Rin Nakai hoping for a return to the UFC, ‘My goal is only to be the UFC champion’

Former Japanese UFC bantamweight hopeful Rin Nakai is ready to get back in action — preferably in her one-time stomping grounds.

The Ehime native has recently returned to Twitter where she’s expressed her great interest in being a UFC fighter once again.

“I keep wanting to compete in the UFC,” Nakai tweeted. “My goal is only to be the UFC champion. I want to practice in the US. I have the ability to compete in the UFC. I continue to want to be in the UFC. My goal is only to be a UFC champion. I want to practice in America. I have the ability to compete in the UFC. Preparatory movement”

Rin Nakai entered the UFC with about as big of an opportunity that any Japanese MMA fighter has ever had — a fight with former Strikeforce champion and future UFC champion Miesha Tate.

The September 2014 Saitama Super Arena hosted fight night event would be the Japanese bantamweight’s 17th bout of her career. Fresh off of good Pancrase victories over the likes of Sarah D’Alelio and Tara LaRosa, unfortunately for Nakai, the Tate fight resulted in the first blemish on her record.

Nakai’s second and final opportunity within the Octagon came in Brisbane, Australia two years later. Taking on another seasoned veteran in Leslie Smith, Nakai would succumb to another unanimous decision loss.

Out of the 5-foot-1 34-year old’s 25 career bouts, her only two defeats were those two appearances in the UFC (22-2-1). Nakai has since dropped to the 125-pound flyweight division where she’s rattled off a six-fight winning streak. The most notable name of the bunch being over current UFC strawweight prospect and former Invicta FC titleholder, Kanako Murata. The win came in Nakai’s lone RIZIN FF fight in 2016 where she secured a third-round rear-naked choke.

Nakai’s last fight came in October 2019 at Japan’s all-women’s promotion DEEP JEWELS. She defeated Titapa Junsookplung via a first-round armbar.