Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson spoke out on X Sunday about his son, who was seen allegedly assaulting a professional wrestler at a match in Los Angeles, California. The match at KnoxPro Entertainment & Academy was live-streamed on the platform Kick.
Video footage that surfaced on social media shows Raja Jackson slamming the wrestler, Stuart Smith, also known as Syko Stu, to the ground, before he starts punching him in the head repeatedly. Smith just lay there as a different wrestler tried to pull Raja Jackson off of him. Another wrestler grabbed Raja Jackson from behind and threw him on the ground. Straight Arrow News was not able to independently verify this video.
In their own statement, KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy addressed the event, saying their thoughts and prayers are with Smith and they are monitoring how he does.
“What was supposed to be a planned and agreed upon wrestling spot, turned into a selfish, irresponsible act of violence against Mr. Smith,” KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy said. “This egregious act is reprehensible and never should have occurred. In the 17 years of operation of KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy, there has never been anything as heinous take place such as this and we apologize to our patrons and fans.”
Wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com said Smith was rushed to the hospital with “serious injuries.”
Douglas Malo, one of the wrestlers who worked to restrain Raja Jackson, said in an interview with USA Today that Smith was awake and talking on Sunday. However, he had broken bones in his face and “lost a lot of teeth,” Malo said.
“He was choking on his own blood and teeth,” Malo recalled to USA Today. “Somebody reminded me there’s kids there, and then I was like ‘oh my God.’”
Quinton Jackson, in his Sunday post, said before the match, Smith “unexpectedly hit” Raja Jackson in the side of the head. News outlets, including the New York Times and CNN, wrote that another livestream video shows Smith, earlier in the day, smashing a beer can on Jackson’s head.
“Raja was told that he could get his “payback” in the ring,i thought it was apart [sic] of the show,” Quinton Jackson wrote. “It was bad judgment, and a work that went wrong.”
A “work” is a planned or scripted part of a wrestling show.
In Quinton Jackson’s post, he went on to say that “Raja is a MMA fighter not a pro wrestler.”
“I don’t condone my son’s actions AT ALL! He suffered a concussion from sparring only days ago and had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact,” Quinton Jackson said. “As a father, im deeply concerned with his health AND the well being of Mr. Smith.”
Quinton said he apologizes to Smith and Kick on behalf of his son.
