Jake Hager Criticizes AEW’s Last-Minute Creative, Talks WWE Exit and JCW Talks

Jake Hager didn’t hold back when looking back on his AEW tenure, praising the locker room while taking aim at how the promotion was actually run creatively and behind the scenes.

Speaking on the Off the Rails podcast with Jasmine St. Claire, the former WWE and AEW star said the younger AEW roster created a different, more accepting culture than what he experienced in WWE, and that he genuinely enjoyed his time around the group, including his run with the Inner Circle. His issues, he explained, were with leadership and how storylines were assembled.

“You could just tell the overall politics of AEW were kind of like, ‘What are we doing?’ You see the writing on the wall when you see who’s running it,” Hager said.

Hager also described a major shift in AEW’s creative process over time. He said that early on, talent knew storylines roughly a month in advance, which allowed for better-prepared performances. That changed, he claimed, into a system where Dynamite scripts sometimes weren’t finalized until just hours before the show went live. “There were so many times that it’d be six o’clock and we’re going live at eight on Wednesday for Dynamite, and the show hadn’t even been put out yet,” he said, calling the pattern “inexcusable.”

On his WWE exit, Hager said it came down to contract negotiations that didn’t meet the number he felt he’d earned, combined with a growing interest in MMA and inspiration from stars like Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre finding success after leaving the company in 2017. His plan, he said, was always to build his name in MMA and eventually return to wrestling as a bigger attraction.

While Hager still identifies as “an MMA fighter at heart,” he admitted his body can no longer handle the training intensity MMA demands, which is part of why he’s found a home in Power Slap. He also revealed he owns rental properties and a trucking company as additional income streams.

Looking ahead, Hager confirmed he’s in talks with JCW about dates on their upcoming schedule, calling the promotion one that’s “really on the up and up.” He even joked about a personal connection to the promotion’s fanbase, admitting that “deep down, 13-year-old Jake was a Juggalo.” Hager said he’s also open to coaching down the line as his in-ring career winds toward its next chapter.