Following an ambush-style attack earlier this month, City Kickboxing’s Fau Vake has died.
The team confirmed Vake’s passing in a recent statement to the New Zealand Herald.
“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,” read the statement. “At this tragic time, 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. We will speak when the time is right to ensure Fau’s loss is not forgotten, but for now please respect our privacy.”
Vake had been hospitalized for roughly a week, with teammate and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya speaking out and calling for “coward punch laws” in the wake of the assault on Vake.
Vake was attacked in Auckland, New Zealand’s central business district on May 16. The City Kickboxing student fell to the ground after being hit from behind. Adesanya himself suffered a broken jaw in 2012, in his own sucker punch incident.
Following the news of Vake’s assault, the UFC champion called the incident “a gutless attack.”
Four men face charges in relation to the incident, with those charges including common assault, assault with intent to injure, as well as wounding with intent and injuring with intent. Those charges are likely to be upgraded in the wake of Vake’s death.
Fau Vake was just 25-years old. Father to a three-year old daughter, he went 2-0 as an amateur mixed martial artist in 2016. His partner, Christina Williams wrote on Instagram that “Ten years of memories together with you and it has been and will forever be the best time of my life.”
