Raja Jackson pleads not guilty to assault on Syko Stu
Despite video evidence that clearly illustrates professional mixed martial arts fighter Raja Jackson assaulting professional wrestler Stuart Smith (ring name Syko Stu) during a Knokx Pro event in Los Angeles over the summer, Jackson pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday.
Jackson, son of former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson faces a felony battery charge and a misdemeanor battery charge for assaulting Smith in August.
Approximately a month after the altercation, Jackson was arrested in September and released on $50,000 bail.
Jackson could potentially face seven years in prison if convicted. The 25-year-old is due back in court Nov. 24 for a preliminary hearing setting in his case.
In video evidence, Jackson can be seen entering the ring, lifting Smith above his head, then slamming him hard onto the mat and unloading 23 unanswered punches to wrestler’s head before being forcibly ripped away by a swarm of other wrestlers.
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After Stu was hospitalized, his wife Contessa Patterson provided an update to the extent of her husband’s injuries.
“Stuart has been released from the hospital and is now home resting. He sustained a serious head injury and was unconscious upon arrival at the ER. His injuries include trauma to both the upper and lower jaws, a laceration to his upper lip, and a fracture to the maxilla bone, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of several teeth. He has a long road of recovery ahead, but he remains in good spirits despite everything he has been through,” Patterson said.
