Rising Aussie cage fighters aged 21 and 22 are mourned after dying in horror car crash
Two rising Australian mixed martial arts stars, aged 21 and 22, have tragically died following a horror car crash in South Australia on Sunday.
Luke Marko, 21 and Sami Adnan, 22, were returning from a training session in the Adelaide Hills when the incident took place.
Police received reports of a serious crash just after 5pm on Sunday involving a Holden sedan on Echunga Road near to the Hahndorf Football Club in Paechtown.
According to The Advertiser, their vehicle is understood to have crashed into a tree.
Officers state the two men suffered critical injuries and sadly died at the scene.
Both men have been remembered by members of the mixed martial arts community, including Jobair Rafiq, who was close to both fighters.
Rafiq said both men were 'humble' and 'upcoming champions'.
'Luke was an amazing kid, very humble and came to help out at our gym… he was there the day we opened, helping out,' he told The Advertiser, speaking on jiu-jitsu fighter Marko.
'(He was a) very strong young kid but very humble.'
He also praised, Adnan, a mixed martial arts fighter, as not only a good competitor but also as a humble individual who wanted to give back to the community.
'Sami used to go to the same mosque as me… he was always there to help out and always listened to his elders and wanted to be better in life,' Rafiq said.
'In our mosque every Saturday we have open nights so all the young kids, rather than be in the club or streets, they would come to the gym and we used to have wrestling training and soccer going on.
'Sami would come in and, given his knowledge, would help out and be part of the community.
'These kids were always trying to do good… always stayed clean, they were upcoming champs and always wanted to do something good.'
Tributes have been paid on social media to the pair, with South Australia MMA training facility Arruda Team writing on Facebook: 'We are all completely shocked and shattered by the news of Luke and Sami's passing.
'Two incredibly talented athletes taken way too soon.
'We send our love to Sami and Luke's family and friends.'
South Australia police state that their deaths are the 26th and 27th lives lost on roads in the state so far this year.
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