WWE icons back UFC legend’s son after nearly beating wrestler to death in ring

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While many who viewed the viral video of Raja Jackson pummelling professional wrestler Syko Stu unconscious in the ring were outraged by what they saw, at least two WWE legends seem to be on the other side of the fence.

Both Rob Van Dam and Mark Henry appeared to back Raja, the son of UFC legend Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, after he relentlessly attacked Syko Stu — real name Stuart Smith — during a wrestling event at KnokX Pro Academy in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The incident, which was streamed live on Raja’s Kick channel and then went viral on social media, began when the son of the ex-UFC champion left his ringside seat and entered the ring to confront the former U.S. Army veteran turned pro wrestler.

Jackson first picked up Syko Stu and slammed him to the mat, appearing to knock him unconscious. He then rained down 22 vicious punches to Stu’s head and face before several wrestlers came to stop the attack.

WARNING: Graphic violence and language

According to TMZ, Los Angeles police are investigating the incident after “cops were called to the wrestling event Saturday night and took a police report.”

However, Henry told the outlet that Smith deserves some of the blame for the incident that left him in critical condition.

The former WWE world champion said that Syko Stu “bit off more than he could chew” and that he should have been more careful with someone new to professional wrestling.

“You’ve got to be careful, one, who you’re messing with,” Henry said. “And, two, what kind of example are you as a veteran for inciting a riot with a kid?

“If indeed what I saw was what I saw, which is people before the show, during the day time, drinking and intoxicated or partially intoxicated, and you bust a bottle over a guy’s head and talk trash like that guy was not going to do nothing, yeah, you’re at fault.”

Rob Van Dam, another former WWE world champion, posted on his X account on Sunday that he had Raja’s back and that he would address the incident on his podcast.

Van Dam did somewhat walk back the statement during the podcast episode, calling the incident a shame.

“I want to start out by saying, best wishes to Syko Stu Smith. Hopefully, he will regain his health and do it quickly. That’s a shame. He definitely didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Van Dam said.

“If you thought that me saying that was somehow hypocritical because my text said that ‘I back Raja,’ then you are one of the basic thinkers that can’t understand how those can both be true in the same universe.”

“When I watched everything and when I say that ‘I have his back’ I’m not saying I’m going to stand back-to-back and fight a crowd of f***ing million people that are trying to lynch him,” he added.

“What I’m saying is, I see the pathway that he took that led to what happened.”

Smith’s brother posted an update on his condition on Sunday, saying that he is stable, but in critical care.

“Thank you everyone for your prayers, concerns and kind words for my brother Stu. Please keep him in your prayers,” Andrew Smith posted on Facebook.

“He’s currently stable but in critical care. At this time we’re focused on his recovery and appreciate all the support.”

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support Smith.

The page says that Smith is a “U.S. Army veteran who used wrestling as an outlet to deal with his PTSD,” and that the incident “has not only caused major physical harm, but will also disrupt his career inside the ring and outside of it.”

Donations will help Smith with uncovered medical expenses, recovery support and loss of income.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, it had raised US$72,000 towards its goal of $110,000.