Rinya Nakamura vs. Brady Hiestand
UFC Fight Night · September 26, 2026 · Meta Apex · Prelims 5:00 PM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Long-delayed booking finally happens
- Finish likelihood
- Medium
- The line
- No line posted yet
- The stakes
- Bantamweight · Prelims
The read
Nakamura's wrestling and power give him the higher ceiling after a long layoff for Hiestand, but ring rust cuts both ways and Hiestand has finished fights from his back before.
If Nakamura can find takedowns early, his ground-and-pound and finishing instincts should take over; if Hiestand can keep this standing and use his length, he has the craft to make it competitive.
The matchup
This bantamweight bout was actually booked for February 2024 before Hiestand withdrew with an injury, and it finally comes together more than two years later with a new opponent's résumé attached — Nakamura beat late replacement Carlos Vera in that slot instead.
Nakamura's freestyle wrestling pedigree and six career knockouts give him finishing equity everywhere the fight goes, while Hiestand's jiu-jitsu-based scrambling and TUF-tested composure make him a live threat in any exchange.
Tale of the tape
| 10-1 | Record | 8-2 |
| 31 | Age | 27 |
| 5'7" | Height | 5'8" |
| 68" | Reach | 71" |
| Southpaw | Stance | Orthodox |
| Japan | Country | United States |
| American Top Team | Team | Sikjitsu |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Rinya Nakamura 10-1
“Hybrid”
Rinya 'Hybrid' Nakamura is a 31-year-old Japanese bantamweight fighting out of American Top Team, a former U23 freestyle wrestling world champion who won the Road to UFC season 1 bantamweight tournament to earn his contract. He suffered the first loss of his career to Muin Gafurov at UFC 311 in January 2025 before bouncing back with a first-round finish of Nathan Fletcher in August 2025. He now meets fellow finisher Brady Hiestand, a bout originally booked for 2024 before Hiestand withdrew injured.
- WNathan Fletcher · KO/TKO (body kick and strikes)UFC Fight Night · August 2, 2025
- LMuin Gafurov · Decision (unanimous)UFC 311 · January 18, 2025
- WCarlos Vera · Decision (unanimous)UFC 298 · February 17, 2024
Brady Hiestand 8-2
“Bam Bam”
Brady 'Bam Bam' Hiestand is a 27-year-old American bantamweight out of Spokane, Washington, training at Sikjitsu under the guidance of Michael Chiesa. A Ultimate Fighter season 29 finalist who dropped a three-round split decision to Ricky Turcios in the show's finale, he won three straight afterward, capped by a rear-naked-choke finish of Garrett Armfield in June 2024. He returns after more than two years on the sidelines to face fellow finisher Rinya Nakamura.
- WGarrett Armfield · Submission (rear-naked choke)UFC on ESPN · June 15, 2024
- WDanaa Batgerel · KO/TKOUFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes · April 22, 2023
- WFernie Garcia · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · November 19, 2022