Dan Hooker and the City Kickboxing team dealt with a devastating blow when one of their teammates was killed in an attack on Auckland’s Symonds Street.
Fau Vake, a young prospect of the star gym, was attacked by four individuals on May 16, 2021, and died from his injuries on May 23.
Daniel Havili, one of the four guys involved, was recognized as the one who struck the deadly blow. Havili was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for manslaughter, according to the NZ Herald.
In tweets following the hearing, Dan Hooker unleashed a scathing attack on the New Zealand legal system. Hooker becomes visibly enraged at the sentence imposed on a man who was personally involved in the murder of an innocent victim. The first tweet from the UFC fighter read:
“I was in court today for an hour listening to two dusty old b**ches agree that because it only took one punch to kill my brother that it was only ‘moderate’ violence and that his sentence should be reduced.”
In the following tweet, Hooker revealed an incredible detail regarding Havili’s sentence:
“He qualified for home detention as well. Only because of the media attention on the case he will serve his sentence inside a cell. Had we stayed quiet, he would be at home with his family.”
Dan Hooker Blasts NZ justice system
Hooker didn’t mince words when he said:
“NZ justice system is a fu**en joke”
The following was his final tweet on the subject:
“If you kill someone with one punch you get your sentence reduced here.”
Dan Hooker and the rest of the City Kickboxing team, including Israel Adesanya, are bound to be disappointed and frustrated by the punishment meted out to the man responsible for their teammate’s untimely death. Vake was not only a good kid with a great future in the Auckland gym, but he was also a father to a little daughter.
The triumphs of Dan Hooker and Israel Adesanya were dedicated to Fau Vake
‘The Hangman’ and ‘The Last Stylebender’ had UFC fights set shortly after their teammate died. At UFC 263 in Las Vegas, the middleweight champion successfully defended his title against Marvin Vettori, and he made sure to pay tribute to his fallen teammate.
Dan Hooker fought Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266 and the winner was Dan Hooker. Despite various obstacles, including being unable to train due to New Zealand’s lockdown limitations and issues obtaining a visa, Hooker dedicated his victory to Fau Vake.
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