Raja Jackson, the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, was arrested Thursday for repeatedly punching a professional wrestler unconscious during an event last month. According to TMZ Sports, the 25-year-old Jackson was taken into custody in the morning and booked on a felony charge. He is being held on a $50,000 bond.
The incident occurred at an event at the KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy in the Sun Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles. Jackson jumped into the ring and body-slammed Stuart Smith, known as Syko Stu, before going off script and throwing punches at his head for about 10 seconds. Multiple wrestlers eventually separated Jackson from Smith, and Jackson then fled the building.
The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently launched an investigation into the incident. KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy said in a statement on Facebook that a “planned and agreed upon wrestling spot turned into a selfish, irresponsible act of violence against Mr. Smith.”
“What was supposed to be a planned and agreed-upon wrestling spot turned into a selfish, irresponsible act of violence against Mr. Smith,” the statement read. “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.”
Rampage Jackson speaks out on son Raja Jackson’s attack on pro wrestler
Smith, who billed himself as a U.S. military veteran, spent several days in the hospital with numerous injuries, including a fractured maxilla bone. He is now recovering at home.
Rampage Jackson said in a statement on X that the assault was part of a previously planned performance that “went wrong.” Earlier in the day, Smith apparently angered Raja Jackson by unexpectedly hitting him in the side of the head.
“Raja was told that he could get his ‘payback’ in the ring,” Rampage Jackson wrote. “I thought it was a part of the show. It was bad judgement, and a work that went wrong. Raja is a MMA fighter not a pro wrestler and had no business involved in an event like this. 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.”