New Zealand pro MMA fighter Hakaraia Wilson died on Wednesday, police told several local news outlets. He was 26.
In a statement provided to media, police said they responded to a sudden death on the morning of Jan. 1 at an address in Gisborne. The death was not being treated as suspicious, police said.
Wilson was in Gisborne, a city on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, to attend an annual New Year’s music festival called Rhythm and Vines, Te Ao Māori News reported.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
Wilson began his amateur career in 2020 and had a 4-3 pro MMA record, according fighting stats site Sherdog. Wilson’s last fight was in October in Bali, Indonesia, where he won his bout against Mark Alcoba of the Philippines at the Canggu Fight Night.
His death triggered an outpouring of tributes from the martial arts community.
“It’s with profound sadness that we share the passing of a true pillar of our family and community — our brother, Hakaraia Wilson,” the Oliver MMA gym in Auckland posted.
“Haks, your legacy will live on in each of us — your smile, your laughter, your warmth, and your warrior spirit. Rest easy, knowing your time here, though far too short, left a mark that will never fade,” it added.
“Rest easy young warrior, always in our hearts forever more,” posted the Soma Fight Club in Canggu. “We will carry you with us into battle always.”
HuffPost has reached out to a representative of Wilson.
In an interview shared last year by Radio NZ, Wilson said, “Being Māori is our superpower. It’s our strength, We can draw upon that whenever we need to.”
“I want to fight at the highest level, but I want to use MMA as a vehicle to tell our stories,” he added.
He grew up in Rotorua and Ruatoki, in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, and was raised by his father.
He grew up in the world of fighting, he told RNZ, first learning mau rākau, a traditional Māori martial art form using wooden weapons, then moving on to boxing, wrestling and MMA.
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He had moved to the U.S. during the pandemic and trained in San Diego, California.
“I always pictured myself moving to America eventually to make the most out of my career and my youth,” he told RNZ. “Part of me felt guilty for leaving my family. But for this dream, I understand that sometimes, I need to put myself first.”
“MMA is my vehicle to show the world how beautiful our culture is,” he said.