Japanese powerhouse Rin Nakai is getting a major opportunity in her first UFC appearance this weekend at Fight Night 52. Nakai will put her unbeaten record on the line against former title challenger Miesha Tate at the Saitama Super Arena. The former Queen of Pancrase star will be looking to make a huge statement against a proven fixture in the UFC women’s bantamweight ranks.
Nakai is undefeated in 17 career fights and has produced 10 finishes. She has a strong judo background and is noted for her powerful grappling skills. Nakai has also showcased a varied attack when it comes to submissions. This will certainly represent a major step-up in competition for the heavily-muscled 5-foot-1 competitor. It’ll be intriguing to see whether or not Nakai will suffer from those well-documented Octagon jitters in her debut. The majority of her career fights have been contested in a ring.
She has had recent success against quality opposition in her last two appearances, earning wins against veterans Tara LaRosa and Sarah D’Alelio. Nakai is probably more well-known for her bizarre and revealing Pancrase videos and wardrobe than she is for her actual fighting abilities. That would definitely change with a victory this weekend against the battle-tested Tate.
Tate certainly won’t be intimidated by Nakai’s brute strength and has a very solid wrestling background to rely upon. She’s fresh off of her first Octagon triumph against Liz Carmouche at UFC on FOX 11 in what was a grinding affair. It was a much-needed win after “Cupcake” dropped back-to-back contests against women’s champion Ronda Rousey and No. 1 contender Cat Zingano. Tate is keen on securing a future rematch against Zingano in the hopes of avenging her TKO loss at the TUF 17 Finale.
Despite a 1-2 UFC record, Tate still holds down the No. 2 ranking in the division. She’s become a household name based upon her intense feud with Rousey dating back to their stint as coaches on Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter. While Tate has lost twice to Rousey during her career, she is the only competitor to take the dominant champion beyond the first round. She’s confident that she can provide the first blemish on Nakai’s record.
This shapes up as one of the more interesting fights on a card that has plenty of potential. Nakai can immediately vault into title contention if she is victorious against a proven commodity in Tate. Meanwhile, the former Strikeforce champion will be looking to prove she still remains one of the UFC’s most impactful 135-pound female competitors.
Rick LaFitte is an MMA Writer for Rant Sports
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