Raja Jackson, the son of former MMA fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, has pleaded not guilty to a count of felony battery that caused serious bodily injury and a count of misdemeanor battery.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred during a KnokX event in Los Angeles in August, where Jackson slammed wrestler Stuart Smith, also known as Syko Stu, to the mat, causing significant injuries.
According to reports, Jackson had to be restrained by several other wrestlers after he continued punching a clearly unconscious Smith.
The incident was sparked by a brief altercation between the two earlier that day, in which Smith had hit Jackson with a beer can as part of a promotional stunt for the event. Jackson had stated in a livestream prior to the event that he intended to get his revenge on Smith.
Smith suffered a head injury, various injuries to his jaw, lost teeth, and had a laceration on his lip as a result of the incident. Jackson was arrested and bail was set at $50,000.
His father, UFC legend Rampage Jackson, condemned his son’s actions on social media, stating that he thought it was part of the show, but later realised it was a serious mistake.
Rampage Jackson also revealed that his son had suffered a concussion from sparring only days prior to the incident and should not have been involved in any physical activity.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is seeking a sentence of up to seven years for Jackson.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety and regulation of professional wrestling events, as well as the potential consequences of promoting violence and aggression in the sport.
