Israel Adesanya is calling on justice minister Kris Faafoi to take another look at the sentences handed down to convicted 'coward punchers'.
Adesanya's teammate, Fau Vake, died in May, a week after being attacked without provocation outside a Symonds Street club in Auckland.
Vake and his brother Ika were allegedly assaulted by four men in the early hours of May 16, with Ika suffering a serious concussion and facial lacerations.
Fau Vake never regained consciousness after the attack, passing away in his hospital bed on May 23.
On Tuesday, Ofa He Mooni Folau, 29, was sentenced to six months home detention after admitting assaulting the Vake's outside the Edinburgh Castle Bar, although neither the Crown nor the defence contended that Folau was responsible for Fau Vake's death.
Adesanya says he and his City Kickboxing teammates, where three members of the Vake family train, are in shock at what the UFC middleweight champion describes as a "weak" sentence.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi has challenged Faafoi to reevaluate comments he made in the wake of Vake's passing.
"We believe current law gives courts appropriate options, and allows for such acts to be appropriately prosecuted and punished," Faafoi said in May.
Adesanya now fears the worst, with three other men set for trial next year, and another "sitting at some watching Netflix and chilling".
The UFC superstar says there needs to be a stronger deterrent.
"When he [Folau] was sentenced yesterday I was like 'what the f***' and I knew - we knew - it was now time to make a stand, so that people in power don't sweep this under the rug," Adesanya told Newshub.
"I feel like that's what they are trying to do. This is bullshit.
"A man took part in an unprovoked attack on another man in Fau. His sentence? He gets to sit at home and chill for six months.
"Everyone says wait for the court case to play out, but you can see what the trends are and you can see where this is heading.
"Take these guys off the streets. I don't want my brothers, my teammates walking the same streets as these idiots. Get them off the streets and make the streets safer."
Adesanya, a victim of a similar incident in 2012, is pleading with Faafoi to put himself in the position of a victim.
Speaking directly to the camera, an emotional Adesanya said this could happen to anyone.
"Kris - I don't know if you have kids or a wife - but this could happen to them.
"They could be attacked for now reason and your family member could die. "Because it hasn't happened to you yet, you don't understand. What would you want to happen if this happened to someone you love. What justice would you want?
"Think about that."
The 32-year-old admits the last several months have been challenging.
Losing a close friend and teammate weeks before a title defence at UFC 263 was tough to get through, although Adesanya put in a near flawless five round performance against Italian Marvin Vettori.
The Aucklander scored a unanimous points decision win, dedicating the result to his "fallen brother Fau."
"I was pissed off yesterday.
"It stuck with me the whole day. It all came back in waves - you just get these moments when it all comes rushing back and I think about John [brother], his daughter and his mother and how they will never see their brother, father or son again.'
"It's hard.
"The best outcome? - I don't know - nothing will bring Fau back so there is no justice."
This story has been updated to reflect that Folau was not found responsible for Fau Vake's death
