Syko Stu to make WrestleMania week appearance following Raja Jackson incident
Eight months after unexpectedly being thrust into the national spotlight when he was attacked by Raja Jackson, Syko Stu will be in Las Vegas meeting fans during WrestleMania week.
KnokX Pro Wrestling has announced that Stu (Stuart Smith) will be making a “rare” appearance at The Quay Boardwalk at Treasure Island in Vegas, where the indie promotion/training school is holding autograph signings this Thursday and Friday. The announcement touted that fans will have the opportunity to “hear the story” behind Stu’s fight with Jackson:
- Meet Syko Stu in person
- Take photos & step into a REAL wrestling ring
- Signed photos & memorabilia available for purchase
- Hear the story behind the fight
The Stu-Jackson incident happened at a KnokX Pro event in August 2025. After video of the attack went viral on social media, a GoFundMe campaign to benefit Stu raised nearly $225,000, with popular YouTuber Mr. Beast contributing as one of the top donors. Mr. Beast said he was touched by Stu’s story of being a military veteran and using pro wrestling as an outlet to help deal with PTSD.
Stu sustained a “serious head injury” in the attack, as well as damage to his upper and lower jaw, a laceration to his upper lip, a fracture to the maxilla bone, and the loss of several teeth.
In October 2025, Jackson — the son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — pleaded not guilty in the ongoing criminal case related to the attack.
WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi is one of the founders of KnokX Pro, which lost its affiliation with the WWE ID program after the incident between Stu and Jackson. The school implemented policy changes last October limiting who has access to the facility.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.