Rinya Nakamura Record: 10-2-0

Winning Road to UFC

On Road to UFC in 2022, Nakamura showcased the full range of his hybrid game. He first submitted Gugun Gusman with a first-round keylock, then in the tournament final flattened Shohei Nose with a first-round knockout to claim the bantamweight bracket and his UFC contract. He carried that momentum straight into the Octagon in February 2023, blitzing Toshiomi Kazama with a first-round knockout in a debut that announced him as a legitimate prospect.

Establishing himself in the UFC

From there Nakamura's matchmaking grew tougher. He out-grappled Fernie Garcia over three rounds in August 2023, then earned a unanimous-decision win over Carlos Vera on the big UFC 298 card in February 2024. His unbeaten run finally ended in January 2025 at UFC 311, where the rugged Muin Gafurov handed him a unanimous-decision loss – the first of his career. Nakamura rebounded emphatically in August 2025, stopping Nathan Fletcher with a first-round body kick and punches to remind the division of his finishing power.

Fighting style

Nakamura is exactly what his nickname promises: a hybrid. His freestyle-wrestling base gives him takedowns and top control few bantamweights can match, while six of his ten wins have come by knockout, an unusually high rate for a wrestler and the reason his finish rate sits at 70 percent. When opponents stuff his pressure and turn fights into long technical battles, however, he has shown he can be out-worked over 15 minutes – both his decision result against Gafurov and his grinding wins illustrate that his most decisive nights come when he forces exchanges rather than scrambles. At his best, Nakamura threatens to end fights standing or on the mat, a rare two-way menace.

Career highlights

• Road to UFC champion — won the inaugural bantamweight tournament, capping it by knocking out Shohei Nose to earn his UFC contract.
• World-class wrestling pedigree — claimed gold at the 2017 U23 World Wrestling Championships before turning to MMA.
• Knockout-heavy wrestler — built a 10-1 record with six KO/TKO finishes, including a first-round debut knockout of Toshiomi Kazama.