Rusev Defends Syko Stu After Vicious Shoot Attack by Rampage Jackson’s Son

The fallout from the violent incident at a recent Knox Pro show just got even more serious, as WWE Superstar Rusev spoke out publicly in support of Syko Stu after being brutally attacked by Rampage Jackson’s son, Raja Jackson.

Rusev, who has trained with Syko Stu (real name Stewart Smith) for over a decade, didn’t hold back. In a direct message posted to Twitter, Rusev wrote:

“I’ve known and trained with @SykoStu for 15 years. He is a former US Army veteran and amazing guy. There are no excuses for what happened in that ring. Praying for strong Kick out.”

This strong show of support follows a chaotic scene at the indie event, where a planned segment between Raja and Stu turned violent. After being struck in the head with a can during the show, Raja—who is an MMA fighter, not a trained pro wrestler—stormed the ring post-match and unleashed a vicious double-leg takedown followed by a ground-and-pound assault on Stu.

The moment was caught live on Raja’s own stream, and panic escalated when Raja was heard saying Stu had “flatlined.” That comment left fans and talent shaken.

Rampage Jackson addressed the incident in a lengthy statement, making it clear he doesn’t support what went down and placed blame on miscommunication and poor planning. Rampage said he believed it was part of the show and claimed his son had recently suffered a concussion, stating:

“Raja is a MMA fighter not a pro wrestler and had no business involved in an event like this. I don’t condone my son’s actions AT ALL! He suffered a concussion from sparring only days ago and had no business doing anything remotely close to physical contact.”

Rampage added that he was deeply concerned about Syko Stu’s condition and apologized directly to both the performer and the event hosts at KICK.

“As a father, I’m deeply concerned with his health AND the well being of Mr. Smith. That being said I’m very upset that any of this happened, but my main concern now is that Mr. Smith will make a speedy recovery. I apologize on his behalf and to KICK for the situation.”

Syko Stu is reportedly stable, but Rusev’s tweet brings more weight to the growing chorus of support—and concern—for safety at indie wrestling events. With a respected veteran like Rusev weighing in, this story is far from over.

Do you Raja Jackson was in the wrong here? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know where you stand.