Gilbert Nakatani has spent much of his ONE Championship tenure wanting to show the complete version of himself, and at ONE Fight Night 47 on Prime Video, he finally has the conditions to do exactly that.
On Friday, September 4, the 32-year-old Californian drops to strawweight for an MMA showdown with undefeated Indian prospect Nazareth “The Northstar” Lalthazuala, streaming live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.
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The move brings the Aragon Training Academy representative back to familiar territory. Before joining ONE in 2024, Nakatani competed eight times at 125 pounds, winning seven of those contests and stopping six of his opponents inside the first two rounds.
That history explains his eagerness to return to the division. After all four of his ONE appearances came at flyweight — including a first-round TKO of Eko Roni Saputra last November — Nakatani has the opportunity he has been waiting for.
He said:
“Being able to go back to my roots with my wrestling pedigree, wrestling every weekend, making weight, and being competition-ready at the right weight class is very important to me.
“I’ve lived that my whole life, so I’m really grateful and excited to showcase my skills at the right weight class.”
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Nakatani’s first four appearances in ONE came at 135 pounds under the promotion’s hydration-based weigh-in system. But following an April setback against Joshua “Flyin Hawaiian” Perreira, he continued expressing his preference to return to 125 pounds rather than accept another flyweight assignment.
When Lalthazuala’s name came his way, Nakatani accepted without hesitation.
He explained:
“Pretty much all my fights have been at 125 pounds. When I went to ONE, they wanted me to go 135, and I didn’t back down or say no to any of the opponents.
“Finally, I got a matchup at 125, and I definitely didn’t deny any name. This guy came up, so we accepted, and now we’re just over a week away from showing the world what I can do.”
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Nakatani does not predict the move will suddenly make him an oversized presence at strawweight. Instead, he expects competing at 125 pounds to bring greater speed and technical sharpness to an arsenal that has produced seven finishes across nine professional victories.
The American said:
“With my body frame, I feel like 125 pounds is a good fit. At 135, I guess they’re a little bit taller and longer.
“I feel like 125 has always been my home. I’ve always fought at 125 here in California. Now that I get to showcase my skills at the right weight class in Thailand for ONE Championship, I feel ready.”
View this post on InstagramNakatani Plans To Push Lalthazuala To His Limit
Gilbert Nakatani will not receive an easy introduction to ONE’s strawweight ranks.
Nazareth Lalthazuala arrives on the main roster with an unbeaten record and considerable momentum. The 25-year-old Dojang MMA representative went 3-0 on ONE Friday Fights with a 100 percent finishing rate.
Most recently, he stopped Jhon “The Protagonist” Brutas this past June to earn a US$100,000 contract with the world’s largest martial arts organization. Nakatani recognizes the danger attached to that résumé, but he remains convinced his skill set will halt the Indian’s surge.
He said:
“He’s young, up-and-coming. He’s got skills. I just think my skill set is a lot stronger. I don’t focus too much on my opponents. I just work hard in the gym and live a happy, positive lifestyle. I leave it in God’s hands, and the result will show September 4.
“I’m coming in there for a victory, and however it comes, I’ll take it. I’m going to push my body and my mind to the limit and push him to the limit, and we’ll see who breaks first.”
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His preparation for Lalthazuala has remained centered at Aragon Training Academy under longtime coach Josh Aragon. Nakatani also made short trips to Las Vegas to encounter different looks and get rounds with elite competition, before returning home to balance training with fatherhood.
Although his recent results add stakes to ONE Fight Night 47, Nakatani does not view September 4 as a desperate situation. The former high school wrestler has approached competition with urgency throughout his career, and finally competing at the weight that suits him best has only strengthened his resolve.
Nakatani said:
“It’s always a must-win for me. There were a couple of close fights and a couple of decisions that didn’t go my way, and the mishap last fight.
“I’m just going to go in and treat it like another fight, showcase what I can do, push my opponent to the limit, and see what he’s made of. Because I know what I’m made of. I have all heart, and I believe in myself to the end.”
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