This year has been nothing short of challenging for former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. After suffering a second consecutive defeat while attempting to reclaim the title from the division’s king, Dricus Du Plessis, he now faces more personal and upsetting news. Recently, one of the men implicated in the 2021 death of his friend and teammate, Fau Vake, was released without a conviction.

Semisie Pomale, a 35-year-old who was one of the four men involved in the attack on Vake, was released after the judge learned he had been hired by the Tongan national rugby team. The decision, which quickly drew widespread attention, has devastated Adesanya, who expressed his disappointment with the rugby team for hiring an individual involved in the death of an emerging Tongan MMA fighter in his recent social media post.

Israel Adesanya Lashes Out at Tongan National Rugby Team

Regional kickboxing star Fau Vake, with a record of 2-0, was unaware that his night out on May 16 would be his last. On that tragic night, he found himself in a street brawl, attacked by four men aged between 29 and 32, all of whom were charged in connection with the assault. After fighting for his life on life support, Fau tragically passed away a week later, which was confirmed by Vake’s gym in a statement that left the entire nation in shock and outrage. “Whenever we head into battle, our fallen brothers ride with us. Thank you Fau Vake #Fauever,” Izzy had stated in a post online at the time of Vake’s passing.

However, three years later, in a surprising development, charges against one of the co-accused have been lifted, prompting a strong reaction from Israel Adesanya. Unable to contain his anger, he took to Instagram, writing, “Really? Tongan rugby… So you hire the POS who initiated the attack that led to Fau’s death? Oooooh, we’re sorry that instigating our brother’s death inconvenienced your travel plans. Fau’s plans to represent Tonga on the global stage were permanently erased.”

‘The Last Stylebender’ further appealed to the New Zealand fans on social media to investigate the situation, saying, “Can any tokos confirm or deny this… let me know.” His call for verification from the community has fans wondering about the judge’s reasoning for dismissing the charges against Pomale.

What is the judge’s stance on releasing Semisie Pomale from charges?

Semisie Pomale was one of the four co-accused involved in the fatal assault on Fau Vake, which led to Vake’s death. Along with Pomale, the other three co-accused were Ofa He Mooni Folau, Siofilisi Paongo, and Daniel Havili. Two of the four were charged with “common assault,” while the other two faced charges of “assault with intent.” The incident attracted the attention of many MMA personalities throughout New Zealand, with Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker demanding serious punishment for those involved.

However, this week, Auckland District Court Judge Peter Winter discharged Semisi Pomale, who was charged with “common assault.” Pomale’s lawyer requested the end of the punishment, noting that “common assault” carries a maximum penalty of only one year, which Pomale had already served.

In diminishing the charges against Pomale, Judge Winter stated, “He says as a result of what happened to Mr. Vake, he was shocked to the core. I assess him to be genuinely remorseful… I do not consider that he would have been aware of the likelihood of the incident escalating to the extent that it did, where a blow was administered by another person, causing the victim to fall to the ground and suffer the fatal injury he did.”

What’s your take on the Tongan national rugby team hiring Semisie Pomale? Do you believe it’s unfair to Israel Adesanya’s teammate and friend, Fau Vake, that one of Vake’s attackers is now free? Is ‘The Last Stylebender’s’ frustration with the rugby team unwarranted? Drop your opinion below.