An independent wrestling show in Los Angeles descended into chaos on Saturday night after an in-ring segment involving 25-year-old Raja Jackson — son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — exploded into a real-life assault, leaving 47-year-old professional wrestler Stuart Smith, known by fans as “Syko Stu,” critically injured.
The incident occurred during a Knokx Pro Wrestling event, where Jackson was reportedly scheduled for a minor appearance as part of the night’s entertainment. What was supposed to be a choreographed moment quickly became an unprovoked act of violence, as Jackson ignored the script, tackled Smith to the mat, and delivered more than 20 legitimate punches to the veteran’s head.
Smith remains in critical care at a Los Angeles hospital following the incident, with family, friends, and fellow performers calling for accountability — and justice — in what is now being investigated by police as a potential criminal assault.
A Night Meant for Entertainment Turns Dangerous
Saturday’s event, held at a modest Los Angeles venue known for hosting indie wrestling promotions, attracted a small but loyal crowd of wrestling enthusiasts and families. The inclusion of Raja Jackson — a rising figure due to his father’s legacy and his own background in amateur MMA — was intended to boost interest and add a celebrity cameo to the show’s card.
According to backstage sources, Jackson was scheduled to make a brief run-in during Smith’s match. The planned spot was simple: Jackson would enter the ring, perform a basic takedown manoeuvre, and retreat — all carefully choreographed, in line with professional wrestling’s staged format.
But what occurred instead stunned both fans and performers alike.
Eyewitnesses described the moment as surreal. After slamming Smith down hard onto the mat, Jackson mounted him and began throwing real punches with full force. There was no pullback, no stage technique — this was a real fight initiated by a man with combat sports training against a 47-year-old performer with no chance to defend himself.
“He wasn’t acting. This wasn’t part of the show,” said one audience member. “You could see the punches landing. Blood started to hit the mat. People started screaming. And it just didn’t stop.”
The assault lasted several long seconds until a group of wrestlers stormed the ring from backstage, physically restraining Jackson as Smith lay motionless and bleeding.
A Brewing Grudge Behind the Scenes
As the dust settled, rumours began to swirl about what had prompted the attack. It soon became apparent that this was not a moment that had spiralled out of control — it was something far more premeditated.
Backstage video footage, later leaked online, showed an unidentified wrestler encouraging Jackson to “throw some real ones” in retaliation for an earlier altercation between him and Smith. According to unconfirmed reports, the two men had clashed earlier in the day, with Jackson alleging that Smith had struck him in the face with a beer can during a backstage disagreement.
Rather than resolving the issue through dialogue or within the staged framework of professional wrestling, Jackson seemingly used the scheduled spot to exact his own form of revenge — live and in front of families and children.
Further fuelling the controversy was Jackson’s own livestream prior to the event. In the stream, viewed by thousands in the aftermath, Jackson told followers he intended to “get payback” during his segment, making it clear that he had no intention of sticking to the script.
When the stream resumed later — shortly after the assault — Jackson appeared to show little remorse. When informed that Smith was seriously injured and hospitalised, he muttered just two words: “My bad.”
Hospitalisation and Mounting Injuries
Smith was transported to a nearby hospital via ambulance within minutes of the attack. A statement from his brother, Andrew Smith, posted to Facebook the following day, confirmed that Stuart was in “critical care but stable.”
“He’s stable but in critical care,” Andrew wrote. “This wasn’t part of the show. This was an assault. My brother’s in the hospital because someone took a grudge way too far.”
Details of Smith’s injuries have since emerged, painting a gruesome picture. Speaking to USA Today, fellow wrestler Douglas Malo — one of those who rushed to Smith’s defence — described the horrifying scene in graphic terms.
“He was choking on his own blood and teeth,” Malo said. “He had bones sticking out of his cheek. There were kids watching. It was sickening.”
Malo confirmed that Smith had sustained multiple facial fractures, had lost “a lot” of his teeth, and was drifting in and out of consciousness by the time medics arrived.
Another colleague, Marcus Hamm, took to social media to ask for support. “He’s in bad shape,” Hamm wrote. “We’re all praying, but he’s got a long road ahead of him.”
A source at the hospital later confirmed to TMZ that Smith was still in intensive care but described his condition as “recovering.”
Rampage Jackson Tries to Defuse the Situation
As footage of the assault went viral, attention quickly turned to Raja’s father, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and one of the most recognisable names in MMA history.
Rampage initially attempted to downplay the situation, releasing a statement suggesting the fight was part of a scripted segment that had simply gotten “a little too intense.”
However, as videos and screenshots emerged showing Jackson’s clear intent to harm Smith, the elder Jackson’s narrative began to fall apart.
Critics accused him of trying to spin a clear-cut assault into a misunderstanding — and doing so at the expense of a man now fighting for his health in hospital.
Neither father nor son has issued a formal apology to Smith or his family at the time of publication.
Legal Fallout Looming
The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed it is now investigating the incident. Sources within the LAPD told TMZ that officers are considering filing criminal charges, including aggravated assault.
Legal analysts say the pre-show livestreams, combined with witness testimony and multiple camera angles, could form the backbone of a strong case.
“This isn’t a grey area,” said former prosecutor Evelyn Carver. “When someone explicitly states their intention to commit violence, follows through with that violence, and causes measurable bodily harm — that’s not a wrestling show gone wrong. That’s a crime.”
If charges are filed, Jackson could be facing jail time — especially given his background in combat sports, which some courts have treated as an aggravating factor in similar past cases.
Shockwaves Across the Wrestling World
The incident has sent tremors through the independent wrestling scene. While the major promotions like WWE and AEW maintain strict safety protocols and enforce clear boundaries between performance and reality, indie promotions like Knokx Pro often operate without central oversight.
“There’s a brotherhood in wrestling,” said one longtime promoter. “You’re supposed to protect each other, even while pretending to hurt each other. What Raja Jackson did breaks that code.”
Former WWE superstar Tommy Dreamer called for Jackson to be banned from performing in any wrestling event moving forward. “You don’t get to use our platform to settle personal scores,” Dreamer wrote. “That’s cowardly, not tough.”
The promotion itself, Knokx Pro Wrestling, has yet to release a public statement addressing the incident, further drawing ire from fans who believe it is trying to avoid accountability.
The Man Behind “Syko Stu”
Stuart Smith may not be a household name, but among wrestling fans — particularly those who follow the indie circuit — “Syko Stu” is a respected figure.
A former U.S. Army veteran who found a second life in professional wrestling, Smith was known for his gritty style, passionate promos, and loyalty to the locker room. Fellow performers have described him as “the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back,” and “a real leader in the dressing room.”
His commitment to putting on a show, even at his age, earned him admiration across the industry. Now, that same commitment has left him hospitalised after putting his body on the line for what was meant to be a simple, scripted moment.
What Happens Now?
As Smith recovers, the wrestling community is rallying behind him. Multiple GoFundMe campaigns have launched to assist with medical bills, and major personalities in wrestling and MMA have spoken out in support.
But larger questions linger: How did a scheduled appearance turn into a criminal assault? Who knew what before the bell rang? And what will be done to ensure this never happens again?
Those answers may come in time. For now, the focus remains on Smith’s recovery — and a growing demand for justice in a world where reality and performance collided in the most devastating way.