Jake Hager said he was pretty much done with wrestling, but his retirement clearly did not stick, as he made his in-ring return recently.
Hager made his in-ring return on June 27, 2026, at the World Wrestling Council’s 53rd Anniversary event in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The former WWE and AEW star stepped back into the ring to face John Hawking for the Caribbean Championship, marking his first confirmed match in well over a year.
The match also came with a wild little twist. During the bout, Hager ended up turning things into an impromptu Power Slap-style moment when he blasted Hawking with a hard slap that knocked him straight to the ground. So, Hager did not exactly ease himself back into wrestling quietly.
That return is pretty interesting considering Hager previously sounded finished with the business. During an August 2025 appearance on the Rule Breakers with Saraya podcast, he said he was getting out of wrestling and focusing on his trucking company in Tampa, Florida.
“I’m getting out of wrestling. I pretty much—I could say I’m retired from it. I started a trucking company and so… running routes through Tampa and Florida. I’m not driving—got people driving. But yeah, I’m excited. Something to stick my teeth into. Hard work always pays off.”
WWC had already announced back in May that Hager would return at the anniversary show, making it clear he was coming back to the “quadrilateros” at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.
“He will make his return to the quadrilateros in the 53rd Anniversary, on Saturday June 27 at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan. Tickets on sale at PRticket.com.”
Before this WWC appearance, Hager had not wrestled since facing Connor Mills at BZW Alcatraz in November 2024. That made his Puerto Rico return a real comeback moment, even if it is still unclear whether this was just a one-off or the start of something more.
Either way, Jake Hager is back in a wrestling ring, and he made sure people noticed. If anyone thought he was going to quietly shake off ring rust, that slap to John Hawking sent a very different message.
What do you think about Jake Hager returning to wrestling after saying he was retired? Should this be a one-off, or do you want to see him make a bigger comeback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
