Raja Jackson, the son of former UFC champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, has been arrested in Los Angeles on a felony charge. The arrest, nearly a month after an incident at a KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy event, stems from a brutal assault on professional wrestler Stuart Smith, known as Syko Stu. Jackson, 25, is currently being held on $50,000 bail. While the Los Angeles Police Department hasn't officially confirmed the connection, the arrest appears directly related to the August 23rd incident.
Video footage of the event clearly shows Jackson entering the ring during a match and viciously attacking Smith. The assault involved repeatedly slamming Smith to the mat and delivering over two dozen punches to his face, leaving him unconscious. Fellow wrestlers intervened to pull Jackson away. Smith's subsequent Facebook post detailed severe injuries, including trauma to his jaws, a lip laceration, a fractured maxilla bone, and the loss of several teeth. He described a long road to recovery.
The KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy confirmed that the attack was unplanned, despite initial appearances suggesting otherwise. While there were earlier incidents involving Smith and Jackson – including Smith reportedly striking Jackson with a can and later appearing to reconcile – the Academy strongly condemned Jackson's actions as a "selfish, irresponsible act of violence." The Academy emphasized that the attack was not a part of any pre-arranged wrestling spot.
Quinton Jackson, Raja's father, also publicly denounced his son's behavior on X (formerly Twitter). He expressed his disappointment, referring to the incident as "bad judgment, and a work that went wrong," clarifying that Raja, an MMA fighter, had no place interfering in a professional wrestling match in this manner. He stated unequivocally that he does not condone his son's actions. As of yet, there's no indication of whether Jackson has secured legal representation.
The incident has shaken the wrestling community and highlights the dangers of uncontrolled aggression, even within a context that often involves planned violence. The investigation continues, and the full extent of the legal ramifications for Raja Jackson remain to be seen.
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Originally published at: https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/mixed-martial-arts/mma-fighter-raja-jackson-arrested-felony-charge-assault-wrestler-augus-rcna232369
