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Jack Swagger will make his Bellator MMA debut in January according to the former WWE world champion.

It's been more than a year since Swagger signed with Bellator MMA but now his first fight has finally been made official.

In an appearance on Ariel Helwani's MMA show, the 36-year-old grappler confirmed his debut will happen on January 26.

Swagger, real name Jake Hager, will be part of the Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

(Image: © WWE)

And he revealed his opponent will be 41-year-old JW Kiser, who has only fought (and lost) one professional fight to date.

Swagger, from Perry, Oklahoma, said: "I think my career will be a lot longer than most people imagine, in mixed martial arts.

"I have nothing to prove. I'm doing this for me and my family. I know I belong and you will see that I do when I step in the cage."

Swagger is following in the footsteps of Brock Lesnar and CM Punk by pursuing an MMA career - and will hope for the success of the former.

(Image: © WWE)

He was released from WWE in March 2017, ending over a decade with the company, before signing with Bellator in November last year.

The ex-collegiate All-American wrestler, from the University of Oklahoma, held the WWE World Heavyweight and United States Championships.

He also held the ECW Championship and was marked out as one of the company's rising stars by winning Money in the Bank in 2010.

Hager cashed in on World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho, after he had been speared by Edge, to capture the gold for the first time.

But his reign underwhelmed and after losing the belt later that same year to Rey Mysterio, he eventually fell back down the rankings in WWE.

He later adopted a controversial nationalist character, seen by many observers as mimicking America's right-wing Tea Party.

Since leaving WWE in a mutually-agreed upon split, he has worked for independent wrestling promotions across the globe.

Hager had also talked about trying mixed martial arts and now the 6ft 5in, 275lb wrestler will finally make his MMA debut.