KnokX Pro Academy, a WWE ID wrestling school, has officially responded to the August 23 incident involving Raja Jackson, labeling his actions against wrestler Stuart “Syko Stu” Smith as a “selfish, irresponsible act of violence.” In a statement released Sunday, the promotion confirmed that a planned in-ring spot escalated into a legitimate assault.
The incident occurred during a KnokX Pro event in Los Angeles when Jackson, son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, left his ringside seat and entered the ring following Smith’s match. Jackson executed a double-leg takedown that appeared to knock Smith unconscious before mounting him and delivering a series of unanswered punches.
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While the confrontation was intended to be part of a storyline, sources confirmed that only the initial takedown was scripted. The altercation stemmed from an earlier angle where Smith, in character, threw a drink can at Jackson, with organizers reportedly telling Jackson he could get his “payback.” The subsequent barrage of more than 20 punches to the unresponsive Smith was not part of the plan. Smith was hospitalized with serious injuries following the attack.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson issued his own statement, condemning his son’s “bad judgment.” He explained that Raja, an amateur MMA fighter, is not a trained professional wrestler and had suffered a concussion from sparring just days before the event. Jackson apologized for his son’s actions and confirmed that Smith was “awake and stable.”
The aftermath of the attack has been swift. The streaming platform Kick, which broadcast the event, has banned Raja Jackson. Stuart Smith, a U.S. Army veteran who reportedly uses wrestling as therapy for PTSD, has received an outpouring of support online, while KnokX Pro has come under scrutiny for the lack of oversight that allowed the situation to occur.
In its statement, the academy apologized to its fans, noting, “First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with our brother Mr. Stuart Smith (Syko Stu) as he remains a priority and we are monitoring his well being. What was supposed to be a planned and agreed upon wrestling spot, turned into a selfish, irresponsible act of violence against Mr. Smith. 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.”
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