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Whats the story?
It has been announced that former world heavyweight champion Jack Swagger has turned pro in MMA and has signed with the popular fight organization Bellator.
MMA Fighting has also reported that Swagger (real name Jack Hagar) is due to make his cage debut sometime in 2018. He will reportedly compete in the heavyweight division.
In case you didn't know...
In March of this year, Swagger requested his release from his WWE contract and it was subsequently granted. Given the fact he had not been used in any serious capacity since his world title reign, this was no surprise.
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He left the company on good terms having been a WWE veteran of some eleven years (including developmental).
The heart of the matter
Swagger's switch from the ring to the cage isn't too much of a shock considering the recent trend of wrestling stars jumping ship.
Batista, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and CM Punk all attempted the challenge, some with greater success than others. The norm, however, seems to be a failure for wrestlers seeking glory in mixed martial arts.
What's next?
Given this is a fairly new development it's likely we won't be hearing any real buzz in the MMA world until closer to Swagger's debut in the cage.
Chances are he will have been in training for some time and, considering his amateur wrestling background, probably has the leg-up on his wrestling-to-MMA counterparts. With a debut expected in 2018 Swagger has plenty of time to hone his new craft and form himself into the best legitimate fighter he can be.
Author's take
I for one am thrilled that Swagger has found a new passion or a rekindled one, that he can aim towards. Despite his success in WWE he never was never consistently ranked as a genuine top guy even when winning the world heavyweight title and forming an entertaining alliance with Zeb Colter.
While numerous of his wrestling colleagues may have fallen victim to the brutality that is MMA, I wish Swagger all the success in the world. If he truly gathers his focus, there's no reason he can't make a success of his new-found career.
