Bellator MMA Signs Former WWE Superstar Jack Swagger To Fight Contract; Will Compete In Heavyweight Division In 2018

From the squared circle to the octagon, Jack Swagger is back. That’s right, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion is now an MMA fighter.

Swagger, whose real name is Jake Hager, announced on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani that he had signed a deal with Bellator MMA and will compete in their Heavyweight division starting in 2018.

Former WWE wrestler Jack Swagger (Jake Hager) announced on The MMA Hour that he has signed with Bellator MMA. He wrestled at the University of Oklahoma from 2002-06 and signed with the WWE after his college career. He is 35 years old and will compete at heavyweight.

— John Pollock (@iamjohnpollock) November 13, 2017

Just announced in studio on #TheMMAHour with @arielhelwani, @RealJackSwagger is now a part of the heavyweight division! #BellatorNation pic.twitter.com/6VXMACJQkX

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 13, 2017

Swagger left WWE earlier this year and is now the latest professional wrestler to make the jump to MMA after CM Punk. Swagger had success at Oklahoma University with a school-record 30 pins in the 2006 wrestling season. The former All-American will look to have success in the combat sports world that can resemble that of fellow collegiate wrestler Brock Lesnar.