Undefeated Bantamweight Rinya Nakamura Aims To Continue His Rise With A Statement Win Over Muin Gafurov At UFC 311: Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2
By Mark Pickering • Jan. 17, 2025
Undefeated Japanese bantamweight Rinya Nakamura (9-0-0) competes at his first numbered UFC event on Saturday when he battles the vastly more experienced Tajikistan fighter Muin Gafurov (19-6-0) at UFC 311 in Inglewood, California.
The 29-year-old from Saitama is one of his country’s brightest prospects and brings a world-class amateur wrestling pedigree and a hybrid style to the Octagon.
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Nakamura was a standout freestyle wrestler on the Japanese team and, after winning the u23 World Championships in 2017, was tipped for glory at the senior level and was in contention to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.