California-based independent wrestler Syko Stu is making progress in his recovery after suffering an attack at an event over the weekend, per a recent update from his brother.
Stu, real name Stuart Smith, was attacked last weekend at an independent wrestling event by Raja Jackson, son of former UFC fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Raja, who was livestreaming the event on his Kick social media page, rolled into the ring during a match, knocked out Stu with a slam, then scored a barrage of punches to the unconscious wrestler’s head, only stopping once a series of onlookers finally pulled him away.
The disturbing incident stemmed from a confrontation Stu and Jackson had earlier in the evening, before the show’s start. Stu struck Jackson in the head with a beer can backstage, then asked the livestreamer if he was going to “sell” the move. After a tense pull-apart, another talent informed Stu that Jackson was “not a worker.”
In an attempt to settle their backstage incident, it was decided that Jackson would make a run-in during Stu’s match. However, few expected that the confrontation would take such a violent turn.
An update provided on Sunday evening from Stu’s brother, Andrew Smith, noted that he was in “stable condition,” but in critical care after the attack. A follow-up on Monday mentioned that the wrestler was once again conscious.
“Thank you for the outpouring of support,” Smith wrote on Facebook. “Stuart is conscious and does have some recollection of events from the day of the attack. Thank you everyone for reaching out, it’s been difficult to get back to everyone individually.”
A GoFundMe has been launched in an attempt to help cover medical expenses and the loss of income that Stu has suffered due to the attack. As of writing, over $7,000 has been raised.
The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation into the incident after it took place on Saturday night, per TMZ.
Jackson isn’t the only one in hot water for the incident. It seems as though KnokX Pro, the promotion that hosted the event where the incident occurred on Saturday night, may no longer have an association with WWE’s “ID” recruitment program.
KnokX Pro is currently not listed as a “WWE ID School” on the site’s official page. An archived version of the site from April shows that the promotion was previously among the officially listed schools.
KnokX Pro said a spot between Jackson and Stu was “planned and agreed upon,” but “turned into a selfish, irresponsible act.”
