New Zealand-based MMA fighter Fau Vake died in hospital on Saturday after reportedly being attacked in central Auckland and spending almost a week on life support, according to The New Zealand Herald.
The 25-year-old kickboxer was said to have been involved in a fight that started at 3 p.m. on Sunday last week. The police also reported that four suspects related to the incident have already been arrested.
Three of the men were said to be 29 years old, the fourth was 32. Two of them were charged with common assault, another with two counts of assaulting with intent to injure and the fourth - with wounding with intent and injuring with intent. According to Auckland Detective Senior Sergeant Geoff Baber, “further charges will be filed in due course”.
The police also said that they are not looking for other suspects but are still asking for cooperation from those who witnessed the incident or events that led to it.
"It is with inexplicable sadness almost seven days to the hour after his hospital admission, Fau's fight to find his way back to us ended," a statement released on Saturday by City Kickboxing said.
It also noted that “the Vake family and City Kickboxing ask for time to grieve and reflect on the loss of Fau, a father, a son and a much loved brother to us all” and asked to “respect our privacy”.
City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Baremanto said he had expected Vake, who had a three-year-old daughter, to “go far in the sport”; the two were reportedly friends.
Some other famous members of the martial arts community offered their condolences, including MMA champion Israel Adesanya, professional boxer Junior Fa and MMA athlete Mark Hunt.