Raja Jackson — the son of former UFC gentle heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — will face legal costs for delivering a bloody beatdown to knowledgeable wrestler in Los Angeles earlier this yr, authorities stated Monday.
Jackson, 25, shall be charged with one rely of felony battery that prompted critical bodily damage and one rely of misdemeanor battery in reference to an incident at a KnokX Professional Wrestling Academy occasion in Solar Valley on Aug. 23, based on a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County district lawyer’s workplace.
Prosecutors may also search a sentencing enhancement as a result of Jackson allegedly prompted Stuart Smith to undergo nice bodily damage. Smith, generally known as Syko Stu within the ring, misplaced a number of enamel and suffered a laceration to his lip in the course of the assault, which noticed Jackson physique slam the wrestler after which punch him within the head and face greater than 20 instances.
A legal grievance is anticipated to be filed Tuesday, based on the district lawyer’s workplace. Calls and emails to Jackson and his representatives weren’t instantly returned. It was not clear if he had retained an lawyer.
Los Angeles police arrested Jackson on suspicion of felony assault final month, however he was launched on $50,000 bail. Police didn’t current a case to prosecutors for charging till late final week, authorities stated. Jackson is anticipated to look in court docket for an arraignment later this week.
The youthful Jackson — who can also be a skilled combined martial artist — was a visitor on the occasion and was livestreaming his go to on the platform Kick when he was approached backstage by Smith.
Smith slammed a beer can over Jackson’s head. Video of the incident present the 2 males standing head to head in confrontation, however Smith would later apologize to Jackson, motioning to the livestreaming digicam and explaining he thought Jackson was “a employee,” or somebody concerned within the staged matches for that day.
Smith didn’t return calls and messages searching for remark Monday.
Skilled wrestling violence is scripted, and wrestlers are supposed to remain in character within the presence of followers, an idea generally known as “kayfabe.” Wrestlers, when in character of their ring personas, confer with these concerned within the scripted matches as “employees.”
Based on interviews with wrestlers who witnessed the incident, Smith gave the impression to be in character, and enjoying a persona acquainted to his wrestling followers. Jackson was seen on video later shaking Smith’s hand.
Video from the occasion reveals Reno Anoa’i, one of many co-owners of the venue, telling Smith that Jackson would “run in” on his match later within the evening, referring to a basic wrestling trope when a competitor interferes in one other wrestler’s scripted combat. Anoa’i — who’s a part of the legendary Samoan wrestling household that additionally contains Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and present Phrase Wrestling Leisure star Roman Reigns — has not responded to a number of requests for remark.
Andre Joel Hudson, the wrestler who invited Jackson to the occasion, might be heard in a while video telling Jackson what to do within the ring.
“If you run out on his s—, you f— give him his receipts,” Hudson tells Jackson on the video. “You bear in mind what a receipt is?”
On video, nonetheless, Jackson didn’t sound like he deliberate to stick to any form of wrestling storyline.
“You simply can’t hit a can on my face,” Jackson stated on his livestream as he sat within the stands awaiting his cue to run in. “This s— isn’t going to be scripted.”
When Jackson hit the ring, he scooped Smith over his shoulder and slammed him to the canvas. Smith appeared to lose consciousness nearly immediately however Jackson then mounted the crumpled wrestler and punched him within the head and face greater than 20 instances, based on the video.
It took 4 wrestlers to subdue Jackson, who cut up one other wrestler’s scalp open with a strike within the course of, based on witnesses on the scene.
Smith was hospitalized for roughly one week after the assault and suffered trauma to his jaw, a laceration to his higher lip and the lack of a number of enamel, based on a GoFundMe created to boost cash for his restoration.
