Former UFC competitor Chael Sonnen has sparked controversy with his recent attempt to reframe the assault that left wrestler Stuart “Psycho Stu” Smith hospitalized with serious injuries.
In a lengthy video response, Sonnen employed every tool in the manipulator’s handbook to downplay what witnesses and officials have clearly described as an unprovoked attack by Raja Jackson, son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
The incident occurred during a live-streamed wrestling event in Los Angeles. Raja Jackson viciously assault Smith after what began as a planned wrestling spot. Smith was hospitalized with broken facial bones and lost multiple teeth after Jackson mounted him and delivered over 20 punches while Smith appeared unconscious.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer called it “the worst thing I’ve ever seen in a ring.”
Yet Sonnen’s response reads like a masterclass in gaslighting. He begins by establishing his credibility, claiming personal knowledge of Raja Jackson as “level-headed” and “polite.” This classic technique of character vouching serves to make audiences question their own observations of Jackson’s clearly unhinged behavior.
Most disturbing is Sonnen’s attempt to normalize the violence by claiming the initial takedown and first few punches were “part of the script.” He meticulously describes watching the footage “20 times,” painting himself as a careful analyst while simultaneously trying to convince viewers that what they witnessed wasn’t actually assault – at least not initially.
This selective interpretation conveniently ignores that KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy explicitly stated the violence was “never should have occurred” and went far beyond any agreed-upon spot.
Sonnen’s narrative becomes increasingly twisted as he suggests Smith might lie about the assault to protect his wrestling career, invoking wrestling’s code of “kayfabe” to suggest the victim might cover for his attacker. This victim-blaming reaches its peak when Sonnen speculates that Smith could turn this traumatic assault into a “good angle” for future wrestling storylines.
Perhaps most manipulative is Sonnen’s framing of the beer can incident. While he acknowledges Smith struck Jackson with a beer can backstage, he uses this to justify what followed, despite the fact that Jackson himself admitted on the livestream that he planned to “hit him as many times as I can.”
Sonnen’s legal speculation is equally problematic. He suggests police inaction indicates uncertainty about whether a crime occurred. In reality, assault cases often take time to develop, especially when the victim is hospitalized with serious injuries. His claim that this could all be resolved if Smith simply says “it was part of the spot” is a transparent attempt to pressure the victim into protecting his attacker.
Sonnen’s gaslighting reaches its peak when he frames this potential lie as somehow beneficial to both parties – a “fascinating situation” where everyone wins.
The facts remain clear despite Sonnen’s spin: Raja Jackson assaulted an unconscious man while people watched in horror. Smith required hospitalization, and Jackson himself admitted fault when told his victim was “flatline.”
