Pro Wrestling Press sent along the following:
Former WWE Superstar and Legal Analyst David Otunga suggests the “Pro Wrestling Defense” could have led to a full dismissal for the son of MMA legend Rampage Jackson
LOS ANGELES, CA — Former WWE Superstar and legal analyst David Otunga has released a deep-dive analysis of the recent sentencing of Raja Jackson, son of MMA icon Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. In a new broadcast featuring criminal defense attorney Sarmen Tahmasian (@bettercallsarm), Otunga argues that Jackson may have had a strong enough case to skip his plea deal and fight for a full dismissal in front of a jury.
Raja Jackson recently reached a plea agreement regarding felony battery charges stemming from a physical incident at a Southern California wrestling event. The deal includes 90 days in L.A. County jail, two years of formal probation, and $81,000 in restitution. However, Otunga and Tahmasian suggest that the unique context of professional wrestling provided a legal opening that was left on the table.
“If he had gone to trial,there’s a decent chance,” Otunga stated during the analysis. “Knowing the wrestling world, I could think of a decent defense”.
Key points from the analysis include:
* The “Work” Defense: Raja was invited by promoters to be part of the show and was acting within the “on-air” atmosphere of a wrestling production.
* The Pro Wrestling “Receipt”: The incident allegedly began after Raja was hit with a can backstage, leading senior wrestlers to tell him he could get his “receipt”—a common wrestling term for a physical response—during his segment.
* Accidental “Botch” vs. Intent: Otunga argued that a jury could be convinced that any injury sustained was a “botch”—an accident common in professional wrestling—rather than an intentional act of battery.
* Impressionable Youth: The defense would have highlighted that Raja is a young, untrained individual following instructions from industry veterans while performing for his “Kick” streaming audience.“As his defense attorney, what I would argue is look, he didn’t have any intention of doing anything wrong here,” Tahmasian explained during the stream. “He was simply sitting ringside playing the part that he’s expected to play as a professional wrestler”.
Otunga concluded that while the plea deal keeps Jackson out of state prison for now, it leaves him on a “tail” of probation where any minor infraction could lead to a seven-year sentence. By not fighting the charges in court, Jackson may have traded a potential total dismissal for a high-risk legal future.
