A UFC legend’s son is currently being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department after an apparent assault that took place during a recent livestream.
Former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his son were at the KnokX Pro Academy wrestling event on Saturday night. During one match, Jackson’s son Raja slammed his opponent to the ground, a move that appeared to render the individual unconscious.
Despite the person appearing to be out cold, Raja mounted his body and landed several blows to the head before he was pulled away. According to Sean Ross Sapp of wrestling news site Fightful, the opponent – known as Syko Stu – was hospitalized.
When Did Police Get Involved?
According to TMZ, police were called to the event, which was being streamed live around the world on KICK. Authorities say they took a report on the incident and are now investigating.
Sapp noted that the spot in the match between Raja and Stu was planned beforehand, but that the heavy blows Stu took “were not planned to do that kind of damage.”
“I don’t condone my son’s actions AT ALL!,” Raja’s father Quinton said on social media this weekend, adding that Stu – whose real name is Stuart Smith – was awake and in stable condition.
“He (Raja Jackson) suffered a concussion from sparring only days ago and had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact,” Jackson said, shedding light on his son’s condition.
“As a father, I’m deeply concerned with his health AND the well-being of Mr. Smith. That being said I’m very upset that any of this happened, but my main concern now is that Mr. Smith will make a speedy recovery. I apologize on his (Raja Jackson’s) behalf and to KICK for the situation.”
How Did Event Organizers Respond?
KnokX Pro Academy spoke out against Jackson’s conduct during the event, adding that in 17 years of operation for the promotion, “there has never been anything as heinous take place such as this and we apologize to our patrons and fans.”
“Raja was unexpectedly hit in the side of the head by him moments before Smith’s match, Raja was told that he could get his ‘payback’ in the ring, I thought it was a part of the show,” Quinton Jackson said.
“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.”
Quinton Jackson was one of the UFC’s major stars in the mid-to-late 2000s, winning the promotion’s light heavyweight championship by defeating the legendary Chuck Liddell in 2007. Jackson battled several stars and all-time greats during his career, including Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua.
Following his time in the UFC, Jackson experienced success in the Bellator promotion. He initially rose to prominence in Japan’s PRIDE FC, known for his eccentric and entertaining personality before, during and after fights.
