AJ Mana Issues Statement On Raja Jackson Incident, Says He Was ‘In Character’ In Video

AJ Mana says that he was “in character” when he was speaking with Raja Jackson before Jackson attacked Syko Stu at KnokX Pro’s event over the weekend. As has been reported, Jackson legitimately assaulted Stu in the ring during a planned spot at Saturday’s event and left him hospitalized. The incident stemmed from a confrontation before the event where Stu, who thought he was working an angle with Jackson, smashed a beer can over his head which Jackson didn’t sell. Stu apologized after and shook hands with Jackson.

A video from between the outside confrontation and the in-ring segment saw Mana telling Jackson to give Stu a “receipt,” which is of course a known wrestling term for a legit shot in response to a wrestler’s behavior, usually related to being unsafe in the ring. Mana has posted to his Facebook to address the situation, saying that he was “in character and speaking in the language of wrestling” and “never intended or encouraged real harm.”

His full statement reads:

“I want to take a moment to address the recent incident at KnokX Pro. First and foremost, my thoughts are with Syko Stu and his family no one ever wants to see a fellow performer get seriously hurt.

There’s been a lot of speculation online about my role that night. The truth is, I was in character and speaking in the language of wrestling. Everything I said was part of the show, and I never intended or encouraged real harm. This was a situation that unfortunately got out of hand due to miscommunication behind the scenes.

Wrestling is built on trust, respect, and protecting each other in the ring. That’s what I stand for, and anyone who has worked with me knows that. I respect this business, I respect the fans, and I respect the performers who step between those ropes. I hope we can focus on Stu’s recovery and making sure something like this never happens again.

— AJ Mana”