WWE Hall of Famer JBL has forcefully condemned the recent actions of Raja Jackson, calling his brutal in-ring assault on independent wrestler Stuart “Sicko Stu” Smith “attempted murder.” Speaking on his podcast, JBL stated the blame for the incident lies “100% on Raja Jackson.”
The attack took place at a Knox Pro Academy event after Smith, as part of a planned spot, hit Jackson with what was reportedly an empty beer can. Jackson, who was not booked on the show, later entered the ring and attacked Smith, knocking him unconscious before continuing to land punches. The assault left Smith hospitalized with multiple broken bones in his face and broken teeth.
On his Something to Wrestle With podcast, JBL took specific issue with Jackson’s actions after Smith was already defenseless.
“I mean, no matter what happens here, once this guy is out, the fight’s over… At that point, it’s just attempted murder,” JBL stated. “The guy’s down and out, and you just keep punching them. That’s, there’s no call for that… It’s not Knox Pro’s fault… 100% of this goes on Raja Jackson.”
The fallout from the attack has been swift. The Los Angeles Police Department has opened an investigation into the incident as a felony battery, and Knox Pro Academy has since been removed from the WWE ID program.
The situation reportedly stemmed from what was intended to be a scripted confrontation. The initial beer can spot in the venue’s parking lot was a planned “work,” after which it was agreed Jackson would get his “receipt” in the ring later that night.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Raja’s father and a former UFC champion, described the event as “a work that went wrong” and an instance of “bad judgement.” He also revealed his son had suffered a concussion from sparring just days prior and “had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact.”
While KnokX Pro Wrestling issued a statement calling the attack a “reprehensible and irresponsible act of violence,” the promotion now faces accusations of attempting a cover-up. Other wrestlers have come forward claiming that KnokX management urged people at the event not to cooperate with the ongoing police investigation, providing screenshots of messages to back up their allegations.