Bellator Has Signed Their Own CM Punk To Make MMA Debut

While the UFC may have C.M. Punk, mixed martial arts promotion Bellator MMA has locked in a WWE superstar of their own.

Jack Hager, better known by his WWE moniker “Jack Swagger,” has decided to forgo a promising career in professional wrestling to give the sport of mixed martial arts a shot. Rather than locking in a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Hager has signed a fight contract with competing promotion Bellator MMA.

Former WWE champion, CM Punk.

Hager is a former All-American collegiate wrestler at the University of Oklahoma, giving the individual more of a combat sports pedigree than professional wrestling. With that in mind, Hager is coming into his foray in fighting with confidence.

Former WWE champion CM Punk.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, Hager offered his thoughts on becoming a professional fighter.

“Personally I feel very confident doing it,” Hager said. “I know it’s a big risk leaving professional wrestling and jumping over into professional fighting without an amateur background in it. But no big reward comes without a big risk. Bellator’s doing a great thing here. As soon as I started talking with them it felt like the right place to be. So, I’m excited.”

“I’m OK with it,” Hager continued. “I understand that I have to go out there and prove everything right. Everything is just talk. Everything is just me signing a contract right now. I have to go out there and back it up. It’s going to be exciting, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

“I want to fight in 2018 for sure,” Hager stated. “I almost want to fight twice. That’s a bold statement, but I don’t want to waste any time. I want to jump in there. I feel like I’m in good shape now. I feel like in six months, in the summertime, I’ll be ready to make a statement.”

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