LAS VEGAS – Rinya Nakamura's unexpected time away afforded him the opportunity to reassess his career.
Nakamura (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has spent over a year on the sidelines due to a significant injury. The momentum from a first-round finish of Nathan Fletcher in August 2025 was unable to be capitalized on in a timely fashion, but he hopes that in his return at UFC Fight Night 289, he'll stay in the win column against Brady Hiestand (8-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC).
"I tore a tendon in my shoulder, MCL," Nakamura told MMA Junkie and other reporters at media day. "That's why I took a long time since my last fight. But my condition is best ever. ... One hundred percent – over 100 percent. I can show you a new version of me, and I can't wait to show you guys."
The
Japanese bantamweight who made his introduction on Road to UFC has utilized his time away not only to recover, but also to figure out whether fighting at a high level is what he wants to do. After some reflection while on the mend, Nakamura says the answer he always gave himself was the same, which has re-energized his motivation.
"I took back my love to this sport," Nakamura said. "Actually, that was not easy time for me. I've been always asking to myself, 'Do you want to truly be a UFC champion?' Over 100,000 times. I always answered to myself, 'Yes. Yes, of course.' I repeated, repeated again. Then I get back my love to the sport and competing in this stage. So my spirits, I feel like are reborn. I can be reborn this Saturday."
Nakamura is currently 3-1 in the UFC, and hopes that his extra time away will serve him well moving forward. As long as he's healthy, he wants to get in three or four fights a year as he forges a path toward the UFC title.
"I wanted to be a PRIDE champion when I was a child," Nakamura said. "So the UFC champion means a PRIDE champion too, for me."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Rinya Nakamura looking to be 'reborn' at UFC Fight Night 289
