Rinya Nakamura
Hybrid
Japan
Crushing submission loss as favorite
Nakamura lost to Brady Hiestand via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:07 of Round 2 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
A submission defeat as a -400 favorite to an opponent that hadn't fought in well over two years is going to be difficult for Nakamura to overcome. Plus, it's not as if he looked strong prior to the finish. Hiestand pushed the pace from the very start and Nakamura appeared to have zero answers. He was outworked in the grappling exchanges between the two and could get nothing going on the feet outside of a few big knees. Nakamura was a real prospect coming off his run on Road to the UFC back in 2022, but he's gone just 4-2 since officially joining the promotion, including defeats in two of his past three fights. He has just a single win dating back to February 2024.
A submission defeat as a -400 favorite to an opponent that hadn't fought in well over two years is going to be difficult for Nakamura to overcome. Plus, it's not as if he looked strong prior to the finish. Hiestand pushed the pace from the very start and Nakamura appeared to have zero answers. He was outworked in the grappling exchanges between the two and could get nothing going on the feet outside of a few big knees. Nakamura was a real prospect coming off his run on Road to the UFC back in 2022, but he's gone just 4-2 since officially joining the promotion, including defeats in two of his past three fights. He has just a single win dating back to February 2024.
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Booked for Vegas
Nakamura will take on Brady Hiestand in a bantamweight bout at UFC Vegas 121 on Sept. 26, per Marcel Dorff of Heavy on Sports.
ANALYSIS
Nakamura is off to a 3-1 start in the UFC, just like his next opponent Hiestand. He most recently took care of business against Nathan Fletcher via TKO back in August of 2025. It's been a while since he stepped into the Octagon, but he'll look for win No. 4 in Vegas.
Nakamura is off to a 3-1 start in the UFC, just like his next opponent Hiestand. He most recently took care of business against Nathan Fletcher via TKO back in August of 2025. It's been a while since he stepped into the Octagon, but he'll look for win No. 4 in Vegas.
Pulls out of fight
Nakamura (undisclosed) will no longer take on Luan Lacerda at a UFC event in Las Veagas on March 14, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
It's unclear why Nakamura has pulled out if the bout, but he won't get a chance to build off his victory over Nathan Fletcher back in March of 2025 quite yet. Hecher Sosa, a newcomer to the UFC, will take his place in Sin City.
It's unclear why Nakamura has pulled out if the bout, but he won't get a chance to build off his victory over Nathan Fletcher back in March of 2025 quite yet. Hecher Sosa, a newcomer to the UFC, will take his place in Sin City.
Fighting Lacerda in March
Nakamura will take on Luan Lacerda at a UFC event in Las Vegas on March 14, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Nakamura will head into the bout looking to build momentum off his recent victory over Nathan Fletcher in March. The 30-year-old Japanese fighter will have to overcome a disadvantage in reach compared to the older Brazilian. With a long background in wrestling, Nakamura will be no stranger to the ground game here, though his perfect 6-0 professional record in KO/TKO finishes shows he is more than capable of taking his opponent out with his striking as well.
Nakamura will head into the bout looking to build momentum off his recent victory over Nathan Fletcher in March. The 30-year-old Japanese fighter will have to overcome a disadvantage in reach compared to the older Brazilian. With a long background in wrestling, Nakamura will be no stranger to the ground game here, though his perfect 6-0 professional record in KO/TKO finishes shows he is more than capable of taking his opponent out with his striking as well.
Ends UFC Vegas 108 prelims with bang
Nakamura defeated Nathan Fletcher via TKO (body kick, strikes) at 1:02 of Round 1 at UFC Vegas 108 on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
Nakamura typically comes in with a wrestling-heavy approach, but it was his body kicks that earned him the victory here as a favorite upwards of (-420). He landed a big kick to the ribs of Fletcher early, but it was a follow-up liver shot that changed the tide of the fight. Fletcher crumbled, and Nakamura rushed in to land the finishing blows. The Road to the UFC Bantamweight Champion, Nakamura has now one three of four official UFC bouts. This victory helped him bounce back from his first career loss to Muin Gafurov back in January.
Nakamura typically comes in with a wrestling-heavy approach, but it was his body kicks that earned him the victory here as a favorite upwards of (-420). He landed a big kick to the ribs of Fletcher early, but it was a follow-up liver shot that changed the tide of the fight. Fletcher crumbled, and Nakamura rushed in to land the finishing blows. The Road to the UFC Bantamweight Champion, Nakamura has now one three of four official UFC bouts. This victory helped him bounce back from his first career loss to Muin Gafurov back in January.
Next fighter scheduled
Nakamura is scheduled to fight Nathan Fletcher in a bantamweight fight at UFC Vegas 108 on Aug. 2, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Nakamura is coming off his first career loss after being defeated by Muin Gafurov via unanimous decision at UFC 311. Hybrid will look to bounce back against a his new challenger, Nathan Fletcher, who is also coming off his first UFC defeat. Considered as one of the top prospects, Rinya will have to step up in a big way if he wants to live up to the expectation.
Nakamura is coming off his first career loss after being defeated by Muin Gafurov via unanimous decision at UFC 311. Hybrid will look to bounce back against a his new challenger, Nathan Fletcher, who is also coming off his first UFC defeat. Considered as one of the top prospects, Rinya will have to step up in a big way if he wants to live up to the expectation.