John Vake

Last updated

John Vake
Personal information
Full nameJohn Taufa Vake
Born15 June 1991 [1]
Auckland, New Zealand [1]
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Sport
CountryFlag of Tonga.svg  Tonga
Sport Wrestling

John Vake (born 15 June 1991) is a Tongan New Zealander pro-mixed martial arts fighter and wrestler, who has represented Tonga at the Commonwealth Games.

vake was born in Auckland, New Zealand and educated at Kelston Boys' High School. [2] [3] He took up wrestling after failing to get into the school rugby team. [2] His first professional MMA fight was in 2012. In 2018, he opened a fight club in Auckland to help troubled youth. [4] He also runs a Whānau Ora-funded program for Kelston Boys' High School students. [5]

In 2022 he was selected for the Tongan team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. [6] [7] He was defeated in the first round by Muhammad Sharif Tahir. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelston Boys' High School</span> School

Kelston Boys' High School ("KBHS") is an all-boys state secondary school in Kelston, a suburb in the Waitakere region of Auckland, New Zealand. It was created in 1963 when the roll of Kelston High School became too large for the site on the corner of Archibald and Gt North Rds. The boys moved to a new site further down Archibald Road, leaving the original site to be the home of Kelston Girls High School.

Paea Wolfgramm is a Tongan retired boxer. Nicknamed "The Tongan Warrior", Wolfgramm won the Super Heavyweight silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, making him the first athlete from Tonga to win an Olympic medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epalahame Lauaki</span> Tongan-New Zealand rugby league footballer

Epalahame "Hame" Lauaki is a Tongan former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Bradford Bulls in the Championship.

Duane Darrin Mann is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s and coached in the 2000s. A Tonga and New Zealand international representative hooker, he captained both sides. Mann played his club football for New Zealand sides Glenora, North Harbour, Auckland Warriors and Counties Manukau, as well as for English club, Warrington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Tupou</span> Tonga international rugby league footballer

Bill Tupou is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a centre or on the wing for Wakefield Trinity in the Super League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala</span> Crown prince of Tonga

Siaosi (George) Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho is the crown prince of Tonga. Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala became heir apparent to the throne in March 2012 upon the accession of his father, Tupou VI, as King of Tonga.

Amini Tuitavake Britteon Fonua is a Tongan competitive swimmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Piutau</span> Rugby player

Salesi Tu'ipulotu "Charles" Piutau is a rugby union player. He plays as a fullback and sometimes wing for English club Bristol Bears in the Premiership.

Lolagi Visinia is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or fullback for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented both New Zealand and Manu Samoa internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Fusitu'a</span> NZ & Tonga international rugby league footballer

David Fusitu'a is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a wing, centre and fullback for Leeds Rhinos in Super League and for both Tonga and New Zealand at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuimoala Lolohea</span> NZ & Tonga international rugby league footballer

Tuimoala Lolohea is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a stand-off or fullback for the Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Super League. He has played for both New Zealand and Tonga at international level.

Taniela Tupou is an Australian professional rugby union player. He plays as a tight head prop for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and has represented Australia in international rugby. Born in Tonga he qualifies for Australia by residency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelston Girls' College</span> School in New Zealand

Kelston Girls’ College (KGC) is a single-sex girls state secondary school in Kelston, a suburb in West Auckland, New Zealand. It was created in 1963 when the roll of Kelston High School became too large for the site on the corner of Archibald and Great North Roads. The boys moved to a new site further down Archibald Road and the original site became the home of Kelston Girls' High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel Adesanya</span> Nigerian and New Zealand mixed martial artist (born 1989)

Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya is a Nigerian and New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer with multiple championships in all three disciplines. As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current and two-time UFC Middleweight Champion. In kickboxing, he is a former Glory Middleweight Championship title challenger. As of March 21, 2023, he is #5 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Los'e</span> Tongan rugby union player (1967–2022)

William Keith Los'e was a Tongan rugby union player who played as a lock. After retiring from playing, he worked as a radio host and TV commentator.

Tupou Neiufi is a New Zealand para-swimmer who represented her country at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She won a silver medal at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships and gold at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.

Sione Fonua is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as wing/centre.

Viliami Taulani is a Tongan rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby. His playing position is flanker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand at the 2022 Commonwealth Games</span> Sporting event delegation

New Zealand competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England, from 28 July to 8 August 2022. It is New Zealand's 22nd appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930. New Zealand finished fifth on the medal table, winning a total of 50 medals, 20 of which were gold. This makes these games New Zealand's best performance ever in terms of gold medals, beating the 17 won in Auckland at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, but third overall in terms of total medals, with 50, behind the 58 in 1990, and the 53 at the Games also in Auckland.

Magan Maka is a Tongan New Zealander boxer who has represented both New Zealand and Tonga at the Commonwealth Games.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "John Vake". Tapology. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 Jackson Thomas (31 March 2017). "'I'm gonna knock you out'". Stuff. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  3. "Guns of MMA go for shot at glory". New Zealand Herald. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  4. Torika Tokalau (5 September 2018). "At risk youths turn to mixed martial arts to save them". Stuff. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  5. "'You're here to be powerful' Groups make Dragons' Den-style pitches for Whanau Ora funds to run social programmes". Waipareira Trust. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  6. "Tonga competes in six sports at 2022 Commonwealth Games". Matangi Tonga. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  7. Soana Aholelei (23 July 2022). "Tonga Wrestling team make big sacrifices to get to Commonwealth Games". TP+. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  8. Zahid Noor (6 August 2022). "Sharif thrashes Vake to storm into CWG Wrestling quarter-final". A Sports. Retrieved 7 August 2022.