Very few athletes have successfully crossed over into three different sports. But this former WWE star didn’t let those odds slow him down. Instead, he stepped into Power Slap, led by Dana White, with complete confidence. And judging by his performance, he is more than satisfied with what he delivered. That naturally raises the question—who exactly is this multi-sport legend?

It’s 44-year-old Jake Hager, of course, or as he was known in his WWE days, Jack Swagger. There’s little chance you haven’t heard about him already. In any case, though, he made his Power Slap debut on Friday night with a heavyweight contest against fellow American Devin Jenkins in Las Vegas. The result? Hager put Jenkins on his back in the third round after landing squarely on the latter’s cheek with a thunderous slap.  

Jenkins’ knees buckled instantly as he fell to the floor. Although he managed to get back on his feet, it was only for a brief moment as he collapsed once again, prompting the referee to end the bout. Meanwhile, UFC legend Michael Bisping, who was in the commentary booth, revealed that Jenkins was carried out to the backstage and was in bad shape after his defeat. Hager, on the other hand, quickly started celebrating. 

“I’m excited to get that first win out of the way,” Hager said. “I know I belong here now, and I’m looking forward to building on tonight and only getting better. After I took that first shot, I was pretty confident that I was in no danger. I was always worried about my accuracy being a new guy, and I feel like I put it right on the button tonight.”

In case you need a refresher, Hager has a strong amateur wrestling background as an NCAA All-American from the University of Oklahoma. He joined the WWE in 2006 and made his debut in 2008. During his run in the wrestling promotion, he won the ECW Championship, United States Championship, and the World Heavyweight Championship. Come 2017, though, Hager was released from the promotion after 11 years. 

After that, he competed in Lucha Underground as Jake Strong, MLW, and notably in AEW from 2019 to 2024. By August 2025, he announced his retirement from professional wrestling. Simultaneously, though, Hager was competing in MMA as well. He signed with Bellator in 2019 and compiled a record of 3-0, but retired from that sport in 2023. Now, he has found his way into Dana White’s Power Slap.

While he might see his debut as a success, fans, on the other hand, had other ideas. 

Jake Hager’s career is branded a shame

Some people were shocked to see Jake Hager in Power Slap. One user posted: “Tf happened to this dude lol.” Notably, Hager requested his release from WWE due to a lack of creative direction, frustration with company politics, and not having control over his career. Meanwhile, he claimed, “Bellator was jerking me off so I retired.”

But those reasons were good enough for this fan. “A Loser who couldn’t make a name for himself in WWE, MMA, what a shame,” the user commented. Given Hager is 44, his retirement from Power Slap might not be far away.

Another user felt Jake Hager is irrelevant today. “That guy fell faster than Jake’s WWE career,” the user claimed. But Hager was successful in the promotion, winning multiple titles. Had he not left, perhaps he could have found even more success. 

The next user couldn’t believe what they were watching. “What universe are we in? We got Jack Swagger slapping people with Michael Bisping commentating it🤣,” the user wrote. Even though Dana White claims Power Slap generates one billion views every month, the sport has yet to achieve mainstream acceptance. 

Someone else felt Hager’s entry into Power Slap was the direct result of CTE. The user wrote, “Bro is going in a CTE speed run. First wrestling, then MMA, and now this? Dude’s brain is scrambled. 😂” While CTE is a prevailing disease in the fighting community, Hager doesn’t appear to have it yet. Symptoms of CTE include memory loss, cognitive difficulties, mood changes, behavioral issues, and later motor problems.

Jake Hager might have been missing the action in combat sports. Although he is not technically fighting anymore, slapping people for a living appears to have tickled his fancy. But how long will this last?