Rob Van Dam clears the air on Raja Jackson remark, wishes Syko Stu a speedy recovery

Rob Van Dam has spoken out to clarify a controversial social media post that had fans questioning where he stood on the shocking attack that hospitalized independent wrestler Syko Stu. Shortly after the incident, Rob Van Dam took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “So far, I got Raja’s back,” which immediately stirred backlash. Many took the comment as support for Raja Jackson, the man responsible for the assault.

The remark came just hours after video of the incident began circulating online, showing Raja storming into the ring during a KnokX Pro Wrestling event on August 23 in Los Angeles. What was planned as a routine spot turned brutal when Raja, the son of MMA star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, launched a real attack on Syko Stu, knocking him unconscious and continuing to strike him.

Stu was rushed to the hospital and placed in critical care before being reported stable. With the LAPD investigating the case as a potential felony assault, emotions ran high across the wrestling and MMA communities.

What Rob Van Dam meant by “I Got Raja’s Back” and why it blew up

On his podcast “1 of a Kind With RVD,” Rob Van Dam opened by sending his best wishes to Stu, saying he hoped the wrestler would make a full and quick recovery. He then explained his side of the story, stressing that he never meant to suggest that Stu deserved what happened.

Instead, his “I got Raja’s back” comment was about seeing how Raja ended up in that position, not excusing his actions.

Van Dam pointed out that Raja is not a trained professional wrestler and had been recovering from a concussion at the time. He claimed Raja was influenced by people encouraging him to “get a receipt,” which pushed him into a situation he should never have been part of. In Van Dam’s words, it was a case of poor judgment, manipulation, and unchecked anger that spiraled into something dangerous.

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The backlash to Rob Van Dam’s post made clear that he empathized with how Raja reached that point, but did not condone the attack.

As Syko Stu continues his recovery, the incident has reignited debate about accountability, safety, and the risks of blurring the lines between performance and reality in pro wrestling.

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