Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson has agreed with public outcry and admitted his son should be sent to prison.
The UFC legend said his son, Raja Jackson, ‘should do a little time’ after his brutal, viral attack on professional wrestler Stuart Smith, who goes by Syko Stu.
Raja, 25, went into the ring during a KnokX Pro Wrestling event in California last month and left Smith scarily unconscious after grounding him and landing several punches to the head.
Reports suggested that police officers were called to the event on the night, with an investigation pending from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Jackson issued an initial statement at the time that suggested Smith was ‘awake and stable’ with the wrestler’s family later confirming he sustained a ‘serious head injury’ in a public health update on Sunday.
‘Rampage’ has now spoken out publicly again, admitting Raja, who is a professional MMA fighter, should face punishment for his actions, while revealing he hasn’t spoken to his son since the incident.
Rampage Jackson speaks out on son’s attack
“I’m hanging in there,” an emotional Jackson said on The Ariel Helwani Show on Wednesday, speaking about Raja’s controversial attack.
“It’s been crazy. People are acting like I did it. I’m getting a lot of heat like I beat somebody’s a**…
“What Raja did was uncalled for. I know that it affected a lot of people, but I didn’t f***ing do it.
“I think cause he’s my son and his father is a public figure, they want to come after me, and people automatically assume that I’m gonna defend my son…
“I’m just as mad at Raja as they are. Raja lied to me.”
Rampage Jackson says Raja should face criminal punishment
Jackson then asserted Raja should be criminally punished and ‘go to anger management’ following the incident.
“I think that he should do a little time, do a little community service, go to an anger management class and see some therapists,” the 47-year-old added.
Several members of the public believed Raja’s attack should be classed as attempted murder, but Jackson disagrees.
“It wasn’t attempted murder. He wasn’t trying to kill that guy,” the UFC legend said.
“That’s my son, I know my son. Raja wasn’t trying to kill anyone; he wasn’t trying to kill that guy.
“Raja probably didn’t even know how bad he hurt that guy. The problem is everything got blown out of proportion, and people thought that Raja snuck into the ring.
“That’s what the problem is. At this point, Raja was in an act as a pro wrestler, but he ain’t no pro wrestler.
“The promoters had no reason to put my son in that ring; it was no attempted murder.”
Jackson was then questioned about his son’s current feelings surrounding the incident.
“I don’t know,” he responded. “I don’t talk to Raja no more… Raja is wrong, he went against what I told him to do…
“Yes, my son took it too far, but he knows better… Most likely, he’s at home.
“We’ve been waiting for an arrest warrant. As soon as we get an arrest warrant, I was going to turn him in…
“My job as a father is to still take care of my son because I still love him. Even with how upset I am with my son, I still love him.”
Jackson’s reaction follows comments from UFC middleweight fighter Sean Strickland, who said Raja should avoid spending time in prison.
Other members of the MMA fraternity have been calling for Raja to face serious punishment since the incident.
Ex-UFC title challenger Kevin Lee said Jackson should turn his son in, while former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson said Raja will go to prison ‘for a long time.’