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At the Bellator 221 event on Saturday night, former WWE Superstar Jack Swagger improved to a perfect 2-0 professional MMA record after competing inside the Bellator MMA cage for the second time since making the transition from pro wrestling to mixed martial arts.

Swagger, now performing and fighting under his real name, Jake Hager, defeated T.J. Jones at the Bellator 221 show that streamed live on the DAZN digital subscription streaming service on Saturday evening from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

The Bellator MMA Heavyweight prospect earned the victory with another first-round arm triangle submission, the same hold he used to earn the first-round submission victory over J.W. Kiser at Bellator 214 in Inglewood, California back on January 26, 2019 in his pro MMA debut.

The win for Hager came at the 2:36 mark of the opening round. Once Jones tapped, Hager did not release the hold despite shouting orders from the official referee of the match, who was pulling on Hager’s arm at the same time.

During his post-fight interview with “Big” John McCarthy inside the Bellator cage, Hager addressed the controversy while the packed house at Allstate Arena booed him unmercifully.

“I meant no disrespect, but you’re going to have to make me stop,” said Hager when asked by McCarthy about not letting go of the submission after the tap. “I thought the referee was him.”

Hager continued, acknowledging the loud boos that were filling the building as he tried to talk to the legendary MMA referee turned Bellator MMA color commentator. “You all can boo me all you want, but you’re not in here right now. … I knew once I got on top, he’s not getting up.”

Check out videos and photos from Jake Hager’s first-round submission victory over T.J. Jones from Saturday night’s Bellator 221 event below.

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