Jake Hager Discusses His WWE Departure, Future With MLW

Jake Hager, better known as Jack Swagger, is moving forward outside of the WWE bubble.

Swagger is a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, ECW Champion, and United States Champion who’s stint with the sports entertainment company lasted from 2006 to 2017.

The former WWE star recently spoke with Chuck Carroll of CBS Sports to talk about various topics including his departure from the sports entertainment company.
Swagger on his WWE run

“I look back at my career and I’m very thankful. Successful people don’t look back and waste energy on what could have been and all the stuff that didn’t happen. … If my fans want to see me back in the WWE, you know, never say never, but we got a big agenda ahead of us for 2018 that we’re pretty excited about.”

Swagger is now a member of the MLW roster and in this interview, he was asked if he considers MLW to be an independent promotion with the national TV deal.

“Personally, I hate the terms indies or independent promotion when it comes to professional wrestling. I feel like it’s a stigma that’s attached to it that no longer exists. Of course, there are the bad ones, but I think these promotions are just like self-run businesses now. I think a promotion like MLW which has really built a name and a brand and has a TV deal is definitely not an independent promotion. I look at them as a promotion with a television show with great opportunities.

[If you look at who’s there], Tony Schiavone is just one, but the roster is incredible here and it’s just going to be so exciting to see the product.”

Swagger signed a contract with Bellator MMA to compete in its heavyweight division and will be making his pro-MMA debut later this year.