Promising mixed martial artist Fau Vake is in a critical condition following an alleged assault in central Auckland.
The 25-year-old was injured on Symonds St during a brawl in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Newshub understands Vake was rushed to hospital after he was allegedly "king hit" in a fight that broke out after a local MMA card in Auckland.
Vake was admitted to Auckland City Hospital at 4am on Sunday in a critical condition where he fell into a coma.
Newshub understands several of his City Kickboxing teammates were bedside with the talented youngster on Monday.
Vake, who has a 2-0 record in MMA, trains at the same gym as UFC champion Israel Adesanya, where his brother John (Vake) is one of the lead wrestling coaches and a burgeoning mixed martial artist in his own right.
Several prominent names within the combat sport community took to social media on Tuesday with tributes to Vake, including veteran boxing trainer Asasio 'Lolo' Heimuli.
"It's so sad to hear what had happened," Hemuli wrote.
UFC middleweight title holder Adesanya posted a video of a recent Vake fight as a get well message to his teammate on Instagram, before tweeting a video from his bedside saying: 'Fau is alive and still fighting!!! Please pray for him".
UFC flyweight contender Kai Kara France posted this message to his Facebook page: "Your legacy and smile will live on forever! Taken too soon! Arohanui to your whanau!
"Love you toko! Fau Vake," he wrote.
Police say that four men have since been charged in relation to the incident.
Correction: An earlier version of this story, based on an account from Fau Vake's teammate, said he had died. That information was incorrect.
