More information has come to light on Raja Jackson’s assault on Syko Stu. Veteran performer Doug “The Epic” Malo has offered a fuller account of last weekend’s unscripted violence at the KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy’s show, where MMA prospect Raja Jackson assaulted independent wrestler Stuart “Syko Stu” Smith. Jackson’s attack left Smith with multiple facial fractures and significant dental damage, and prompted an LAPD investigation of the August 23 incident.
Wrestler Doug “The Epic” Malo Provides New Details on Syko Stu Rescue from Raja Jackson
In a recent Submission Radio interview, Malo described how he assessed the scene, intervened under fire, and grappled with colleagues who stood idle as the assault unfolded.
Malo recalls that Jackson, son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, had already been provoked earlier when Syko Stu struck him with a beer can backstage. The two later shook hands on camera, agreeing to incorporate the encounter into a ring segment. Once Jackson entered the ring, however, he seized Stu, executed a double-leg takedown, then delivered over twenty unprotected punches to his head, leaving him unconscious and bleeding. Despite the pretense of a “planned spot,” Jackson’s actions “devolved into a selfish, reckless act of violence” according to KnokX’s statement.
“It’s honestly super crazy. That’s one of the most violent altercations I’ve ever been a part of. But the fact that it was in front of kids, you know, and at a place where nobody would really expect something like that, you know—this is an entertainment venue and operation going on. It’s all for entertainment.
“It’s not an expected place of violence. It’s not like people went chest to chest and were bumping each other and talking and punches started flying. There’s no hint that that’s going to be the go-to if you’re just going to go in there and staple somebody to the floor and then start beating their head in. The big thing that was so shocking and so jarring… it’s in a way for me, hard to deal with, you know, just trying to think about: did I react too late to this, like, could I have done more?”
Malo described charging the ring with the intent to separate Jackson from Stu, not to tackle him. He explained:
“I got under an armpit and tried to throw him off to the side – then he shot for a double leg on me and tried to dump me on my head. I managed underhooks, pushed him into the corner, but he slipped out, threw a right straight that split me open. I reared back, headbutted him, and let off a couple punches”. Malo required stitches above his eye and suffered bruising and a minor concussion.
Throughout the attack, several wrestlers and officials remained motionless at ringside, a fact that continues to trouble Malo. “People were sitting by the steps… they could have run in, but they didn’t,” he said. “That’s haunting to me. If Raja Jackson had gained the upper hand, he could have really hurt me – or worse, Stu”.
“I’m really sad about the lack of people that knew a spot could have been ugly… There are people that were sitting by the steps, which is on the stage -it’s a small room. People could have run in right there but they didn’t. They just watched and that bothers the hell out of me, you know?
“That’s haunting to me because I’m making eye contact with you and I’m like, this is your freaking friend of how many years and you’re just going to let me fight it out? If that guy would have got the advantage on me, he could have really hurt me. Trained fighters—it’s not like I’m fighting a bar drunk… No, this guy was an absolute savage. He was so strong, you know? He was quick and he’s a powerful guy – you know, I’m bigger than him, but he’s a trained fighter, you know what I mean? That’s a lot of power packed in small bodies.”
AJ Mana
Behind the scenes, Malo blasted fellow performer AJ Mana for encouraging Jackson’s violence. He cited video evidence of Mana urging Jackson to “give him his receipt” and later denying racist remarks despite livestream footage to the contrary. “AJ is unhinged, a professional liar, and has been unworkable since day one,” Malo charged.
“If I’m a worker and I have a guest who’s going to do a run-in, my goal is to make sure this guest doesn’t hurt my friends that I’m working with… For him to sit there and make a statement like, ‘If anyone else got something to say, I’m going to run in cowboy dumbass.’
“I hate him. He’s just so [__] stupid. What AJ did was just deplorable. He was caught on a phone call with him like in the live streams after the fact and then one of our wrestlers says, ‘Hey, is that you?’ He goes, ‘I would never use the n-word this and that…’ But there’s a video of you literally saying what you’re saying you didn’t say. Like he’s a professional liar. He has a Samoan accent when he’s with Samoans. Then if he’s with anyone else, his accent changes up. The guy doesn’t know who he is. He’s unhinged. He’s a liar. He’s unworkable. He’s a bully. Always has been.”
Syko Stu
Syko Stu remains hospitalized but conscious and communicative, with Smith’s brother reporting that he “has some recollection” of the assault and faces a long recovery. A GoFundMe campaign established by Smith’s wife has raised over $160,000 to date for medical expenses and lost income. Raja Jackson’s Kick account was suspended for violating community guidelines; no arrests have been made as the LAPD continues its probe.
Quinton Jackson publicly condemned his son’s conduct as “poor judgment” and an ill-advised work that “went awry”. KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy has pledged a full internal review, promising stricter safeguards to prevent genuine violence at future events. Meanwhile, Malo—now detached from KnokX bookings—remains committed to supporting Stu through his recovery, even offering to fight on Stu’s behalf to cover his expenses without accepting payment. As SubMission Wrestling and other independent promotions reassess protocols, Malo’s intervention stands as a reminder of the gulf between choreographed performance and real danger.
“If it paid for Stu’s medical bills and set him up, I’d do anything. Would I want to do it, like, internally, would I be like, ‘This is going to be fun?’ Hell no. He’d beat the brakes off me.
“One, I hate boxing. I suck at it—better with my feet and my hands together. But at the same time, that’s more of a safer route. He’s got bills to pay. Stu’s got bills to pay. It’s not a very good situation, you know, and I would do it, and I’d do it to the best of my ability. I wouldn’t take a dime of it. Not one dime, you know?”
