The Japanese were well represented at UFC Vegas 108! Rising flyweight contender Tatsuro Taira stole the spotlight by making quick work of late replacement Hyun Sung Park, choking him out in the second round. But before Taira’s performance, Rinya Nakamura had already set the stage on fire with a staggering 62-second knockout of Nathan Fletcher in the featured prelims. However, that highlight-reel finish didn’t just happen! It was the result of the relentless training he went through at American Top Team.

‘Hybrid’ was coming off his first professional MMA loss against Muin Gafurov at UFC 311. So the pressure was on to bounce back and make a statement. At the post-fight press conference, Nakamura credited the win to the hard work he’s put in at one of the sport’s most renowned gyms, American Top Team, where the legendary 155er Dustin Poirier trained. He added, “I now train with some of the highest-level fighters in the gym,” But that’s not all! Nakamura also revealed what truly motivated him to join ATT.

The Japanese bantamweight reflected on how his grappling-heavy style was booed by the crowd during his UFC 295 bout against Carlos Vera. That reaction stuck with him, and it pushed him to fight more aggressively in his next outing. But that approach backfired. He went too wild and ended up getting knocked down in the process. After that, he knew changes had to be made. So, under the guidance of Mike Brown and the ATT coaching staff, he worked on correcting his mistakes. 

Nakamura added at the UFC Vegas 108 post-fight presser, “Considering my style, I was totally focused on knocking out my opponent. That’s why I didn’t perform well. Actually, in UFC 295, I used a lot of wrestling and ground control, and the audience booed me. So I was kind of shocked. That made me realize I needed to reconsider my style.in my last fight. Mainly, Mike Brown and a lot of ATT coaches told me, ‘You have to wrestle. You can then fake, and your striking will work.’ So, I was looking to work on that.”

That’s a solid approach by Nakamura and ATT to make him sharper and more well-rounded with his technique. And it clearly showed when he perfectly placed that kick to Fletcher’s body!  Hurting him badly before landing the finishing blows. That win also puts the Japanese bantamweight in a great position moving forward, and he can’t wait to get back inside the Octagon to recreate that magic once again.

Rinya Nakamura eyes quick turnaround after UFC Vegas 108 victory  

Well, Nakamura certainly had an impressive win that’s bound to build some serious hype. However, he’s still coming off a loss, and he knows he might need one or two more wins before earning a proper shot at a top-15 bantamweight. He understands that, which is why instead of calling out a specific opponent, he made it clear that he’s ready for another scrap by the end of the year.

The Japanese UFC prospect said in his Octagon interview, “The end of this year, I want to make it happen again. I think I need two straight wins to call out anybody in the bantamweight division.” And he’s exactly right! Two wins could line him up for a bigger opportunity—and who knows? A matchup with Cameron Saaiman might not be far-fetched either.

There are some exciting matchups out there for Rinya Nakamura as he looks to make a name for himself and establish his presence as a real threat in the bantamweight division. The big question now is—will the UFC test him with someone like Saaiman? Or will they give him a slightly lower-ranked opponent next?

That said, who do you want to see Nakamura face in his next fight after that stunning UFC Vegas 108 performance? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!