Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger has decided to venture into the world of professional mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Swagger is a highly decorated wrestler from the University Of Oklahoma, a background that has proven to do well for similar men in the sport of MMA. Former wrestlers such as Daniel Cormier, Randy Couture, Johny Hendricks, and many more have gone on to see a great deal of success in the world of MMA.

If he plays his cards right, Swagger could be another name on that list. Swagger signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA earlier this year and made the official announcement on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani earlier this month (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“For the longest time there, I felt like I was literally the toughest guy in the locker room,” Hager told Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour.

“Yet, I would go out there and have two-minute matches with guys that couldn't hold my jock. It even got to the point where I pitched to them, I was like, ‘Look, I got something to prove.

"You guys are a great platform. Let me prove it. Pick the fighter — I’ll fight anybody. Put them on your show and I’ll fight them.’ They didn’t really want to go down that route.

“We reached out to the UFC, but in our heads the whole time Bellator was the end run,” Hager said. “That’s where we wanted to go.

"Like I said, they just seem like a company that values its talents and its assets. I think it’s on the rise. You see what Bellator is doing, with the roster that they bring in.

"Not only at heavyweight, at all weights. It’s really becoming great and tough all the way through. It’s very exciting to be a part of that.”

Former WWE Champion Batista, who has some professional MMA experience of his own, recently posted a picture of he and Swagger after a training session at a local jiu-jitsu gym. Batista even congratulated Swagger on the career switch:

What are your thoughts on Swagger making the jump to the world if MMA? Do you think that he could be successful in his fighting career? And what are the chances that the former World Heavyweight Champion wins an MMA title as well? Have YOUR say in the comments section below, and the fourth episode of GiveMeSport’s WWE podcast is here!

Check it out via this link: https://soundcloud.com/user-818579649/gms-wwe-podcast-money-in-the-bank-fallout

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