LOS ANGELES — A professional wrestler has been assaulted in the ring by the son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Raja Jackson climbed into the ring and body-slammed Stuart Smith, known professionally as Syko Stu, before beating the apparently unconscious wrestler at the KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy. The assault was widely viewed online in footage livestreamed Saturday and disseminated across social media.
The academy said Jackson assaulted Smith during a match, going off the normal script to commit the beating. Jackson threw at least 20 punches at the head of the apparently unconscious wrestler.
Other wrestlers eventually separated Jackson from Smith, and Jackson fled the academy, which is located in the Sun Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the academy and is investigating the incident, TMZ reported. A spokesperson didn’t immediately return a request for additional details.
KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy posted a statement on its Facebook page condemning Jackson’s acts. The promotion said it is “monitoring” Smith’s health.
“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.”
Smith has billed himself professionally as a U.S. military veteran who took up wrestling as a tool to manage post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 25-year-old Raja Jackson is also a mixed martial artist who lost his only professional fight in 2023.
Rampage Jackson also posted a statement on social media in which he said Smith is “awake and stable.” He also said the assault was part of a previously planned performance that “went wrong” after Smith apparently angered Raja Jackson by unexpectedly hitting him in the side of the head earlier in the day before the match.
“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.”
Rampage Jackson was the UFC light heavyweight champion in 2007 and 2008, and he fought for several MMA promotions until 2019. He has also worked as a pro wrestler and an actor, most notably playing B.A. Baracus in the film reboot of “The A-Team” in 2010.
Rampage Jackson didn’t immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
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