KnokX Pro, the wrestling promotion owned by WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi, is now facing accusations of instructing its talent not to cooperate with the police investigation following the real-life assault on wrestler Stuart “Syko Stu” Smith. The incident involved Raja Jackson, son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, legitimately attacking Smith in the ring on August 23.
The situation escalated when an employee, identified as Kevin Thomas (KT King), allegedly sent messages to talent. The messages instructed them to “refrain from engaging in comment sections on social media posts about this tragedy” because it could be “weaponized in potential criminal and civil cases.” A second message advised that if contacted by law enforcement, they should notify management immediately “for guidance on how to address them.”
These allegations surfaced on the Scaling Up Podcast, where a wrestler named Ian condemned the promotion’s handling of the aftermath. “The most disgusting thing [is] that people at this school are being encouraged to not cooperate with the police,” Ian stated. “From what I hear, the police were there investigating… and there have been multiple requests that have gone downstream from upper management to not talk with the police directly.”
The original incident occurred after a match featuring Syko Stu. Raja Jackson, who was seated at ringside, stormed the ring and executed a double-leg takedown that appeared to knock Smith unconscious. Jackson then mounted the defenseless wrestler and delivered a series of unanswered punches before being restrained.
The attack was reportedly meant to be a scripted “receipt” for an earlier altercation outside the venue where Smith struck Jackson with a can. However, the level of violence was not part of the plan.
Following the assault, Smith was hospitalized with serious injuries, including several broken bones in his face and multiple lost teeth. He is reported to be conscious and stable. His attacker’s father, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, apologized on his son’s behalf, calling the situation a “work gone wrong” and stating his primary concern is for Smith’s recovery.
In the wake of the controversy, WWE has cut its ties with KnokX Pro. The promotion, which was previously affiliated with WWE’s ID recruitment program, has been removed from the company’s official talent website. Rikishi was reportedly not present at the event when the attack occurred.