Raja Jackson, son of Rampage Jackson, was arrested after beating an unconscious wrestler on camera
Raja Jackson — the 25-year-old son of UFC legend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson — made global headlines in August 2025 after he stormed a wrestling ring mid-show and brutally beat unconscious wrestler Stuart "Syko Stu" Smith live on stream. He was subsequently arrested on a felony charge weeks after being caught on video assaulting a pro wrestler in a fight that was supposed to be scripted. The case ended in July 2026 when Raja began serving a 90-day jail sentence.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summaries
- Who is Raja Jackson?
- Raja Jackson's MMA record
- Raja Jackson's height
- Raja Jackson's mother
- What happened to Syko Stu? The Raja Jackson attack explained
- Syko Stu's injuries
- Why did Raja Jackson attack Syko Stu?
- Reaction from the wrestling world
- What did Raja Jackson get charged with?
- Raja Jackson verdict: the plea deal and sentencing
- Raja Jackson begins jail sentence
- Latest news
- FAQ
- Quick facts
Key takeaways
- Raja Jackson attacked wrestler Syko Stu at the KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy in Los Angeles on 23 August 2025.
- The assault was livestreamed on Kick and went viral, prompting a criminal investigation.
- Raja was arrested on 18 September 2025 and charged with felony battery causing serious bodily injury.
- He pleaded no contest in May 2026 and began a 90-day jail sentence on 2 July 2026.
- He must pay $81,703.38 in restitution to Syko Stu and serve two years on formal probation.
Profile summaries
Full name | Raja Jackson | Stuart Smith |
Also known as | "da Clone", Raja Rampage Jackson | Syko Stu |
Profession | MMA fighter | Professional wrestler |
Nationality | American | American |
Father | Quinton "Rampage" Jackson | — |
Pro MMA record | 0–1 | — |
Incident date | 23 August 2025 | 23 August 2025 |
Outcome | 90 days jail, probation, $81k restitution | Hospitalised; serious head and facial injuries |
Who is Raja Jackson?
Raja Jackson is an American MMA fighter and the son of UFC legend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Known by his nickname "da Clone," Raja grew up around the fight world and carved out his own path in combat sports.
He began competing in his first amateur bout in 2021 and won his first fight, going on to win his second and third amateur bouts in 2022. He began competing in professional fights in 2023, racking up one win and one loss by the time of the KnokX incident.
Raja Jackson's MMA record
Raja Jackson has some mixed martial arts experience. He went 4–0 as an amateur before losing his pro debut in 2023. He was scheduled for a second pro fight in 2025, which was cancelled. At UFL 3, he made his pro debut against Steve Collins. The fight ended in a unanimous decision loss and remains his only professional bout.
Fight | Opponent | Result | Year |
Pro debut | Steve Collins | Loss (UD) | 2023 |
Amateur record | Various | 4–0 | 2021–2022 |
Raja Jackson's height
Standing at 6'3", he competes in combat sports with a background in wrestling and boxing. He trained at Team Bodyshop MMA in Los Angeles, where he developed his fighting style.
Raja Jackson's mother
Raja was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Rampage and an unnamed woman from his earlier years. Little is known about his biological mother, as her identity remains undisclosed. Yuki Imoto married Rampage in 2002, and the couple raised four children together — D'Angelo, Raja, Elijah, and Nanami. Biologically, however, Yuki is not the mother of Raja, but she embraced the role.
What happened to Syko Stu? The Raja Jackson attack explained
The incident occurred at a KnokX Pro Wrestling event on 23 August 2025. In a prior encounter, Smith had smashed a can on Jackson's head. There are various accounts about what elements of this earlier meeting were planned.
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In a live stream prior to the event, Jackson said he intended to get revenge on Smith for the brief altercation between them earlier that day.
Raja Jackson entered the ring in street clothes, slammed Smith to the ring, and punched him repeatedly until he was unconscious. Following the initial slam, Jackson reportedly threw at least 20 punches to the head of the apparently unconscious wrestler. He was eventually pulled off Smith by several other wrestlers and fled.
The disturbing incident was captured on streaming platform Kick, which has since banned Jackson for his actions.
Syko Stu's injuries
Smith spent several days in intensive care before being released on 31 August. He later detailed his injuries, saying he had a "serious head injury" as well as trauma to both jaws, a laceration to his upper lip, and the loss of several teeth.
Syko Stu told the court his injuries left him unable to work and described a recovery that included treatment for a severe traumatic brain injury, a shattered maxilla, and a bone graft procedure. Upon his release from hospital, he announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
Why did Raja Jackson attack Syko Stu?
KnokX confirmed the attack began as a planned segment — but went far beyond anything agreed upon.
"What was supposed to be a planned and agreed upon wrestling spot, turned into a selfish, irresponsible act of violence against Mr. Smith. This egregious act is reprehensible and never should have occurred. In the 17 years of operation of KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy, there has never been anything as heinous take place such as this and we apologise to our patrons and fans." — KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy statement
Rampage Jackson offered his own explanation — and condemnation — shortly after:
"Raja was told that he could get his 'payback' in the ring. I thought it was a part of the show. It was bad judgement, and a work that went wrong. Raja is a MMA fighter not a pro wrestler and had no business involved in an event like this. I don't condone my son's actions AT ALL! He suffered a concussion from sparring only days ago and had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact." — Rampage Jackson, via Fox LA
Reaction from the wrestling world
The incident sent shockwaves through the pro wrestling industry, with veterans taking both sides of the issue. WWE Hall of Famers Rob Van Dam and Mark Henry both faced public backlash for their reactions. Henry said Smith deserved some blame for what happened, while RVD initially noted he had Jackson's back.
A GoFundMe launched for Syko Stu's recovery raised nearly $225,000, with one of the richest streamers, MrBeast, among the top donors after being moved by Stu's story as a military veteran using pro wrestling to cope with PTSD.
What did Raja Jackson get charged with?
Jackson was arrested and booked on a felony charge of battery with serious bodily injury. He was charged with one count of felony battery that caused serious bodily injury and one count of misdemeanour battery, following his attack on professional wrestler Stuart "Syko Stu" Smith in August.
Jackson faced up to four years in state prison for the felony charge, with prosecutors pursuing sentencing enhancements. The two charges included a sentencing enhancement for allegedly causing "great bodily injury," which could have added three extra years to a prison sentence, totalling seven.
Rampage Jackson said he believed his son deserved to face consequences:
"I think that he should do a little time, do a little community service." — Rampage Jackson, via Ariel Helwani on X
Raja Jackson verdict: the plea deal and sentencing
Raja entered a no-contest plea on 6 May 2026 to felony battery causing serious bodily injury, plus admissions to great bodily injury and violent conduct.
He also admitted to two special allegations, including personal infliction of great bodily injury and engaging in violent conduct.
His sentencing date was set for 22 June, and the "anticipated sentence is 90 days actual county jail," according to the District Attorney's Office. He will also pay $81,703.38 in restitution and serve two years of formal probation.
Raja Jackson faces a full 90-day jail term with no early release option. Legal experts point to the San Fernando courthouse policy that locks in time served for this plea deal.
Raja Jackson begins jail sentence
Raja Jackson was sentenced to jail after his 2 July 2026 court appearance. He was booked into L.A. County jail, where he begins a 90-day sentence to be followed by a two-year probationary period and an $81,000 payment in restitution.
According to Jackson's attorney, he will likely be released from jail in September 2026, which is when his next hearing is scheduled.
At the July hearing, Syko Stu addressed the court directly. His account of the harm included memory loss and reduced cognitive function. He told the court: "What happened affected me deeply and I do not minimise the seriousness of it," before adding that he holds no grudges.
Latest news
Raja Jackson has begun serving a three-month sentence in Los Angeles County after last summer's attack on pro wrestler Stuart Smith, aka Syko Stu. He is expected to remain in custody until approximately September 2026.
Smith could still pursue a separate civil lawsuit for medical costs, lost wages, and damages.
The case drew significant attention beyond the MMA and wrestling communities. Recently married MrBeast was among the top donors to Syko Stu's GoFundMe after being moved by Smith's story as a military veteran who used pro wrestling to cope with PTSD, with the campaign ultimately raising nearly $225,000.
FAQ
- What did Raja Jackson get charged with? Raja Jackson was charged with one count of felony battery that caused serious bodily injury and one count of misdemeanour battery following the August 2025 attack on Syko Stu.
- What is Raja Jackson's MMA record? Raja "da Clone" Jackson holds a professional MMA record of 0–1. He went 4–0 as an amateur before losing his pro debut to Steve Collins at UFL 3 by unanimous decision.
- What happened to Syko Stu? Syko Stu suffered a "serious head injury" as well as "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 also announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
- Why did Raja Jackson attack Syko Stu? He had previously had a backstage altercation with Smith in which the veteran indie wrestler smashed a beer can on the MMA fighter's head. The apparent misunderstanding was smoothed over, but Jackson then indicated on his private stream he was going to get payback on Smith in the ring.
- What is the Raja Jackson verdict? Jackson agreed to a plea deal in connection with the 2025 assault. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of battery causing serious bodily injury. Prosecutors said the agreement includes an anticipated sentence of 90 days in county jail, two years of formal probation, and more than $81,000 in restitution payments to Smith.
- What is Raja Jackson's height? Raja Jackson stands at 6'3".
- Who is Raja Jackson's mother? Raja was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Rampage and an unnamed woman. Little is known about his biological mother, as her identity remains undisclosed. Yuki Imoto married Rampage in 2002 and raised Raja as her own.
- When is Raja Jackson expected to be released from jail? According to Jackson's attorney, he will likely be released from jail in September 2026, which is when his next hearing is scheduled.
Quick facts
- Raja Jackson's nickname is "da Clone," a nod to his father, UFC legend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
- He went 4–0 as an amateur before turning professional in 2023.
- His only professional MMA bout ended in a unanimous decision loss to Steve Collins at UFL 3.
- He began serving a 90-day jail sentence on 2 July 2026 for the attack on Syko Stu.
- The GoFundMe for his victim, Syko Stu, raised nearly $225,000 — with MrBeast among the top donors.
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Source: Legit.ng
