‘Not Good’ – Dana White shares a worrying update as former WWE champion has emergency surgery after a tough Power Slap injury
Dana White has shared his reaction to former WWE champion Jake Hager’s serious eye injury during his recent Power Slap match, after an update on his condition came from a fellow fighter.
On September 17, at a Power Slap event in Texas, Jake Hager—who won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2010 as Jack Swagger—suffered a terrible injury that caused blood to leak from his eye during a match against Johnny Magna. Since then, fans have worried about his health on social media, leading both Power Slap and UFC president Dana White to give a serious update. White said it was one of the worst injuries he’s ever seen in combat sports.
Earlier this year, Hager surprised many by signing a six-match deal with Power Slap. He started strong with a third-round knockout win over Devin Jenkins in April but then lost by knockout to Amanpreet Singh in July. Unfortunately, his latest match went even worse when a powerful slap caused his left eye to bleed badly, forcing doctors to stop the fight.
“That’s probably the worst injury we’ve had in UFC, Power Slap, or anything,” White said during a live chat with Nina Drama. “It looks like his tear duct ruptured or something crazy like that. We’ll do whatever it takes to get him the best care—whatever specialists we need.” He added that seeing the injury live made him so worried that he told the production team not to show the replay out of respect. “I wouldn’t let anyone watch that again. Nobody needs to see that.”
After the event, Hager’s partner Patricia Blackburn, who also fights in Power Slap, shared that he had emergency surgery on his eye right after the match. While keeping details private, she thanked fans for their support and said Jake is now recovering. “We’re taking things one day at a time, and your kindness has meant so much to us,” she said.
With two losses in a row and such a serious injury, it’s unclear if Hager will continue competing in Power Slap events. Fans are wishing him a smooth recovery and hoping to see him back in action when he’s ready.