Jake Hager is owning his mistakes while making one thing clear—his children will not be forced to pay for the failure of his marriage.
The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion opened up on Advice Unfiltered about co-parenting with his ex-wife, Catalina White. Hager and White met through WWE developmental, where she wrestled in FCW as Saylor James. They married in December 2010, share two children and divorced around 2023. Hager said his biggest concern was not the house, money or public embarrassment. He was terrified that the divorce would damage his children.
“I want to show them that there is love in this world, even though two people can’t be together. I definitely don’t want to f*ck them up with the divorce. That was my biggest fear.”
Instead of pretending he did nothing wrong, Hager said he gave White a blunt promise about the kind of relationship he wanted them to have after the marriage ended.
“I told their mom, ‘I was a sh*tty husband, but I’m going to be a good ex-husband,’ type deal.”
Hager also acknowledged that he depends on White while traveling. He has no other family in Florida, and she helps care for his dog when he leaves town for appearances and competitions. Hager said neither side benefits from acting like a victim or keeping the divorce war alive.
“I don’t have any family in Florida. I have to rely on her. She has to watch my dog when I’m here in Vegas, and it makes it so much easier that we can just move past it.”
“It is what it is. I’m not a victim. She’s not a victim. Just help each other.”
He credited White elsewhere in the conversation for raising their children while his WWE schedule kept him away from home for roughly 250 days a year. Hager said he was absent for much of the first decade of their children’s lives and gave their mother credit for the people they have become. The real test for Hager is how the children have responded since the divorce. He said he has not noticed any major negative change in them over the past three years.
“I definitely see the response in the kids. I think we’re doing good. It’s been like three years since the divorce, and I don’t see any change in them. That’s my marker.”
Hager did not excuse whatever happened inside the marriage. He called himself a bad husband, gave White credit as a mother and said the only productive move now is helping each other raise their children without turning the divorce into a permanent fight.
What do you make of Jake Hager taking responsibility for his marriage while trying to become a better ex-husband? Let us know your thoughts and leave your feedback in the comments.
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