‘Jack Swagger,’ Bec Rawlings Get Bouts at Bellator 231 in Connecticut

Former WWE star Jake Hager, better known as “Jack Swagger,” will make his third professional mixed martial arts appearance when he faces Anthony Garrett at Bellator 231.

Sherdog.com confirmed the heavyweight matchup with a promotion official following an initial report from ESPN. Also confirmed is the promotional debut of Bec Rawlings, who will meet Ilana Joanne in a women’s flyweight bout on the card. MMAjunkie.com first reported Rawlings vs. Joanne.

Bellator 231 takes place at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., on Oct. 25 and is headlined by a rematch between Frank Mir and Roy Nelson. Both Hager vs. Garrett and Rawlings vs. Joanne are expected to take place on the evening’s main draw.

Hager kicked off his pro MMA career with consecutive first-round submission wins over J.W. Kiser and T.J. Jones. Garrett, meanwhile, has compiled a 4-2 career mark while competing exclusively in the Shamrock FC promotion.

A champion in Bare Knuckle FC, Rawlings is coming off a four-fight losing streak in the UFC, which ended with a decision loss to Ashlee Evans-Smith in April 2018. Joanne, who trains with the Pitbull Brothers camp, has gone 8-4 while competing on the Brazilian regional scene.