Daisuke Nakamura (fighter)


Daisuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist. Having most recently competed in 2016, he has fought for DREAM, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, ZST, Cage Rage, PRIDE, Vale Tudo Japan, DEEP, K-1 and Cage Force promotions. He is the former DEEP Lightweight Champion. Nakamura is also known for his incredible armbar variations, with most of his wins coming by armbar, and is famous for his tributes to the shoot-style circuit, often wearing the style's signature kneeboots and short-tights in his fights.
He has also competed in professional wrestling, working for the U-STYLE promotion led by his trainer Kiyoshi Tamura.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Nakamura had his debut fight in PRIDE Fighting Championship against veteran journeyman Shannon Ritch at PRIDE The Best Vol.2. He showed his skill by submitting Ritch with an inverted armbar. He spent his next years fighting in GCM and DEEP, where he challenged for the Welterweight Championship, losing an effortful match by TKO at the third round. He would later enjoy an 8-match winning streak.

Dynamite!!

At December 31, 2008, Nakamura was slated to fight at the Dynamite!! event against Hideo Tokoro. This was a notable matchup because both Tokoro and Nakamura both sported similar fighting styles, were trained by former RINGS wrestlers and were seen by Japanese pundits as the heirs of the shoot-style circuit. The match was an exciting and fast-paced grappling contest, with Nakamura trying a flying kimura into an armbar immediately after Tokoro tried to take him down, and then Tokoro captured his back and performed a takedown similar to a German suplex. Daisuke kept trying for an armbar, and they rolled through the mat several times until Tokoro could attempt his own armbar. The bout stalled for several minutes, but it broke out again when Hideo rolled for a leglock. Nakamura, however, capitalized to transition the move into an armbar, making Tokoro finally tap out.

DEEP

He captured the DEEP Lightweight Championship against Yasuaki Kishimoto and defended it before Pancrase veteran Takafumi Ito, but he lost it to fellow Pancrase exponent Satoru Kitaoka.

Championships

Submission grappling record

KO PUNCHES