More than a year after Raja Jackson brutally attacked him during a professional wrestling show, Stuart Smith, better known by his ring name Syko Stu, is still trying to recover.
In his first public interview about the August 2025 attack, Smith revealed on the “Space of Solace Podcast” that he suffered a severe brain injury, had to relearn how to walk again, and, nearly 14 months later, continues to struggle with his memory every day.
The attack took place on Aug. 23, 2025, at a KnokX Pro Wrestling event in Los Angeles. Jackson, the son of former MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, entered the ring, slammed Smith hard onto the mat, and threw more than 20 undefended punches at his head while he was unconscious, before other wrestlers eventually pulled Jackson away.
Smith was rushed to the hospital and many feared he was dead. He said he remembers very little about what happened that Saturday, and didn’t begin to regain his memory until the following Tuesday. During that time, he said, he was going in and out of consciousness. More than a year later, the damage remains.
In the interview, Smith struggled to recall details and often lost track of what he was saying. He said those problems have become part of his daily life.
“I really had to relearn how to walk. I couldn’t walk after that for a while.”
“I did have a severe traumatic brain injury. I lost these two teeth up here, I shattered my maxilla, and I know there’s more stuff but I just can’t remember off the top of my head.”
“I was actually off work for an entire year, just because with the severe traumatic brain injury, and my job, you’ve got to think a lot, it’s a lot of computer work and stuff like that. So I was off of work for an entire year, just going to doctors appointments. I’m still waiting for the dental to come through for my teeth — so they’re giving me implants for these teeth. But I’m still continuing with the doctors, the traumatic brain injury doctors and stuff like that. It’s an ongoing thing.”
“Every day [it’s still affecting me], every day. Like my wife, she’ll tell me something and then five minutes later I’ll forget it, or she’ll remind me of something and I’ll forget it. I’ll do things multiple times because I don’t remember that I did it.”
“I do [think it’s affect my long-term memory as well], actually. Because there’s a lot of people that I met and I remembered before, and this was long before this happened, but then I just can’t remember names. I was always big on, I remember your face. I might not remember your name, but I’m going to remember your face. And there’s a lot of people that, I just don’t remember faces or names or anything like that [anymore].”
“I really had to relearn how to walk. I couldn’t walk after that for a while.”
“I did have a severe traumatic brain injury. I lost these two teeth up here, I shattered my maxilla, and I know there’s more stuff but I just can’t remember off the top of my head.”
“I was actually off work for an entire year, just because with the severe traumatic brain injury, and my job, you’ve got to think a lot, it’s a lot of computer work and stuff like that. So I was off of work for an entire year, just going to doctors appointments. I’m still waiting for the dental to come through for my teeth — so they’re giving me implants for these teeth. But I’m still continuing with the doctors, the traumatic brain injury doctors and stuff like that. It’s an ongoing thing.”
“Every day [it’s still affecting me], every day. Like my wife, she’ll tell me something and then five minutes later I’ll forget it, or she’ll remind me of something and I’ll forget it. I’ll do things multiple times because I don’t remember that I did it.”
“I do [think it’s affect my long-term memory as well], actually. Because there’s a lot of people that I met and I remembered before, and this was long before this happened, but then I just can’t remember names. I was always big on, I remember your face. I might not remember your name, but I’m going to remember your face. And there’s a lot of people that, I just don’t remember faces or names or anything like that [anymore].”
Smith also addressed his future in professional wrestling. Although he believes his body is still capable of performing, his ongoing mental issues from the attack make it difficult to imagine returning to the ring.
He said doctors have advised him against wrestling again, but he has not completely given up hope.
“Honestly I think the biggest thing for me right now would be, not being able to wrestle. Even though physically I still can, but mentally, trying to remember what I’m supposed to be doing, or if you’re trying to get highlights for something. And that’s the thing with wrestling, it’s mentally [taxing], because it’s psychology. Everything is psychology. You’re you’re telling the story, but you’re telling it with your body, but you still need the same psychology to put it together, to make the match make sense.”
“My doctors tell me I should [not wrestle again], but it’s one of those things like, you have a love for something so much, you really want to find any way that you can make that happen. Whether it’s going to happen or not still remains to be seen, but having the love for it, it just makes it really hard to not be able to do it.”
“Honestly I think the biggest thing for me right now would be, not being able to wrestle. Even though physically I still can, but mentally, trying to remember what I’m supposed to be doing, or if you’re trying to get highlights for something. And that’s the thing with wrestling, it’s mentally [taxing], because it’s psychology. Everything is psychology. You’re you’re telling the story, but you’re telling it with your body, but you still need the same psychology to put it together, to make the match make sense.”
“My doctors tell me I should [not wrestle again], but it’s one of those things like, you have a love for something so much, you really want to find any way that you can make that happen. Whether it’s going to happen or not still remains to be seen, but having the love for it, it just makes it really hard to not be able to do it.”
Smith also revealed that “Rampage” Jackson had attempted to contact him. However, after hearing the former UFC light heavyweight champion discuss the incident publicly and make comments Smith felt were unfair, Smith decided not to return the call.
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
