash Wheeler didn’t want to come in, they didn’t like the storylines, so they refused to come to TV that day.
“And he was like, ‘Listen, I’ll put you in a six-man, six minutes before the show and you’re going to do it.’ And we’re all just like all feeling disrespected,” Hager said. “And I still to this day wish I would have stood up and said, you know, a lot of things, but, like, you just told Sting that you’re going to put him in a six-man and six minutes, but then you’re going to honor him for his retirement. We were all, we became his little playthings.”
Hager said Khan was good with starting storylines but could never follow through with them.
“You couldn’t tell him anything. He couldn’t take criticism,” Hager said. “He was f*cking up and we were all just having to deal with it. You know, like we all had blood, sweat, and tears put into that company. We were all there at the beginning. Like, we all had our careers behind us that helped build that company. And then we all had to just sit side-by-side and couldn’t do anything because he wanted to run it the way he wanted to run it.”
Hager said AEW did pay him well while he was with the promotion. When he left the company, his shoulder was banged up, he had just gotten divorced, and he had to sell the house he had lived in for 13 years. Hager is happy to be on the other side of that now and is blessed to have such great kids and great parents.
When it comes to wrestling, Hager feels like he accomplished the things he really cared about and is grateful to have done it.
Jake Hager — who had stints with both AEW and WWE during his pro wrestling career — is stepping away from the ring.
Appearing on a new episode of Saraya’s Rulebreakers podcast, the former Jack Swagger said he’s pretty much retired from wrestling. He’s now focused on a trucking company he’s started called “Haulin’ Oats” that’s operating in Florida.
“I’m getting out of wrestling. I’m pretty much, I can say I’m retired from it,” the 43-year-old Hager said. “I started a trucking company. And so, running routes through Tampa and Florida. I’m not driving, not me. I got people driving. I’m excited. Something to stick my teeth into, you know, hard work always pays off.”
Hager said his kids are now 13 and 10 years old, and he’s enjoying being a father and being home with them. He also sells insurance in addition to his new trucking venture.
In 2024, Hager departed AEW when his contract with the promotion expired. He had been with AEW since 2019.
He previously spent almost a decade with WWE, where he had one World Heavyweight Championship reign as Jack Swagger. Saraya questioned if he would return to WWE if they called, but Hager said that he probably wouldn’t.
Hager, who has a background in amateur wrestling, fought for Bellator MMA four times between 2019-2020.
A member of the roster since the first episode of Dynamite, Jake Hager’s time with AEW has come to an end for the time being as his contract has reportedly expired, making him a free agent.
The news was first reported by Bodyslam Tuesday, coming on the same day Arn Anderson said his time with AEW is over and a day after Mark Henry said the same.
According to the report, the decision was mutual between the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and AEW to part ways. He has yet to acknowledge the news on social media, but earlier this month, he revealed he will take on James Storm for Battleground Championship Wrestling this July in Philadelphia.
The 42-year-old debuted for the company on the aforementioned debut Dynamite in October 2019, joining Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle. His in-ring debut came at March 2020’s Revolution with a win over Dustin Rhodes.
He had 62 total matches over his near-five years in the AEW ring, but never held a title while competing for the AEW World title, the TNT title and the former All-Atlantic title. As part of several Jericho factions, Hager competed in the first-ever Stadium Stampede match (and later another), the first-ever Blood & Guts match (and later another) and the first-ever Anarchy in the Arena match.
Used sparingly this year, Hager only wrestled twice in 2024 and was last seen in a defeat to Roderick Strong on a late-February edition of Rampage. He signed a contract extension in 2022, but the years were never disclosed.
Current AEW wrestler and former WWE World Champion Jake Hager has retired from MMA.
Hager revealed the news during a virtual signing on Tuesday while alluding to some displeasure with Bellator MMA which is where he was under contract.
“Officially, I’m retired from MMA. I trained hard last year, but Bellator was jerking me off. I retired and I am now just focusing on wrestling,” he said.
The 41-year-old retires with a 3-0-1 record, all in the Bellator cage.
He started his run in 2019 with two straight first round submission wins but then tallied a no contest in the same year due to repeated accidental groin strikes that rendered his opponent unable to continue. He returned with a split decision win in late-2020 and never fought again.
In July of 2022, the standout amateur wrestler at the University of Oklahoma said he wanted to fight twice that year and claimed he had a fight on the books for October but that never came to be.
Hager has wrestled sparingly on AEW TV this year, last competing in a battle royal at September’s All Out which was preceded by his appearance in the Royal Rampage in July. His last singles match in the company was in June.
The next title challenger for AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm is official.
Skye Blue picked up a win on Friday’s Rampage in a four-way that included Britt Baker, Nyla Rose and Mercedes Martinez to earn her title opportunity that will come this Wednesday on Dynamite.
Blue earned the victory by pinning Rose as Baker and Martinez fought on the outside of the ring. She will be looking for her first AEW title of any kind.
After regaining the title at last month’s Double or Nothing, Storm will be looking for the third defense of the gold.
In another new match announced Friday, TNT Champion Wardlow will defend against Jake Hager. This is Wardlow’s first match since defending the title against Christian Cage at last month’s Double or Nothing.
The new additions join the previously announced MJF vs. Adam Cole AEW World title eliminator match, the Blackpool Combat Club vs. The Elite trios match, and eight-man tag team match featuring the return of Sting.
Here’s the current card for Washington, DC:
AEW World title eliminator: MJF vs. Adam Cole
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm defends against Skye Blue
TNT Champion Wardlow defends against Jake Hager
The Elite (Hangman Page & The Young Bucks) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta)
Sting, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy & Keith Lee vs. Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona)
Jake Hager will likely remain in AEW for the foreseeable future.
During an interview with Inside the Ropes released on Wednesday, Chris Jericho revealed that Hager has signed a contract extension with the company .
Jericho was asked about Angelo Parker and Matt Menard having signed extensions with AEW last month and responded that Hager had as well.
“Jake Hager too, they all got contract extensions,” Jericho said.
“I’ve told the story many times about how the Jericho Appreciation Society came to be. It was never planned, it was just something that happened in accordance to the circumstances that we were facing. I think the moment the five of us got together, it was a different vibe than the Inner Circle but I knew those guys were really good.”
“I do feel proud that they got contract extensions, raises, everything in-between,” Jericho continued.
“They earned it, they earned it by showing what they can do.”
Jericho would continue to speak about his backstage role in AEW.
“I don’t need a job title to help the company, I do it every day. Whenever I show up to TV, it’s constant working from 2 o’clock until the show is over and that’s if I’m wrestling or not. That’s the way it should be. I mean, there’s not a lot of guys that have been doing this as long as I have.”
“I don’t have a problem with giving advice and helping people, it’s what I’m there for, it’s part of my job. It doesn’t have to be written on a business card or director of EVPs, or whatever the f**k it is, who cares? I’m Chris Jericho, that trumps all of that.”
Jake Hager will be stepping back in the cage for Bellator in the coming months.
During a virtual signing with Captain’s Corner earlier this week, Hager was asked how many more MMA fights he wants to have and responded that he has a fight scheduled for October and is hoping to fight again in December as well.
“I feel like I’m still coming into my prime even though I just turned 40 years old. I have a fight in October. I’d like to fight again in December,” Hager said. “So, I think I still have plenty of MMA fights left.”
Hager also confirmed that the fight has yet to be officially announced. Bellator has an event scheduled for October 29 in Milan, Italy but it is not clear if that is the show Hager’s fight is planned for.
The Jericho Appreciation Society member listed Ryan Bader and Fedor Emelianenko as fighters he would like to face.
“I’d like to fight Fedor still. I thought that fight was mine in 2021. We’ll see. He signed an extension for one more so hopefully, it’s me. We’re ready for it.”
In the end, however, Hager just wants the fight that will pay him the most money.
“I fight MMA for money so whatever pays the most amount of money. It’s the new championship, get paid.”
Hager has a 3-0-1 record in Bellator. He narrowly pulled out a split-decision victory over Brandon Calton in his last fight on October 29, 2020. He defeated J.W Kiser and T.J Jones in his first two fights. His third bout was ruled a no-contest due to Hager landing an illegal groin shot on Anthony Garrett.
Happy Friday! Join on-camera personality Denise Salcedo on her show Speak Now Pro Wrestling as she reviews both WWE Smackdown and AEW Rampage! We had two really good back-to-back shows and plenty to talk about from both shows!
Rampage topics include: Jake Hager vs. Eddie Kingston, Kris Statlander vs. Red Velvet, Will Ospreay and more!
Smackdown topics include: Cody Rhodes injury update, Ronda Rousey promos, Gunther as IC champ, Matt riddle vs Sami Zayn and more!
A segment featuring AEW’s newest faction has been added to this week’s Dynamite.
Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite will feature the “Jericho Appreciation Society commencement.” The group, which formed last week, consists of Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, 2point0 (Matt Lee & Jeff Parker), and Daniel Garcia.
Jericho and Hager turned against their former Inner Circle stablemates Santana and Ortiz last week and joined 2point0 and Garcia in beating down Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz.
The turn came after Jericho lost to Kingston at Revolution.
This Wednesday’s Dynamite is a special St. Patrick’s Day Slam edition of the show. It’s taking place in San Antonio, Texas and is being headlined by Thunder Rosa challenging for Britt Baker’s AEW Women’s World Championship in a steel cage match.
The updated lineup for the episode is listed below:
Steel cage match: AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. defends against Thunder Rosa
TNT Champion Scorpio Sky defends against Wardlow
AEW World Champion Hangman Page & AEW Tag Team Champions Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Adam Cole, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly
Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson (w/ William Regal) vs. Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta (w/ Orange Cassidy and Danhausen)
