By:  | September 20, 2023 12:33 pm

Rin Nakai has declared that she is confident she could beat Valentina Shevchenko or Alexa Grasso. The Japanese veteran was clearly watching the fight and took the opportunity to extend another ‘come and get me’ plea to the UFC.

Nakai had an unsuccessful stint in the UFC’s bantamweight division. But she has not lost a fight since being released in 2016 and is riding a ten fight winning streak.

She took to Twitter in the aftermath of Shevchenko and Grasso’s draw at UFC Fight Night 227 to declare that.

I can beat these two. I’m the strongest in the world.

Middle man

It sounds like Nakai might be in need of a new agent. She put out a request for a middle man who can help her secure the second UFC opportunity she craves so badly,

If anyone can send me to UFC, please contact me.

This is not the first time that Nakai has called out Shevchenko. The former UFC flyweight champion was in attendance at Deep-Jewels 40 in February and politely suggested that the Japanese fighter might need to secure a apor in the top ten first.

Shevchenko is no longer the champion but Nakai has yet to receive an offer from the UFC and her record in the octagon stands at 0-2. At 36 years of age time is not on her side but she is entitled to wonder what else she needs to do?

Big character

Having won ten fights in a row she has effectively run out of opponents in Japan. Only two of Nakai’s recent wins have come at the expense of anything that could be described as close to UFC level opposition.

While there are question marks over the level of Nakai’s recent opposition it is also possible that the UFC don’t feel she fits the current image. These days fighters are required to turn up at the weigh ins and on fight night wearing apparel designated by the sponsors.

Nakai likes to wear lingerie to the weigh ins and her cosplaying antics might not appeal to the UFC matchmakers. If that is the case it is a shame as the biggest starts in the sport are the ones that have a strong personality.

Nakai is clearly a character. She has won ten fights in a row and her 26-2-1 record compares favourably with just about every female fighter currently on the roster.

The 36 year old desperately wants to fight for the UFC again. Unfortunately it doesn’t appear that the feeling is reciprocated by the promotion’s recruitment team.