New Footage, Longer Timeline: What Really Happened in the Raja Jackson–“Syko Stu” Incident at KnokX Pro

Former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson says he’s “deeply concerned” after his son, pro MMA fighter Raja Jackson, entered the ring at a KnokX Pro Wrestling (a WWE "ID" Indy Development Associated Company) event in California and slammed independent wrestler Stuart “Syko Stu” Smith—an impact that appeared to leave Smith unconscious on the Kick livestream.

What’s new: video, a “can,” and a 3-hour gap

Fresh clips and eyewitness accounts add context many fans didn’t see in the viral knockout:

• Pre-incident confrontation: Earlier in the evening, footage shows a heated altercation outside the venue. Raja has since claimed a “can” was thrown at his face during that exchange. However the footage below shows it was lightly smashed on his head, Stu thought the cameras were there for a "worked" angle.
• Apologies reported: According to multiple outlets (including Yahoo News), Syko Stu apologized several times after that initial dust-up.
• Not heat of the moment: The in-ring run-in happened nearly three hours later, not immediately after the outside confrontation.
• The ring sequence: While Smith was wrestling someone else, Raja slid in, picked Smith up and slammed him to the canvas, then appeared to throw additional shots before being pulled away by wrestlers and staff.

Smith’s brother later posted that Stu was stable but in critical care, thanking fans for their support while the family focuses on his recovery.

Rampage’s response

Rampage Jackson addressed the situation, calling it “a work that went wrong.” He says Raja was told he could get “payback” in the ring, and admits it was bad judgment—especially because Raja had suffered a concussion in sparring days earlier and “had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact.” Rampage apologized to Smith and to Kick, and emphasized that Raja is an MMA fighter, not a pro wrestler. Rampage Jackson's social media response is still on his X account at the time of this publication, even with tons of horrifying clips being released, a telling sign.

Where Knokx Pro fits

Knokx Pro—identified as a WWE ID program partner (an initiative that provides support and talent-development opportunities)—has been approached for comment. The WWE ID designation does not imply WWE produced or supervised the indie show. As of press time, no official medical update has been released by the promotion.

What’s still unclear

• Who, if anyone, green-lit Raja’s involvement in the ring minutes before the slam.
• What, if any, agenting or safety brief occurred prior to the run-in.
• Whether disciplinary steps will follow from the promotion or athletic authorities.

Wrestling.news | Backstage Take

This is a worst-case scenario for an indie show: blurred lines between “work” and “shoot,” a non-wrestler with recent concussion history entering the ring, and a violent spot that wasn’t read safely by a live audience or the camera. If any “payback” was ever considered, that should have triggered hard stops: no clearance without a full medical check, agented choreography, and an on-site supervisor capable of saying “absolutely not.”

Promotions can’t rely on handshake cues when real-world tensions exist. The standard has to be: no surprises, no non-trained participants in live action, and no physicality after a known head injury—period. This isn’t about blame-shifting; it’s about protocols that protect everyone in and around the ring.

Follow-ups we’re tracking

• Official medical update on Stuart “Syko Stu” Smith
• Any disciplinary or regulatory actions
• Knokx Pro’s internal review and policy changes, if any

We’ll update as more is confirmed.

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