2017 has not yet brought with it the typical wave of releases from WWE, but one high-profile name to have parted ways with the company is Jack Swagger. The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion spent some time as a Real American and later seemed to fade into obscurity, so his decision to leave rather than become just another jobber was understandable.
However, in a recent interview with Main Event Radio, Swagger explained that his decision, similar to Ryback's, came down to just how much money WWE was willing to offer him to stick around.
"I had been with the company for 10 years. I’m very fortunate for the career that I had. What it really was is a business decision. I valued myself at a certain price, they valued it at another. I’ve gotta move forward. It was just time for a change; time for Jake Hager/Jack Swagger to go out and see other opportunities.
"I’m kind of green all over again [outside of WWE]. It’s so exciting. It’s the best time to be a wrestler. Transcending countries, languages. It’s really cool to be a part of that movement. I’m grateful for the brand that we created together. I’m home more, I have 2 young kids. If I could be Mr. Mom, I would. Packing lunches, I could take my son to school. I’m a big family man. Now we are putting the family first. 200 days a year out there in a car every night it’s really gotta be in your heart.
"Now that I’m on the outside of it I could see where I was making mistakes and how I could’ve handled things differently. I’m excited to put my nose to the concrete and grind. Independent wrestling is so big and with social media now and the internet we could brand ourselves. I really don’t like the term indies, because it’s not indies anymore. I’ll go anywhere. Japan would work perfectly the way I wrestle. It’s a new movement of territories coming up again. People are working together to put on good shows and put on good wrestling."
These days, it is possible for wrestlers to make big money on the independent scene regardless of whether or not they have any previous association with WWE. Swagger will no doubt be able to demand a pretty goodprice to begin with and assuming he sells tickets, he could really make a name for himself out there.
Will WWE come calling again somewhere down the line? That remains to be seen, but it should be well worth keeping an eye on where he goes next. What do you think about Swagger's comments?