Brady Hiestand.
Nakamura (10-2) was a heavy -325 favorite
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight fight against Hiestand at
UFC Vegas 121 September 26 in Las Vegas. However, Hiestand’s wrestling proved to be too much for Nakamura as he was checked before being forced to tap out for a rear choke in the second round.
Rinya Nakamura reacts to his loss to Brady Hiestand at UFC Vegas 121
Nakamura vowed to bounce back in a social media post. The 31-year-old said he refuses to suffer another loss like the one against Hiestand.
“I will return after creating a style of martial arts that is purer, fairer, more beautiful and stronger,” Nakamura wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, UFC, for the ultimate stage. I refuse to ever experience that feeling again.”
Nakamura was a highly touted undefeated prospect when he won the bantamweight season 1 of “Road to UFC” in 2023. But “Hybrid” has gone 3-2 in the UFC since then, losing two of his last three bouts.
