Syko Stu Clarifies He Did Not Forgive Raja Jackson, Discusses Recovery From Attack

Syko Stu says he never said he forgave Raja Jackson for the August 2025 assault at a KnokX Pro Wrestling event in Los Angeles, only that he isn’t harboring a grudge. He also detailed his recovery, including relearning to walk and missing a year of work after the incident.

During his first interview since the attack, Stu—real name Stuart Smith—spoke with Matt Rosa and Neno Torres on the Space of Solace podcast. He addressed how his courtroom statement had been interpreted.

“That was a little out of context,” Stu explained. “What I actually said was, ‘I’m not holding a grudge.’ I never mentioned forgiveness.”

“I just didn’t want to hold a grudge, because I feel like that brings negative energy into it,” he added. “When you let something go, it helps you heal.”

When Jackson began serving his sentence in July, Stu told the court, “I hold no grudges against Mr. Jackson,” according to a POST Wrestling report.

Injuries and Recovery

Stu reported having no memory of the assault and not waking until the following Tuesday. The attack occurred on a Saturday, and he was released from the hospital the subsequent Thursday.

“I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury,” he said. “I lost two front teeth, shattered my maxilla, and there’s more damage I can’t recall right now.”

“I really had to relearn how to walk,” he noted. “I couldn’t walk for a while after that.”

A 10‑year U.S. Army veteran, Stu was off work for a full year because his job relies heavily on computer tasks. He continues to see traumatic brain injury specialists, perform memory exercises, and await dental implants.

He described daily memory loss: “My wife will tell me something, and five minutes later I’ll forget it. I end up doing things multiple times because I don’t remember having already done them.”

The Planned Finish

Stu explained that after a beer‑can spot backstage, the two intended to turn it into a match angle, with Jackson delivering a scripted wrestling punch. “It was supposed to be a wrestling punch,” he said. “The slam is what knocked me out.”

He also stated that he does not hold KnokX Pro accountable for the incident. “I don’t see it that way,” he commented.

Rampage Jackson’s Call

Stu said that Raja Jackson’s father, former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, called him while he was hospitalized and asked for a callback. After hearing Rampage discuss the incident on various podcasts, Stu decided not to return the call. “He basically trashed me,” Stu noted. “I wasn’t going to call back if he’d already made up his mind about me.”

Stu criticized Rampage’s claims that he “was drunk all the time,” stating that none of the statements from people who know him support that characterization.

When asked if Jackson’s 90‑day sentence was sufficient and whether justice had been served, Stu replied, “We might have to just hold off on that one for right now.”

Return to the Ring

Stu has not wrestled since the assault. He said the hardest part now is being unable to compete, as memory loss makes it difficult to plan matches.

“My doctors tell me I shouldn’t,” he said. “But with a love for wrestling so deep, you want to find any way to make it happen. Whether that happens remains to be seen.”

He added that he would consider other roles in wrestling, such as training students.

The Case

Jackson, who was live‑streaming on Kick during the segment, struck Stu repeatedly after Stu appeared unconscious. In May, Jackson pleaded no contest to a felony battery charge. He received a 90‑day sentence in Los Angeles County jail, two years of probation, and $81,000 in restitution. Jackson began serving his sentence on July 2 and was released on September 29.

Source link