Jake Hager suffered a serious eye injury at Power Slap 23 last Thursday in Lubbock, Texas, and underwent emergency surgery.
Hager began bleeding from his left eye after taking a slap from Johnny Magna during their bout. The ringside doctor stopped the contest and awarded the win to Magna.
The severity caught Dana White’s attention. The UFC president called it one of the worst injuries he has seen across the UFC and Power Slap and directed the production team not to air the replay.
Patricia Blackburn, Hager’s partner and a Power Slap competitor herself, confirmed in an update that the former WWE and AEW performer underwent emergency eye surgery and is now recovering.
“Thank you to the UFC and Power Slap family for the incredible love and support you’ve shown Jake during this difficult time. Jake is currently recovering from an emergency eye surgery. We’re taking things one day at a time and keeping the details private, but your kindness, support, and genuine concern have meant more than you know. Thank you for being there for Jake. We’re so grateful to be part of a community that shows up when it matters most.”
No details have been released about the extent of the injury or how long Hager will be sidelined.
Hager made his Power Slap debut in April with a win over Devin Jenkins but has since lost to Amanpreet Singh and now Magna. His record in the promotion stands at 1-2.