- Two MMA stars attacked the Tongan rugby team
- It follows the death of MMA star Fau Vake in 2021.
- A man has been discharged without conviction for his death
MMA stars Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker have attacked the Tonga national rugby team on social media.
It comes after a New Zealand court granted release without conviction to a man who was allegedly involved in a fight that led to the death of MMA star Fau Vake.
Semisie Pomale, 35, a staff member of the Tonga rugby team, allegedly slapped Vake, 25, during the incident which occurred on May 16, 2021, on New Zealand Herald reported.
Pomale was charged with two counts of common assault. His co-defendants had faced charges of manslaughter with intent to cause harm.
The fight is understood to have occurred at 2.45am in Auckland’s CBD. One of Pomale’s friends had hit Vake and sent him to the ground.
The rising MMA star subsequently hit his head on the pavement and suffered brain damage that he did not survive.
The strike has been described as a “cowardly punch” and Daniel Havili, 30, has been sentenced to prison for manslaughter.
Pomale was one of four defendants who pleaded guilty to the incident.
Former UFC world champion Israel Adesanya (left) hit out at the Tongan rugby team after a man who was involved in an attack that led to the death of MMA fighter Fau Vake (right) was cleared of charges.
But he was cleared of the conviction after the judge took into account his remorse and his employment with the Tonga national rugby team.
Pomale was hired as the team’s assistant manager in April.
His lawyers had argued that his contract with the team involves traveling around the world and that a criminal sanction could hamper his attempts to obtain a visa for countries Tonga is likely to travel to, such as the United States.
Tonga head coach Tevita Tu’ifua is also understood to have provided an affidavit stating that Pomale’s role includes jobs such as team management and logistics.
The affidavit adds that if a restriction were imposed, it would “significantly affect the team’s performance.”
It is understood the judge had cited his role on the rugby team in his decision.
But Adesanya and Hooker have criticized the rugby team’s involvement in the case on social media.
‘Actually? Tonga Rugby…’ Adesanya wrote on his Instagram, posting an image of a headline that read: ‘Tonga rugby team hires man who joined attack on MMA fighter Fau Vake.’
Adesanya continued: ‘Fau’s plans to represent Tonga on the world stage have been permanently erased.
‘Can any tokos confirm or deny this…let me know?’
Meanwhile, Hooker turned to X to talk about the report.
“I love being a cage fighter and not a conventional athlete, so I can express my opinion on the things that bother me,” said the New Zealand MMA star.
Up-and-coming star Vake passed away in 2021 following an attack in Auckland’s CBD
UFC star Dan Hooker (pictured) wrote “these dogs should crawl under a rock and die” while reacting to news of Vake’s death trial.
‘These dogs should go under a rock and die.
And he added: “Scum.”
Adesanya, who has a 24-4-0 record in the UFC, had gone to sit next to Vake with members of the City Kickboxing gym after being admitted to the hospital with a fatal brain injury.
Vake was on life support for almost a week before he sadly passed away from his injuries.
“You say that as a result of what happened to Mr Vake you were shaken to the core,” Judge Peter Winter said.
“I think he is genuinely sorry.
“I do not consider that he would have been aware of the likelihood of the incident escalating to the point that it did, when another person struck him, causing the victim to fall to the ground and sustain the fatal injury that he sustained.” ‘
