A Promising Start for the All-American American
Standing at 6’4, Jake Hager, also known as Jack Swagger, burst onto the wrestling scene as a potential successor to Kurt Angle. Swagger’s arrival in the ECW brand signaled that the company had big plans for him, and it wasn’t long before he captured the ECW Championship. Despite a misstep in having him lose his undefeated streak in a non-title match, Swagger’s momentum continued to build, thanks to the careful booking of this rising star. However, his lisp proved to be a hindrance in delivering effective promos.
The Lost Art of Wrestling Managers
During Swagger’s early career, Vince McMahon was reportedly against using managers, a decision that baffled many considering the success of legendary managers like Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, JJ Dillion, Jimmy Hart, Sherri Martel, and Jim Cornette. Managers have the ability to elevate a wrestler’s act and compensate for any weaknesses in their promo skills. Brock Lesnar is a prime example of this, though he has improved as a promo guy. Pairing Swagger with a manager early on could have done wonders for his career, as demonstrated when he was later repackaged as a Real American with Zeb Colter. However, it wasn’t just his promos that held Swagger back.
From Money in the Bank to World Heavyweight Champion: A Lackluster Journey
When Swagger won the Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 26, he had little momentum. The company failed to feature him prominently enough for audiences to connect with him as a heel. Swagger needed a few significant victories before transitioning into the main event scene. It’s not just about the wins, but also proving that a talent can hang with the top stars. Jinder Mahal’s title reign is a prime example of this, as he went from jobber to WWE Champion in a matter of weeks without being tested as a main event talent, ultimately exposing his lack of readiness for the spotlight. Swagger’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship win was met with apathy, as fans didn’t take him seriously as a world champion. This is a mistake WWE continues to make with Money in the Bank contract winners.
The Downfall of Jack Swagger
Swagger’s promos were met with silence from fans, and his victories over Chris Jericho and Edge did little to help his title reign. His inability to defeat the Big Show and subsequent loss to Rey Mysterio on his third defense signaled the end of his push. WWE pulled the plug on Swagger before he could gain any real momentum. When he was repackaged as the controversial Real American, it seemed like Swagger finally had the opportunity to reach the next level. Unfortunately, he squandered this chance by getting charged with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana during his WrestleMania push. This incident, along with Rob Van Dam’s similar charges, led to WWE losing faith in Swagger. His Real American gimmick lost steam, and although he managed to get over as a babyface towards the end of his WWE run, the company had given up on pushing him in the main event scene.
A Tale of Missed Opportunities and Self-Sabotage
Jake Hager’s WWE career is a story of missed opportunities and self-sabotage. He never truly got the chance to showcase his skills as a top babyface due to his own mistakes and the company’s lack of faith in him. In the eyes of Vince McMahon, Swagger had blown his two chances at the top of the card. His WWE run failed due to a combination of not being ready for the main event scene and his own actions, such as the drug arrest. While it’s debatable whether his push should have been halted due to marijuana, the fact remains that WWE gave up on him as a main event star. The Real American gimmick had potential, but we’ll never know if Swagger could have been a major star had he won the belt at WrestleMania 29. That pivotal moment marked the end of his opportunities at the top, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
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