Man left country after Melbourne killing

A man killed during a fight outside a Melbourne nightclub five years ago was likely stabbed to death by a love rival who left the country.

Vietnamese national Chien Duy Hoang, 29, died after he was stabbed in the neck during a brawl involving Minh Thao Nguyen outside Bubble nightclub in the CBD in 2011, state coroner Sara Hinchey found on Wednesday.

Mr Hoang believed his girlfriend had an "inappropriate relationship" with Mr Nguyen and the two men did not like each other, the Victorian Coroners Court has been told.

Mr Nguyen - also known as Kelvin - was at Bubble nightclub with a group of friends on the night of June 11, 2011.

Mr Hoang received a text message from a friend a few hours later, saying "Kelvin" was "going with a group looking for trouble" and "he asked about you".

Mr Hoang armed himself with a screwdriver and went to the club where a fight broke out between two groups about 3am, investigations revealed.

Witnesses told police Mr Nguyen had run toward Mr Hoang and stabbed him with a knife, after Mr Hoang pulled out the screwdriver and pointed it at him, the court heard.

"Mr Hoang died ... at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from a stab wound to the neck, likely to have been inflicted by Minh Thao Nguyen," Judge Hinchey said in her written findings.

The court heard Mr Nguyen ran from the fight and boarded a one-way flight to Vietnam the next day.

He hasn't returned to Australia since.

Mr Nguyen has not been charged over Mr Hoang's death, but the investigation has been extensive and continues.

Victoria Police has sought advice about whether to have Mr Nguyen extradited to face a murder charge.

Mr Hoang was in Melbourne studying business at the time of his death.