# Keita Nakamura

Keitaro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 K太郎, Nakamura Keitarō, born May 22, 1984) is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and grappler currently competing in the Welterweight division of RIZIN. A professional competitor since 2003, he has formerly competed for the UFC, World Victory Road, Pancrase, Shooto, DREAM, Vale Tudo Japan, and DEEP. He is the former Sengoku Welterweight Champion, Shooto Pacific Rim Middleweight Champion, and also won the World Victory Road Welterweight Grand Prix Tournament in 2010.
In submission grappling, Nakamura took part in both the 2009 and 2011 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, making it to the second round and winning via points in both.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Nakamura made his professional MMA debut in his native Japan in October 2003. Over nearly three years, he amassed a record of 15-0-2 with wins over Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Ronald Jhun, and Daisuke Nakamura.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Nakamura made his UFC debut in December 2006 against Brock Larson at UFC 81. He lost the fight via unanimous decision, ending his undefeated streak.
For his second fight with the promotion, Nakamura faced Drew Fickett at UFC Fight Night: Stevenson vs. Guillard in April 2007. He again lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Nakamura lost by contentious split decision to Rob Emerson at UFC 81 on February 2, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nakamura dropped Emerson with a big knee at the end of the first round after Emerson had outstruck him for much of the round up until that point. Emerson came back strong in the second round landing crisp combinations that left Nakamura's face a mess at the end of the round. Nakamura scored takedowns in the third round on a visibly tiring Emerson while also landing some strong knees but it was not enough to win the decision as the scores read 30–27, 28-29 and 30–27 in favor of Emerson. Following this loss, Nakamura was released from the UFC.
After the fight, the 24-year-old Nakamura announced his retirement from MMA. Disappointed by his three UFC defeats, "K-Taro" also suffered from vision issues following the Emerson bout, due his opponent's toe impairing his vision after a high kick attempt.

### Return to Japan

Despite his claim that he would become a police officer, Nakamura's retirement lasted a mere few months. He returned in September 2008 as he faced Adriano Martins in for the DREAM promotion. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Nakamura suffered a devastating loss to heavy underdog Korean fighter, Jang Yong Kim in his second post-retirement comeback fight. Since then, he has seen a resurgence, going 13-2-1 over the next few years, including winning the Sengoku Welterweight Grand Prix with a submission victory over Yasubey Enomoto.

### UFC return

Nakamura returned to the UFC in September 2015. He faced Li Jingliang on September 27, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 75. After being bloodied by his opponent over two rounds, Nakamura rallied back to win the fight via submission in the third round. The win also earned Nakamura his first Performance of the Night bonus award.
Nakamura faced Tom Breese on February 27, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 84. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Nakamura faced Kyle Noke on July 13, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 91. He won the fight via submission in final seconds of the second round.
Nakamura next faced Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos on October 1, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 96. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Nakamura faced Alex Morono at UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Okami on September 23, 2017. He won the fight by split decision (29-28, 28–29, 29-28).
Nakamura faced Tony Martin on April 21, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 128. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Nakamura faced Salim Touahri on December 2, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 142. He won the fight via split decision.
Nakamura faced Sultan Aliev on April 20, 2019 at UFC Fight Night 149. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
In September 2019, it was reported that Nakamura was released by UFC.

### Post-UFC career

After the release from the UFC, Nakamura signed with RIZIN. After winning his promotional debut via TKO, he next faced Lorenz Larkin at Bellator & RIZIN: Japan on December 29, 2019. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.
On April 1, 2023 at Rizin 41 – Osaka, Nakamura defeated Kiichi Kunimoto via second round TKO stoppage after dropping Kunimoto and finishing him with a soccer kick.
Nakamura fought Roberto Satoshi de Souza in a non-title bout in the main event of RIZIN Landmark 9 on March 23, 2024. He lost the fight by corner stoppage in the first round after getting dropped by head kick.

## Championships and accomplishments

* Shooto
** Shooto Pacific Rim Middleweight (167 lb) Championship (One time)
* Sengoku Raiden Championship
** SRC Welterweight Championship (One time)
** 2010 Sengoku Welterweight Grand Prix Winner
* Deep
** DEEP Welterweight Championship (One time)
* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Li Jingliang
** UFC.com Awards
*** 2015: Ranked #8 Submission of the Year vs. Li Jingliang
*** 2016: Ranked #6 Submission of the Year vs. Kyle Noke

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 51 matches | 36 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 9 | 2 |
| By submission | 16 | 1 |
| By decision | 11 | 9 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 36–12–2 (1) | Roberto de Souza | TKO (corner stoppage) | Rizin Landmark 9 | March 23, 2024 | 1 | 1:43 | Kobe, Japan | Non-Title bout. |
| Win | 36–11–2 (1) | Kiichi Kunimoto | KO (punches and soccer kick) | Rizin 41 | April 1, 2023 | 2 | 0:49 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Loss | 35–11–2 (1) | Lorenz Larkin | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator & Rizin: Japan | December 29, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | Catchweight (173.5 lbs) bout; Larkin missed weight. |
| Win | 35–10–2 (1) | Marcos de Souza | TKO (punches) | Rizin 19 | October 12, 2019 | 1 | 1:18 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Loss | 34–10–2 (1) | Sultan Aliev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik | April 20, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 34–9–2 (1) | Salim Touahri | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Tuivasa | December 2, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Adelaide, Australia | |
| Loss | 33–9–2 (1) | Anthony Rocco Martin | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee | April 21, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 33–8–2 (1) | Alex Morono | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Okami | September 23, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 32–8–2 (1) | Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson | October 1, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Portland, Oregon, United States | |
| Win | 32–7–2 (1) | Kyle Noke | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: McDonald vs. Lineker | July 13, 2016 | 2 | 4:59 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| Loss | 31–7–2 (1) | Tom Breese | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping | February 27, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | London, England | |
| Win | 31–6–2 (1) | Li Jingliang | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs. Nelson | September 27, 2015 | 3 | 2:17 | Saitama, Japan | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 30–6–2 (1) | Yuta Watanabe | Submission (rear-naked choke) | DEEP: Cage Impact 2015 | July 20, 2015 | 1 | 2:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Won the DEEP Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 29–6–2 (1) | Yoshiyuki Katahira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | DEEP: 71 Impact | February 28, 2015 | 1 | 3:47 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 28–6–2 (1) | Yuki Okano | TKO (punches) | DEEP: 69 Impact | October 26, 2014 | 2 | 0:26 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 27–6–2 (1) | Keiichiro Yamamiya | TKO (punches) | DEEP: 67 Impact | June 22, 2014 | 1 | 4:13 | Tokyo, Japan | Return to Welterweight. |
| Loss | 26–6–2 (1) | Frank Camacho | Decision (unanimous) | PXC: Pacific Xtreme Combat 42 | February 28, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Mangilao, Guam | |
| NC | 26–5–2 (1) | Kwang Hee Lee | NC (Nakamura missed weight) | DEEP: 64th Impact | December 22, 2013 | N/A | N/A | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 26–5–2 | Kota Shimoishi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Shooto: 3rd Round | July 27, 2013 | 2 | 0:37 | Tokyo, Japan | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 25–5–2 | Nobutatsu Suzuki | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Vale Tudo Japan 2012 | December 24, 2012 | 1 | 2:09 | Tokyo, Japan | Catchweight (80 kg) bout. |
| Win | 24–5–2 | Yuki Sasaki | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto: 5th Round | May 18, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 23–5–2 | Hoon Kim | TKO (broken hand) | LFC: Legend Fighting Championship 8 | March 30, 2012 | 1 | 5:00 | Chek Lap Kok, China | |
| Win | 22–5–2 | Yoichiro Sato | Decision (majority) | Shooto: Survivor Tournament Final | January 8, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 21–5–2 | Akihiro Murayama | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Shooto: Shootor's Legacy 4 | September 23, 2011 | 1 | 2:30 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 21–4–2 | Yasubey Enomoto | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight | December 30, 2010 | 2 | 3:48 | Tokyo, Japan | SRC Welterweight Grand Prix Final. Won the SRC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 20–4–2 | Takuya Wada | Submission (punches) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 15 | October 30, 2010 | 1 | 3:30 | Tokyo, Japan | SRC Welterweight Grand Prix Semifinal. |
| Win | 19–4–2 | Omar de la Cruz | TKO (punches) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 | June 20, 2010 | 2 | 3:53 | Tokyo, Japan | SRC Welterweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 18–4–2 | Tomoyoshi Iwamiya | Decision (majority) | GCM: Cage Force 11 | June 27, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Return to Welterweight. |
| Loss | 17–4–2 | Jang Yong Kim | TKO (punches) | GCM: Cage Force EX Eastern Bound | November 8, 2008 | 1 | 0:59 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 17–3–2 | Adriano Martins | Decision (split) | Dream 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 Final Round | September 23, 2008 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 16–3–2 | Rob Emerson | Decision (split) | UFC 81 | February 2, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 16–2–2 | Takefumi Hanai | TKO (knees) | GCM: Cage Force EX Eastern Bound | November 11, 2007 | 1 | 1:59 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 15–2–2 | Drew Fickett | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Stevenson vs. Guillard | April 5, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 15–1–2 | Brock Larson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Sanchez vs. Riggs | December 13, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | San Diego, California, United States | |
| Win | 15–0–2 | Djalili Salmanov | Submission (rear-naked choke) | GCM: D.O.G. 7 | September 9, 2006 | 1 | 3:50 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 14–0–2 | Ronald Jhun | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | PIP: East vs. West | July 21, 2006 | 1 | 3:55 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Won the Shooto Pacific Rim Middleweight (167 lbs) Championship. |
| Win | 13–0–2 | Jun Yong Jae | Submission (rear-naked choke) | MARS World Grand Prix | April 29, 2006 | 1 | 1:58 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Win | 12–0–2 | Yoshiyuki Yoshida | Technical Decision (majority) | Shooto: 12/17 in Shinjuku Face | December 17, 2005 | 2 | 4:06 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 11–0–2 | Katsuaki Niioka | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Shooto 2005: 11/6 in Korakuen Hall | November 6, 2005 | 1 | 2:10 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 10–0–2 | Mohamed Khacha | Submission (rear-naked choke) | GCM: D.O.G. 3 | September 17, 2005 | 1 | 3:34 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 9–0–2 | Taro Minato | Submission (rear-naked choke) | GCM: Demolition 22 | August 28, 2005 | 1 | 4:03 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 8–0–2 | Jun Kitagawa | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto: 6/3 in Kitazawa Town Hall | June 3, 2005 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 7–0–2 | Kentaro Maeda | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto: 2/6 in Kitazawa Town Hall | February 6, 2005 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 6–0–2 | Atsushi Inoue | Submission (rear-naked choke) | GCM: Demolition 20 | November 14, 2004 | 1 | 2:11 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Draw | 5–0–2 | Kazunori Yokata | Draw | GCM: Demolition 18 | September 19, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 5–0–1 | Keisuke Sakai | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Shooto: 7/16 in Korakuen Hall | July 16, 2004 | 1 | 2:20 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 4–0–1 | Ichiro Kanai | Decision (unanimous) | GCM: Demolition 15 | May 21, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 3–0–1 | Daisuke Nakamura | Decision (unanimous) | GCM: Demolition 14 | April 8, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Draw | 2–0–1 | Ichiro Kanai | Draw | GCM: Demolition 12 | December 27, 2003 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 2–0 | Kenta Omori | Submission (triangle choke) | Kingdom Ehrgeiz: Tokyo University Flight | December 13, 2003 | 1 | 7:44 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 1–0 | Tomohito Tanizaki | TKO (punches) | Kingdom Ehrgeiz: Tomorrow | October 12, 2003 | 1 | 0:33 | Tokyo, Japan | |