Man, it’s been over a year since that brutal attack on Stuart Smith, better known as Syko Stu, by Raja Jackson, and it’s heartbreaking to hear just how much he’s still dealing with. In his first public interview about the August 2025 incident, Stu opened up on the “Space of Solace Podcast” and revealed he suffered a severe brain injury, literally had to relearn how to walk, and nearly 14 months later, he’s still battling memory issues every single day. This isn’t just about wrestling anymore, it’s about his life.
The Brutality That Changed Everything
Remember that insane night on August 23, 2025? It all went down at a KnokX Pro Wrestling event in Los Angeles. Raja Jackson, the son of the legendary MMA fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, just went off. He got into the ring, slammed Stu hard onto the mat, and then unleashed a barrage of over 20 undefended punches to Stu’s head while he was unconscious. It took other wrestlers to finally pull Jackson away, and frankly, it’s terrifying to think what could have happened if they hadn’t. Stu was rushed to the hospital, and seriously, many people feared he was dead. He said he barely remembers anything from that Saturday, only starting to regain his memory the following Tuesday, having gone in and out of consciousness for days. It’s just wild.
The Lingering Battle: Brain, Body, and Life
Fast forward more than a year, and the damage is still incredibly real. In that podcast interview, Stu struggled to recall details and often lost his train of thought. He told them that these memory problems are just part of his daily life now. He literally said, “I really had to relearn how to walk. I couldn’t walk after that for a while.” On top of the physical aspect, he confirmed, “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.” He even had to take an entire year off work because his job demands a lot of thinking and computer work, which is impossible with a severe traumatic brain injury. He’s been going to doctor appointments non-stop, still waiting for dental work for implants for those lost teeth, and continues to see traumatic brain injury doctors. It’s an ongoing nightmare. “Every day it’s still affecting me, every day,” he explained. “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.” He even thinks it’s messing with his long-term memory. He used to remember faces even if he forgot names, but now, “there’s a lot of people that, I just don’t remember faces or names or anything like that anymore.” That’s just brutal to hear.
Wrestling’s Mental Toll: An Uncertain Future
So, what about Stu’s future in professional wrestling? It’s a tough pill to swallow. He believes his body is still capable of performing in the ring, but the mental side of things, those ongoing issues from the attack, make it incredibly difficult to imagine him returning. Wrestling is so much about psychology, about remembering spots and what you’re supposed to do, and with his current memory struggles, that’s a huge hurdle. Doctors have advised him against wrestling again, which is probably smart, but Stu, being the fighter he is, hasn’t completely given up hope. Man, you just gotta pull for the guy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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