With Impact Wrestling cutting six names this week, including The Hardy Boyz, Drew Galloway, “The Miracle” Michael Bennett & Maria Kanellis and Jade this past week, it was odd seeing a WWE announcement. But as reported by Chael Sonnen, via an interview with the man himself on his podcast Beyond The Fight today, WWE Superstar Jack Swagger has asked for his release from the WWE.
A somber, but excited, Jack Swagger – real name Jake Hager Jr. – said the following during his interview with Sonnen:
“As of yesterday, I asked for my release from the WWE…it’s kind of an ongoing process right now, basically it came down to contract negotiations and we were way off. They didn’t value me at what I thought I was valued at so…you can be angry at that because wrestling is something you’re so passionate about – this was a business decision. They weren’t giving me the opportunity to make the full amount of income I could for my family, so when you put it like that, it’s time to go…For the longest time, the WWE was all I knew, and ten years later, I’ve been doing it, and I know there’s a great opportunity out there for people outside of the WWE to make money. I mean, let’s be honest, we all carry chips on our shoulders, I want to prove that I’m worth the money that I was asking the WWE for. I feel hungry for the first time in years. Which is sad, but at the same time, exciting.” Jack Swagger, March 1, Beyond The Fight Podcast with Chael Sonnen
It should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the WWE in the past few years that Jack Swagger had seemingly lost the lustre he had upon his initial entry into the WWE. Following a standout collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma (where he set the single-season record for most pins in the 285 pounds (129 kg) weight class at 30), he was scouted and signed by the WWE and assigned to their various developmentals, starting with Deep South Wrestling (DSW) in 2006, then Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) shortly after.
In 2007, he was re-assigned to their new top developmental brand, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), where he was crowned the inaugural FCW Heavyweight Champion. He debuted on the WWE’s rebooted ECW brand in the fall of 2008 and in early 2009, won the ECW World Championship, defeating Matt Hardy for the title.
In 2010, he cashed in the Money In The Bank briefcase and pinned Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship, and added a United States Championship run in 2012. But it was all downhill after that. Failed gimmicks and stop-and-start pushes didn’t help and soon Swagger became an afterthought.
It can be assumed that if Swagger is talking openly of his request that it’s down to the formality of the release (which has yet to be announced by the WWE), but the request is in and out in the open, so for all intents and purposes, Jack Swagger is now a former WWE Superstar.
