Jack Swagger picks up second victory at Bellator 221
Jake Hager, the former WWE star known as Jack Swagger, made it look easy Saturday night in Chicago, picking up his second MMA win at Bellator 221 and even getting to play a heel in doing so.
Hager (2-0) submitted T.J. Jones (1-) with a head and arm choke in the first round, continuing his slow progression up the heavyweight food chain.
Hager took Jones down early and went to work on an Americana armbar submission, but Jones was able to fend him off. That only lasted a few seconds as Hager transitioned to lock on a head and arm choke for the relatively quick submission win, keeping the hold on a few seconds too long for referee Mike Beltran’s taste.
The fans took umbrage and booed Hager during his post-fight promo which he played up big time, inviting the fans to boo more which they did in kind.
The 37-year-old Hager began his MMA career in January, picking up a first round submission win in his pro debut for Bellator.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.