Rinya Nakamura vs Muin Gafurov at UFC 311 | Preview & Prediction
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We have yet another bantamweight fight on the prelims as Japan’s Rinya Nakamura faces off against Tajik fighter Muin Gafurov
Rinya Nakamura vs Muin Gafurov Facts
When is UFC 311? UK – the early preliminary card starts at 11:00pm on Saturday 18th January 2025, followed by the preliminary card at 1:00am (Sunday) and the main card at 3:00am (Sunday) / USA – 6:00pm/8:00pm/10:00pm ET (Saturday) and 3:00pm/5:00pm/7:00pm PT (Saturday)
Where is UFC 311? Intuit Dome, Inglewood, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 311? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 311
What TV channel is UFC 311 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC 311? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
For viewers in the United States, UFC 311 will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
What time are Rinya Nakamura and Muin Gafurov expected to walk out? Saturday 18th January, 2025, 11:50pm UK / 6:50pm US ET / 3:50pm US PT
UFC 311 Main Card Event
Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan (Lightweight)
Merab Dvalishvili vs Umar Nurmagomedov (Bantamweight)
Jiri Prochazka vs Jamahal Hill (Light Heavyweight)
Beneil Dariush vs Renato Moicano (Lightweight)
Kevin Holland vs Reinier de Ridder (Middleweight)
UFC 311 Prelims
Bogdan Guskov vs Billy Elekana (Light Heavyweight)
Payton Talbott vs Raoni Barcelos (Bantamweight)
Jailton Almeida vs Serghei Spivac (Heavyweight)
Zachary Reese vs Sedriques Dumas (Middleweight)
Grant Dawson vs Carlos Diego Ferreira (Lightweight)
Karol Rosa vs Ailin Perez (Women’s Bantamweight)
Rinya Nakamura vs Muin Gafurov (Bantamweight)
Ricky Turcios vs Bernardo Sopaj (Bantamweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs Clayton Carpenter (Flyweight)
Rinya Nakamura: Unbeaten Japanese bantamweight puts 100% record on the line
Rinya Nakamura (9-0) is on a nine-fight win streak as he has yet to taste defeat in his relatively short MMA career. After coming through the Road to UFC in 2022, he has adapted to life in the UFC seamlessly winning all three of his fights. He is well-rounded with multiple ways to win. He comes off a unanimous decision win over Carlos Vera last February and will be looking for a win here to catapult him up the division.
Muin Gafurov: Tajik fighter looking for back-to-back wins
Muin Gafurov (19-6) lost both of his opening two fights after joining the UFC but finally got a win under his belt last time out against Kyung Ho Kang. He went back to basics in that fight to get the win in what was only the second time he won a fight by decision with his other 17 wins coming via stoppage. It will be interesting to see how he approaches this one but he will be eager to achieve back-to-back wins in the Octagon for the first time.
Rinya Nakamura vs Muin Gafurov Prediction
This is a really interesting battle between two fighters with different styles and it will be fascinating to see how they mesh.
Nakamura looks like a fighter that has more levels to his game while we may have seen Gafurov plateau and find his level.
Gafurov looked to lose a little of his self-belief and he fought a more defensive fight when he is usually more aggressive and takes more risks.
He is coming up against a fighter with a really strong skillset and it is hard to find too many ways in which he is better than Nakamura. He has the power to cause anybody issues but Nakamura has to be favoured to get the win and likely be decision.
Prediction: Rinya Nakamura to win by decision
