Syko Stu discusses recovery from traumatic brain injury after Raja Jackson incident

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Image from Syko Stu’s Instagram Last year, independent wrester Syko Stu was involved in a high-profile incident with MMA fighter Raja Jackson at a KnokX Pro event in Sun Valley, California in August of last year. Stu spoke in great detail about the incident with Matt Rosa and Neno Torres of the SOSPodcast in an episode released on Monday (October 19). During the talk, he also discussed his long recovery from the resulting “severe traumatic brain injury,” which included learning how to walk again. Raja, son of MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, had a confrontation with Stu outside the venue prior to the show’s start that was captured on film. In the footage, Stu can be seen hitting Jackson with a beer can, apparently because he thought the fighter was another pro wrester. The two men made amends after Stu apologized, and Jackson later did commentary during a match involving Stu. However, Raja then rushed the ring and slammed Stu to the mat before punching him in the head numerous times despite the wrestler appearing to have already been knocked out. The incident led to reactions from pro wrestlers, as well as from Raja’s father. The 26-year-old Jackson was arrested and charged, saying he was not guilty. He eventually made a deal with L.A. prosecutors in which he pleaded no contest to one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury, and guilty to another felony count personal infliction of great bodily injury and engaging in violent conduct in exchange for a 90-day jail sentence, two years of probation, and $81,703.38 in restitution to Smith. Jackson was released late last month after serving his sentence. “Forgive me, because I don’t remember a lot of it,” Stu said on the SOSPodcast of the incident. “I do remember Raja coming backstage, and he was filming. Usually, you don’t film backstage like that. I know there was the can spot, and I don’t remember too much after that. I do remember that we did call a finish, and he was supposed to come in. I think he was going to give me one punch because of the can spot. It’s supposed to be a wrestling punch, but if he would’ve connected with it a little more, I could’ve sold it better. I don’t think anyone expected what was going to happen to happen.” Stu continued: “I was out on the slam… I don’t remember anything until, I believe it was Tuesday. I woke up in the hospital…I was going in and out of consciousness the whole time. I do remember waking up on Tuesday and saw some of the wrestlers. [KnokX Pro owner] Rikishi was there, and we were talking.” Regarding the difficult recovery he endured, Stu said: “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 two teeth. I shattered my maxilla. I know there’s more stuff, but I can’t remember off the top of my head. “I was off work for an entire year. With a severe traumatic brain injury, my job is a lot of computer work, just going to doctor’s appointments. I’m still waiting for dental to come through. They’re giving implants for those. I’m still continuing with the traumatic brain injury doctors. It’s an ongoing thing.” When asked about previously saying the had forgiven Jackson for the incident, Stu said that statement taken “a little bit of context.” “What I actually said was, ‘I’m not holding a grudge.’ I never said anything about forgiveness. Everybody can learn something from this. I just didn’t want to hold a grudge because that brings the negative energy into it.” he said. “When you have to let something go, it kind of helps you heal from it. As far as forgiveness, when we’re in the courtroom and I was reading that statement, I don’t think the LA Times heard the same statement that I read.” Stu also indicated that while he was hospitalized, Rampage had called and wanted him to call back. “Then I saw him go on all these podcasts and was basically trashing me. I’m not going to call you back if you already made up your mind about me,” Stu said of the elder Jackson. ”I kind of let it go, but he was on different podcasts talking about me being drunk all the time. None of the statements from other people who actually know me would support that.” As far as returning to the ring, Stu said that while he’s physically up for it, he would likely struggle with mental aspects of wrestling, such as “trying to remember what what I’m supposed to be doing.” Share any thoughts you may have on Stu’s comments or just in general about the incident involving Raja Jackson in the comments.