WWE legend Mark Henry makes controversial Syko Stu claim after Raja Jackson incident
WWE legend Mark Henry has an 'eyebrow-raising' take on the controversial incident involving Raja Jackson, the son of former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Jackson has been widely criticised for his actions at Saturday night's Knokx Pro Wrestling event in California and is currently the subject of a police investigation after he left an independent wrestler with serious injuries.
Stuart Smith, ring name Syko Stu, was said to be "choking on his own blood and teeth" after being brutally attacked by Jackson, according to fellow wrestler Douglas Malo.
"Somebody reminded me there were kids there, and then I was like, 'Oh my God'," added Malo. "A kid was sitting there like, 'Are you OK? Was that real? What's happening? Why didn't anybody help him?' You could see the fear on his face."
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The incident was streamed live on Kick and footage has since emerged, where Jackson can be seen unloading more than 20 unanswered punches to Smith's head.
Earlier on in the day, Jackson had an altercation with Smith backstage, when the latter smashed a beverage can on the side of Jackson's head. Jackson then reacted badly to the wrestler's attempt at a "work".
WWE legend Mark Henry believes Smith should not have angered Jackson by hitting him with the can and deserves at least a portion of the blame.
"You've got to be careful, one, who you're messing with," he told TMZ. "And, two, what kind of example are you as a veteran for inciting a riot with a kid."
Henry ultimately believes Smith "bit off more than he could chew" on Saturday, but noted that Jackson should have been able to control his anger, mentioning that he needed to have "enough respect for the business."
He added: "If indeed what I saw was what I saw, which is people before the show, during the daytime, drinking and intoxicated or partially intoxicated... and you bust a bottle over a guy's head and talk trash like that guy was not going to do nothing? Yeah, you're at fault."
Wrestler breaks silence on incident involving Raja Jackson and Stuart Smith
On a new episode of the Scaling Up Podcast, the previously mentioned Douglas Malo gave his version of events and was critical of his fellow wrestlers for not doing more.
"I got a whisper that something's not right and I might be needed to check a scenario and whether this guy is going to do a spot," he explained.
"I'm stuck waiting for this cue. I go to someone with a radio, 'Talk to the guys in the back when do you guys want me to go?'. I was informed about the beer can incident and shortly before that they told me they had made up, shook hands and hugged it out multiple times. It was going to be fine but they just wanted to make sure.
"I talked to the person up front with the radio and walked back to the ring. I see the slam, I see the first punch and the second punch. I kind of wish I would have just sprung on the slam.
"You watch somebody you care about, he's a veteran and these are people who are supposed to love him and I'm the only one on the outskirts to be told to watch this apparently.
"I'm in there and trying to tell the guy to calm down and he's trying to fight me. It's all f****ed.
"I'm not even fighting or being hostile and then you f***ing punch me in the f***ing eye after we're breaking it up. That's why I punched you and you're lucky I was tired from the match. What kind of f***ing person are you, you low-life clown?
"You want clout so you beat up a guy that's half unconscious."
Jack Kenmare