Wrestling Observer Live is back with “Filthy” Tom Lawlor and Lance Storm today to talk about memories of early WCW,AEW Dynamite and Collision reports, Raja Jackson plea, and more! A fun show as always so check it out ~!
Tag: Raja Jackson
Report: Raja Jackson reaches plea deal in Syko Stu attack case
Raja Jackson has reportedly reached a plea deal with prosecutors to resolve the criminal case stemming from his August 2025 attack on indie wrestler Syko Stu.
The California Post reports that, per a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Jackson is pleading no contest to the felony count of battery with serious bodily injury that he is facing. Sentencing will not happen until late June, but it’s expected that Jackson will have to serve 90 days in county jail, along with paying restitution to Stu and receiving two years probation.
Jackson, the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, will be paying the restitution amount of $81,703.38 before he is sentenced.
“The 26-year-old pleaded no contest to one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury at a preliminary hearing setting after striking the agreement with officials, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told The California Post,” the report said.
“Raja also admitted to two special allegations, including personal infliction of great bodily injury and engaging in violent conduct.”
The attack took place at an event for KnokX Pro Wrestling in Los Angeles last summer, with video of the incident going viral on social media. A GoFundMe campaign for Stu’s recovery expenses raised nearly $225,000. Among the top donors was YouTuber Mr. Beast, who was touched by Stu’s story of being a military veteran who was using pro wrestling as an outlet to deal with his PTSD.
Jackson, a streamer on the platform Kick, repeatedly punched Stu in the head and bloodied him in the attack, which took place after Stu had struck Jackson in the head with a beer can earlier in the night.
Stu (Stuart Smith) appeared at a meet and greet for KnokX Pro in Las Vegas during WrestleMania week last month.
WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi, one of the founders of KnokX Pro, announced this week that he is stepping away from the wrestling school/promotion.
Syko Stu to make WrestleMania week appearance following Raja Jackson incident
Eight months after unexpectedly being thrust into the national spotlight when he was attacked by Raja Jackson, Syko Stu will be in Las Vegas meeting fans during WrestleMania week.
KnokX Pro Wrestling has announced that Stu (Stuart Smith) will be making a “rare” appearance at The Quay Boardwalk at Treasure Island in Vegas, where the indie promotion/training school is holding autograph signings this Thursday and Friday. The announcement touted that fans will have the opportunity to “hear the story” behind Stu’s fight with Jackson:
- Meet Syko Stu in person
- Take photos & step into a REAL wrestling ring
- Signed photos & memorabilia available for purchase
- Hear the story behind the fight
The Stu-Jackson incident happened at a KnokX Pro event in August 2025. After video of the attack went viral on social media, a GoFundMe campaign to benefit Stu raised nearly $225,000, with popular YouTuber Mr. Beast contributing as one of the top donors. Mr. Beast said he was touched by Stu’s story of being a military veteran and using pro wrestling as an outlet to help deal with PTSD.
Stu sustained a “serious head injury” in the attack, as well as damage to his upper and lower jaw, a laceration to his upper lip, a fracture to the maxilla bone, and the loss of several teeth.
In October 2025, Jackson — the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — pleaded not guilty in the ongoing criminal case related to the attack.
WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi is one of the founders of KnokX Pro, which lost its affiliation with the WWE ID program after the incident between Stu and Jackson. The school implemented policy changes last October limiting who has access to the facility.
KnokX Pro announces procedure changes following Raja Jackson-Syko Stu incident
In the wake of August’s Raja Jackson-Syko Stu incident, KnokX Pro Wrestling is making a change to its procedures.
The indie promotion and training school issued a public notice today announcing that it’s tightening up its protocols regarding who is allowed access to the facility. Anyone who is not directly affiliated with KnokX Pro must receive written authorization to enter, film, or appear at the school. During live events, security is authorized to deny entry or remove anyone who is causing an issue.
The full notice can be seen below:
- Effective immediately, unauthorized access to KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy is strictly prohibited.
- Only current students, active staff, and officially approved affiliates may enter or conduct business on the premises. Media personnel, former clients, past affiliates, or any individual not directly affiliated with KnokX Pro are not permitted to enter, film, or appear at our facility without prior written authorization from ownership.
- All visits, collaborations, and media or filming requests must be submitted in advance and approved by KnokX Pro management or ownership.
- Any unauthorized person or group found on the premises will be asked to leave immediately. Failure to comply will result in removal by staff and may be considered trespassing under California law.
- During live public events, security are authorized to refuse entry or to remove anyone.
Jackson — an internet live streamer and the son of MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — is facing up to seven years in jail if convicted for his August 23 attack on Syko Stu. It occurred at a KnokX Pro event in Los Angeles when a planned spot turned into a legitimate situation. Video of the attack went viral online with Jackson repeatedly punching Stu in the head and bloodying him. Stu had struck Jackson in the head with a beer can backstage prior to the attack.
The incident caused KnokX Pro to lose its WWE ID affiliate program status. WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi is one of the owners of the school/promotion.
Stu (Stuart Smith) continues to progress in his recovery from the attack but will likely not be returning to the ring.
WOL: Weekend preview, Syko Stu and Raja, ratings changes
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm is back with a full preview of all the big shows this weekend, a look at Raja Jackson’s not guilty plea and Stu’s future in wrestling, a primer on these ratings changes, your questions, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Syko Stu’s in-ring career said to be ‘done’ after Raja Jackson attack
It doesn’t look like Syko Stu ever intends to get back in the ring following the injuries he sustained in Raja Jackson’s attack.
While speaking with TMZ, wrestler Douglas Malo said that — from what he’s heard — Stu’s career in the ring is “done.” Malo, a friend of Stu’s, was one of the wrestlers who intervened to stop Jackson’s attack when it occurred at a KnokX Pro Wrestling show on August 23.
“His close friend that I talked to that’s throwing this [benefit] event said that Stu’s done with any ring work,” Malo responded when TMZ asked if he thinks Stu would like to wrestle again to help find closure.
“And then I also know about some of the stuff that he was dealing with from when I talked to his wife last and his friends, I don’t think being in the ring would work ever again.”
Malo said he thinks it would be cool to do an angle where Stu makes a save for him — reversing the situation that played out when he helped stop Jackson’s attack. But Malo doesn’t know if even that would be a smart idea.
“That was a lot of damage he received, plus what he was already dealing with,” Malo said. “You know, he wasn’t necessarily a spring chicken before the event. So I don’t know.”
A show to help Stu is being put on by Valor Pro Wrestling on November 15. Malo is excited to see Stu there and give him a hug. To this point, Malo has tried to mostly avoid reaching out to Stu directly because he doesn’t want Stu to have to relive the trauma he experienced.
Stu (Stuart Smith) is a U.S. Army veteran who has used wrestling as a way to help deal with PTSD. A GoFundMe to support his recovery from Jackson’s attack has raised more than $220,000.
This week, Jackson — the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — appeared in a Los Angeles court and entered a not guilty plea in response to the two charges he’s facing. He could potentially serve up to seven years in jail if convicted.
Raja Jackson pleads not guilty to charges in Syko Stu attack
On Thursday, Raja Jackson made an appearance in court as he faces two charges related to his August attack on indie wrestler Syko Stu.
Jackson entered a not guilty plea in response to the charges, one of which is a felony that could see him serve up to seven years in jail if convicted. He is facing one count of felony battery and one count of misdemeanor battery.
The incident happened at a show for indie promotion KnokX Pro in Los Angeles on August 23. What was originally supposed to be a planned spot turned into a legitimate attack with Jackson repeatedly punching Stu in the head, bloodying him, and sending him to the hospital. Stu had struck Jackson in the head with a beer can backstage prior to the attack.
When approached by TMZ at today’s court date in LA, Jackson did not offer any comment. His next court appearance is scheduled for November.
“Wearing a black shirt, black pants and black tie … Raja stared ahead as he strolled into the building flanked by men who appeared to be his lawyers,” TMZ wrote. “Prosecutors say he’s facing up to seven years behind bars if convicted on the felony count, and up to six more months if convicted on the misdemeanor.”
Jackson — the son of former UFC great Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — was a streamer on Kick before the platform banned his account over this incident.
At the end of August, Stu (Stuart Smith) was released from the hospital. The United States Army veteran has a long road ahead in his recovery journey, but a GoFundMe to help assist him has raised more than $220,000.
The charges against Jackson include a sentencing enhancement due to prosecutors claiming that he caused “great bodily injury” to Stu.
Raja Jackson to face two charges in Syko Stu attack
Raja Jackson will face two charges concerning his August attack on indie wrestler Syko Stu (real name Stuart Smith) that drew worldwide criticism and media attention.
First reported by the Los Angeles Times, Jackson will be charged with one count of felony battery that caused serious bodily injury and one count of misdemeanor battery. The attack took place at a show for KnokX Pro Wrestling on August 23. What was originally a planned spot turned into a legitimate situation with Jackson — the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — bloodying Stu and sending him to the hospital. The attack came after Stu had struck Jackson in the head with a beer can backstage.
“Prosecutors will also seek a sentencing enhancement because Jackson allegedly caused Stuart Smith to suffer great bodily injury,” the LA Times wrote. “Smith, known as Syko Stu in the ring, lost several teeth and suffered a laceration to his lip during the attack, which saw Jackson body slam the wrestler and then punch him in the head and face more than 20 times.
“A criminal complaint is expected to be filed Tuesday, according to the district attorney’s office. Calls and emails to Jackson and his representatives were not immediately returned. It was not clear if he had retained an attorney.”
Following an investigation by the LAPD, Jackson was arrested in September for the attack. He is out on bail and will have an arraignment in court this week.
Jackson was a streamer on Kick before his account was banned from the platform over this incident.
Stu was released from the hospital at the end of August but still has a long road ahead to full recovery. A GoFundMe campaign to help support him raised more than $220,000 dollars. YouTube star Mr. Beast, Chris Jericho, Finn Balor, Nic Nemeth, Jack Perry, and Swerve Strickland were among the top donors.
KnokX Pro Wrestling — which is both a promotion and training school — had its WWE ID affiliation terminated after Jackson’s actions.
WOL: Tons of news, PPV weekend, Raja Jackson, NXT vs. TNA
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm is back with tons to talk about including all the news heading into a big PPV/PLE weekend, Raja Jackson arrested, NXT vs. TNA seems inevitable, Andrade’s release, Gunther’s return, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Raja Jackson arrested, charged with felony
Raja Jackson has been arrested and charged with a felony in connection with an incident involving indie wrestler Syko Stu last month.
TMZ reports that Jackson, son of MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, was arrested Thursday morning and is still behind bars on a $50,000 bond as of Thursday night.
The report does not state which law enforcement agency brought the felony charge, but the Los Angeles Police Department was known to be investigating the incident that took place on August 23 on a KnokX independent show in California. Jackson is alleged to have taken a wrestling angle too far in attacking Stu, slamming him in the ring, then continuing to strike the indie wrestler as he was unconscious.
Stu was hospitalized for several days, but is now recovering at home. The indie wrestler’s wife set up a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $220,000 that will go towards paying his medical bills and loss of income. YouTube star Mr. Beast and AEW wrestler Chris Jericho are among those who have donated to the GoFundMe.
KnokX issued a statement calling Jackson’s actions “an irresponsible act of violence,” and had their WWE ID affiliation stripped following the incident.
Rampage Jackson issues new statement on Raja Jackson’s actions at KnokX Pro event
Rampage Jackson has issued a new statement regarding his son Raja Jackson’s actions at a KnokX Pro event that left wrestler Syko Stu with serious injuries.
Jackson posted the following to Instagram on Monday, stating his family has received threats and expressing frustration at misinformation being spread about the incident.
“This has gone too far,I’m sick of being quiet and letting all the low IQ people fall for clickbait! Yes my son took things too far,and I’m pissed at him for being a POS and the way he handled it! But if psycho Stu wasn’t drunk and wouldn’t have hit my son over the head with a (real beer can) while he was live streaming on his own stream then Knox wouldn’t have felt like they had to make things right by letting Raja get his ‘get back’ in the ring! If my son would’ve just went to the police when the beer can incident happened then the whole event could’ve gotten shut down and he could’ve sued! But no my son is not as smart as I’d liked for him to be! Now my family and i are getting racist threats because of all the misinformation being posted so content creators can get paid from viewers!”
“People actually think my son just snuck in a ring in front of a live audience and picked psycho Stu up without permission to be there! Get smart people! It was staged! But Raja took it too far! He only shook his hand and accepted psycho Stu’s drunken apology because they said he could get in the storyline! He was told he could ‘f–k him up’ i have witnesses that says this isn’t the 1st time that psycho Stu had done some drunk shit back stage to a fan! Now we have the back story that my son attacked an innocent military vet with PTSD like my son knew everything about the man that came up from behind him and hit him then asked him to sell it!“
“I have other kids to protect,and i don’t take kindly to threats! I’m not scared of prison,or dying for my kids! And calling me names won’t hurt my feelings! My son should face the consequences for going too far,he knows better! That’s why he didn’t tell me anything about the story line. But psycho Stu is lucky i wasn’t there when he hit my son over the head with a beer can the day after he got a concussion from sparring the day before! I wouldn’t have cared if a bunch of pro wrestlers would’ve jumped me.. I’m a father 1st. Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Let’s all learn a lesson,keep your damn hands to yourself. If you get paid to do fake fighting don’t disrespect people that do the s–t for real! Now i put myself in this shit! Dm me now!”
On Sunday, the official Facebook page for Syko Stu announced that he had been released from hospital and was now recovering at home. It was noted that he has a long road of recovery ahead and that he suffered multiple injuries during the attack.
Syko Stu’s GoFundMe page is now up over $217,000 raised. The top donation was made three days ago by a donor named Stuart Humphreys who made a gift of $15,000 to the campaign. YouTube star Mr. Beast has made the second highest donation thus far at $10,000. Bodybuilding influencer Derek MPMD also made a $5000 donation. Chris Jericho is the highest-donating wrestler at $2500.
Syko Stu released from hospital after incident at KnokX Pro event
An update is available on Syko Stu.
Stu’s official Facebook page released a statement on Sunday, confirming that he has now been released from hospital and is home resting. The statement notes that while Stu is in good spirits, he faces a long road to recovery.
The full statement reads:
“Stuart has been released from the hospital and is now home resting. He sustained a serious head injury and was unconscious upon arrival at the ER. His injuries include trauma to both the upper and lower jaws, a laceration to his upper lip, and a fracture to the maxilla bone, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of several teeth.
He has a long road of recovery ahead, but he remains in good spirits despite everything he has been through.
We are deeply grateful for all the love and support we’ve received during this time. Thank you to everyone who has contributed in any way—whether through monetary donations, food, flowers, or gifts. Your kindness means more than words can express.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
With love and respect,
Contessa Patterson & Stuart Smith (aka SykoStu)”
Stu was severely injured last weekend during an incident involving Raja Jackson at a KnokX Pro event in Los Angeles. Jackson entered the ring and slammed Stu to the mat, knocking him unconscious. While Stu was unresponsive, Jackson continued striking him until being subdued.
As of this writing, the GoFundMe campaign for Stu has raised over $213,000, with notable contributions from Mr. Beast, Stuart Humphreys, Chris Jericho, Finn Balor, Swerve Strickland, Nic Nemeth, and others. Following the incident, WWE pulled its WWE ID accreditation from KnokX Pro, as reported by our own Bryan Alvarez last week.
“I am told Knokx Pro has had their WWE ID affiliation pulled” Alvarez wrote to his subscribers on X.
The full post from Syko Stu’s Facebook page is available below:
Indie promotion advertises Raja Jackson, venue says he’s banned
San Diego-based indie promotion Danger Pro Wrestling advertised Raja Jackson for an event, but the venue hosting the show says the 25-year-old is banned from the building.
Last week, Jackson entered the ring during a Knokx Pro event in Los Angeles, knocked Syko Stu unconscious with a slam, and continued striking the unresponsive wrestler until he was physically pulled away. As of the most recent update, Stu is awake and responsive.
On Thursday, Danger Pro Wrestling posted to Instagram that Jackson would appear at an upcoming event and told fans to stay tuned for an opponent announcement.
Danger Pro wrote:
“IN A BOLD move, Indy pro wrestling company @dangerdangerpro BOOKS now-infamous son of @rampagejackson#RAJAJackson for upcoming appearance at their event. Tickets available DangerProWrestling.eventbrite.com Stay tuned for opponent announcement, and date! All dates currently listed on our eventbrite!!”
While Danger Pro’s post did not specify which event Jackson would appear at, the promotion has two shows scheduled next month at the Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center in San Diego’s North Park area. Without naming the venue directly, TMZ Sports reports they’ve been told Jackson is not welcome in the building.
“The venue slated to host the upcoming Danger Pro Wrestling event tells TMZ Sports Raja Jackson is not welcome.”
“Additionally, the event space tells us to its knowledge, Jackson was never part of the card … and the org. merely used Thursday’s post as a way to drum up interest.”
As of this writing, the GoFundMe to support Stu is up over $210,000.
Danger Pro’s post advertising Jackson is available below.
September 1, 2025 Observer Newsletter: AEW Forbidden Door review, Raja Jackson & Syko Stu incident
The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter is available for subscribers.
Dave Meltzer leads off with a look at last Sunday’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. Here’s an excerpt:
“AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door didn’t seem as forbidden as in the past, with the only New Japan wrestlers being El Desperado and Yuya Uemura booked in an opening Zero Hour match announced the night before with no build-up, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney and Robbie X also added the night before, plus the previously announced Zack Sabre Jr., Gabe Kidd, Hiromu Takahashi and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tomohiro Ishii did a run-in, although run-in would be the incorrect term for what he did. From CMLL came Hechicero (also announced the night before) and Persephone, while RevPro had late add Michael Oku and Stardom had Bozilla.
The show took place on 8/24 at the O2 Arena in London, and with the early Sunday night curfew in that building, they started the show at 4:45 p.m. local time and the main card at 6 p.m., meaning an 11:45 a.m. start on the East Coast and an 8:45 a.m. start on the West Coast. They also had probably the most loaded Zero Hour in history.”
Dave also looks at the bizarre Raja Jackson/Syko Stu incident on an indie show, a look at Sunday’s WWE Clash in Paris, and the rest of the news from the wrestling week.
Mark Henry responds to backlash over Raja Jackson-Syko Stu comments
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry has issued a response after receiving backlash for his comments about the Raja Jackson-Syko Stu situation.
While speaking to TMZ Sports earlier this week about the attack, Henry said Stu — as a veteran wrestler — shares some of the blame for the incident because he hit Jackson in the head with a beer can before the KnokX Pro Wrestling show. Henry was also critical that some people were drinking alcohol prior to the event.
Henry has gotten criticism for his take on social media and has even been accused of being a racist for not entirely blaming Jackson. But Henry is not backing away from what he said. He explained his comments more in-depth during the Wednesday edition of his Morning Kickoff radio show, saying his opinion wasn’t formed by race but instead comes from his experience as a wrestler.
“I did say that what happened was excessive with the young man, Raja Jackson, and that whole thing was a mistake. What I said has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with ignorance about the wrestling business,” Henry said. “And I don’t expect everybody to understand how organized pro wrestling has been for the last 100 years, because it’s been kept a secret. I don’t like to see anybody get hurt in the wrestling business, and I feel sorry for the guy.
“Syko [Stu] didn’t deserve what he got. But every action has a reaction, and there’s consequences for everything that you put out in this universe.”
Henry believes Jackson — the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — should have been smartened up more about the business before taking part in any kind of angle, comparing it to his own past when he was once “banished” to Canada to work with the Hart family and learn more about wrestling.
Concluding his statement, Henry said he is making zero apologies for what he said.
“I have not got one racist bone in my body. I love people. God put me on this earth to be a helper and to be a watcher,” Henry said.
“I just want to go on record as saying I’m making zero apologies for what I said. I meant every word — every single word I meant. You have to be responsible on both sides. The WWE is where they are because they do great business, because they smarten everybody up. And when people go off-script, they get fined, they get suspended, they get sent away. Until you know better, you can’t be on our program. And I don’t work for them, I just respect the business. So all of you fans out there that have these racist tendencies and all the vitriol for me, have at it. You can’t hurt me. I’m bulletproof.”
The Jackson-Stu incident took place at KnokX Pro’s August 23 show in Los Angeles and is currently under investigation by the LAPD. Stu has some serious injuries following the attack, but he is recovering and none of them are life-threatening. A GoFundMe campaign to help support him has raised more than $175,000.
In the wake of the incident, KnokX Pro — a training school and promotion — has lost its WWE ID affiliation.