A former WWE star who has pivoted to the Power Slap game suffered an unfortunate injury that required him to be rushed to the hospital.
Jake Hager turned to the fighting promotion after retiring from wrestling in 2025. In his past career, he built a name for himself as Jack Swagger and winning the WWE’s World Heavyweight Championship and United States Championship belts.
But starting this year, he’s been taking part in the Power Slap competition organized by Dana White. He agreed to a six-fight deal and already went through his first two events before Thursday’s event in Las Vegas.
Going up against Johnny Magna in the second round, Hager was hit hard across the face – with reports indicating part of Magna’s hand or his finger struck his opponent in the left eye.
Hager instantly grabbed his face and told the referee, ‘He hit me right in the eye.’
Broadcast cameras then showed streams of tears and blood pouring out of his eyeball as the ringside doctors stopped the match and put towels on Hager’s face to soak up the leakage.
WARNING: VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Former WWE star Jake Hager (R) suffered a horrific injury that required emergency surgery
Hager was hit in the eye by his opponent, with doctors fearing he ruptured his tear duct
Power Slap executive Dana White called it ‘the worst injury in Power Slap or UFC ever’
Hager was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery after the fight.
In a livestream after the fight, White described it as ‘probably the worst injury in Power Slap or UFC ever’ – adding that doctors believe Hager’s tear duct ruptured from the hit and said they had never seen an injury of this kind before.
White – who thinks of himself as a ‘replay lunatic’ – even took the measure of telling the production booth to not show the impact again on the broadcast.
Hager’s partner, Patricia Blackburn – who also competes in Power Slap – released a statement saying he ‘is currently recovering from an emergency eye surgery.’
Blackburn added, ‘We’re taking things one day at a time and keeping the details private.’
Social media was stunned by the injury, with one critic branding the competition as the ‘stupidest “sport” in existence.’
Another user recalled, ‘Remember when they were trying to ban football because of concussions?’
