Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has voiced deep concern for a wrestler’s wellbeing after his son, Raja Jackson, appeared to violently attack him during a wrestling show in California. The incident occurred on Saturday at a Knokx Pro Wrestling event that was streamed live on Kick.
According to footage, Raja, 25, who has competed in amateur and professional MMA bouts, was struck on the head outside the venue by wrestler Stuart Smith, known by his ring name Syko Stu. Later, while Smith was competing against another opponent, Raja entered the ring, lifted him overhead, and slammed him to the canvas before delivering multiple strikes to his head. Other wrestlers eventually pulled him away, and Smith was later taken to the hospital.
Following the incident, Rampage confirmed on social media that Smith was “awake and stable” and described the altercation as “a work that went wrong,” using the wrestling term for a scripted fight. He said Raja had been told he could get “payback” in the ring after being unexpectedly hit, which Rampage initially believed was part of the show.
The 47-year-old also revealed that Raja had suffered a concussion days earlier in sparring and should not have been involved in any physical contest. “Raja is an MMA fighter, not a pro wrestler, and had no business being involved in an event like this,” Rampage wrote. “I don’t condone my son’s actions at all. I’m deeply concerned with his health and the wellbeing of Mr. Smith.”
Rampage apologized to both Smith and Kick on behalf of his son. Knokx Pro, which is affiliated with WWE as a developmental school, has not yet issued a statement, leaving questions over Smith’s recovery and the event’s handling of the incident.
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