With UFC Contract Fulfilled, Rin Nakai Returns to Japan for Flyweight Bout at Pancrase 279

No longer a UFC fighter, Rin Nakai is heading home for her next bout.

Japanese promoter Pancrase on Tuesday announced that Nakai has been booked to compete at Pancrase 279, the company’s July 24 card at Differ Ariake arena in Tokyo.

Nakai, 29, completed the second and final fight on her UFC contract in March, when she came up on the wrong end of a three-round decision against Leslie Smith. The loss moved Nakai’s mark to 0-2 in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, having previously dropped a unanimous nod to current champion Miesha Tate.

Nakai will drop 10 pounds to the flyweight division for her July 24 outing and, according to Pancrase officials, is eyeing an eventual move to 115 pounds. Her opponent has not yet been announced. The Ehime prefecture native was unbeaten with 16 straight wins before entering the Octagon; her Pancrase record stands at 8-0 with one draw.

Pancrase 279 will also feature a bout for the company’s vacant flyweight title, with the streaking Yuki Yasunaga squaring off against ex-Shooto titlist Ryuichi Miki. Promotional mainstays Yuki Kondo and Shingo Suzuki are also set to appear on the bill, which is expected to be streamed live via UFC Fight Pass.