A violent incident at a California wrestling show on Saturday evening has left an independent wrestler hospitalised after being brutally attacked by the son of former UFC champion Rampage Jackson.
Raja Jackson, whose father is former UFC light heavyweight champion Jackson, stormed into the ring during a Knokx Pro Wrestling match and launched a savage assault on performer Stuart Smith, who wrestles under the name Syko Stu.
The 0-1 MMA fighter's unprovoked entry into the wrestling ring was captured on a KICK livestream, showing him forcefully throwing Smith to the canvas before delivering multiple strikes to the unconscious wrestler's head.
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The incident appeared to be triggered by an earlier altercation that evening, when Smith had hit Jackson with a beer can during what seemed to be an impromptu moment outside the scripted wrestling programme.
Raja Jackson was captured attacking the wrestler
|Kick
Footage from the livestream showed Smith's head striking the mat with significant force as Jackson threw him down, rendering the wrestler unconscious before the MMA fighter continued his attack.
Multiple wrestlers were required to drag Jackson away from the motionless Smith and pin him against the turnbuckle to prevent further violence.
Following the beer can incident, Smith had offered an apology, but Jackson's retaliation hours later resulted in the wrestler being urgently transported to hospital with severe injuries.
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The former UFC champion released a public statement addressing the incident, declaring: "I don't condone my son's actions AT ALL!"
Rampage Jackson revealed that his son had been suffering from a concussion sustained during sparring sessions just days before the wrestling event and "had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact."
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Rampage Jackson was a former UFC champion
|Getty
Despite condemning the violence, Jackson Sr. characterised the incident as a professional wrestling segment that had gone awry, stating: "It was bad judgment, and a work that went wrong."
He explained that following the beer can strike, his son had been informed he could seek "payback" during the wrestling show, which Jackson Sr. believed was meant to be staged entertainment.
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The MMA legend confirmed that the injured wrestler is currently "awake and stable," though Smith's family has not yet provided an update on his medical condition.
In his statement, Jackson Sr. expressed remorse for the incident and concern for Smith's recovery, writing: "As a father, I'm deeply concerned with his health AND the well-being of Mr. Smith."
Raja Jackson slammed the wrestler into the mat
|Kick
He concluded with an apology directed at both the injured wrestler and the streaming platform that broadcast the violent episode: "I apologize on his behalf and to KICK for the situation."
The former champion emphasised that his son, being an MMA competitor rather than a professional wrestler, should never have been participating in such an event.