UFC on ESPN 71: Rinya Nakamura vs Nathan Fletcher Preview & Prediction

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Fresh off disappointing results in their last fights, bantamweight grapplers Rinya Nakamura and Nathan Fletcher close out the prelims with a point to prove.

Rinya Nakamura vs Nathan Fletcher facts

What time are Rinya Nakamura and Nathan Fletcher expected to walk out?

Where is UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park? UFC Apex, Enterprise, USA

Where can I get tickets for UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC on ESPN 71

What TV channel is UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+

Where can I stream UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park main card

Tatsuro Taira vs Park Hyun-sung (Flyweight)

Mateusz Rebecki vs Chris Duncan (Lightweight)

Elves Brener vs Esteban Ribovics (Lightweight)

Karol Rosa vs Nora Cornolle (Women’s Bantamweight)

Neil Magny vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (Welterweight)

Danny Silva vs Kevin Vallejos (Featherweight)

UFC on ESPN: Taira vs Park prelims

Rinya Nakamura vs Nathan Fletcher (Bantamweight)

Rodolfo Vieira vs Tresean Gore (Middleweight)

Nick Klein vs Andrey Pulyaev (Middleweight)

Austin Bashi vs John Yannis (Featherweight)

Piera Rodriguez vs Ketlen Souza (Women’s Strawweight)

Rafael Estevam vs Felipe Bunes (Flyweight)

Rinya Nakamura: “Hybrid” returns off the back of his first professional defeat

Winner of the Road to UFC Season 1 Bantamweight tournament, expectations were high for Rinya Nakamura (9-1) upon entering the UFC. A credentialed freestyle wrestler, “Hybrid” tore through the inaugural event series with two vicious KOs and a devastating submission to earn his shot at the MMA big leagues. However, despite comfortably winning in his first two UFC appearances, the Japanese standout has considerably altered his fighting style since, opting to lean heavily on his wrestling pedigree. Nakamura enters this contest following the first defeat of his professional career, dropping a clear decision to Muin Gamarov at UFC 311.

Nathan Fletcher: Paddy Pimblett’s teammate aims for the biggest win of his career

Coming off a controversial defeat to Caolan Loughran in March, many felt that Nathan Fletcher (9-2) had done enough to take the decision against “The Don” last time out. Following a brief run on The Ultimate Fighter 32, the Next Generation MMA representative is 1-1 in his UFC tenure to date, strangling Zygimantas Ramaska with an arm-triangle choke in his debut appearance before running into Loughran. A slick submission grappler with educated counter striking, Fletcher is credited with seven submission victories, only going to the scorecards on two occasions throughout his professional career.

Rinya Nakamura vs Nathan Fletcher prediction

This contest looks to be an intriguing clash of styles between bantamweights aiming to rebound.

The bookmakers may be siding with Nakamura in a major way here, but it’s impossible to ignore the fact that he looked completely lost on the feet against Gafurov; another matchup where he closed as a colossal favorite. Inexplicably forgoing his wrestling to strike with the Tajikistani bruiser, the Japanese fighter was hurt and wobbled on multiple occasions, even hitting the deck briefly in the second round.

However, it’s equally hard to discount the fact that Fletcher was largely manhandled in the wrestling department by Loughran; a considerably less talented grappler than his latest opponent. There’s undoubtedly a path to victory for the Englishman here if he’s able to stick and move against Nakamura, but his limited power on the feet means that 15 minutes seems a long time to keep his relentless foe at bay.

Accordingly, Nakamura’s wrestling still remains the safe bet here. Unless “Hybrid” dives into a submission attempting to ground his opponent or chooses to solely rely on his limited striking, look for the Japanese fighter to lean on his freestyle roots to grind out a convincing, if uninspiring, decision victory.