As we’ve been reporting here on WrestlingHeadlines.com, the son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson attacked a wrestler during a live-streamed event in Los Angeles over the weekend, leaving the victim hospitalized.
Raja Jackson interrupted a match at the “Knox Experience” event, produced by the WWE ID-affiliated KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy. Surveillance from Jackson’s Kick account shows him picking up and slamming Stuart Smith — who wrestles under the name Syko Stu — before punching him directly in the face over 20 times as he laid unconscious from the original slam. Smith was “rushed to the hospital with serious injuries” following the incident.
Douglas Malo, a wrestler who intervened to stop Jackson, told USA TODAY that Smith was awake and speaking on Sunday but had broken facial bones and lost multiple teeth. Smith was reportedly discharged from the hospital the same day. Malo said, “He was choking on his own blood and teeth. Somebody reminded me there were kids there, and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’”
The livestream shows Jackson in the backstage area before the show. Smith initially approached him in character, striking him with a beer can. It is unclear whether the can was a “gimmicked” prop designed for safety. When Smith was told Jackson was “not a worker” — they were separated after a tense stare-down. Following intervention from KnokX trainer Reno Anoa’i, the two agreed to include Jackson in the match, shaking hands on camera multiple times.
During the live show, Jackson sat in the front row, reading live comments from his stream and appearing increasingly agitated. “I’m not playing no games,” he said to the camera. During a multi-team tag match over an hour after the backstage confrontation, Jackson entered the ring after Smith executed a spear on an opponent, allegedly the planned cue. He then picked up and slammed Smith, mounted him, and delivered at least 20 punches, leaving Smith unconscious.
Several wrestlers intervened to restrain Jackson, who was later escorted out by security amid an expletive-laden rant. During a livestreamed conversation in a separate parking lot, Jackson told an associate, apparently Andre Joel Hudson, “My bad,” after being informed that Smith had “flatlined” in the ring. Malo described Hudson as a friend of Jackson and a “hot head,” blaming him for escalating the situation.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson condemned the incident on Twitter, writing, “I don’t condone my son’s actions AT ALL! It was bad judgement, and a work that went wrong. Raja is an MMA fighter, not a pro wrestler, and had no business involved in an event like this.”
Malo told USA TODAY that a child at the event was visibly traumatized. He said, “That kid’s sitting there like, ‘Are you okay? Was that real? What’s happening? Why didn’t anybody help him?’ You could see the fear on his face.” He also called for legal action against Jackson, describing the attack as “just absurd on its face.”
As of this writing, Raja Jackson and Hudson have not commented on the incident. The Los Angeles Police Department is reportedly investigating the incident and charges may be filed.
