‘Is This Really Happening?’ – MMA Rising Star Gilbert Nakatani Opens Up About His Emotional Journey To ONE
ONE Championship newcomer Gilbert Nakatani can’t wait to make his debut on the global stage and put his stamp on the talent-laden flyweight MMA division.
On December 6 in U.S. primetime, the 31-year-old will square off with #2-ranked flyweight MMA contender Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video, which airs live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
After establishing himself as one of America’s top rising stars and most talented all-around fighters, Nakatani is now determined to inspire others in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
This is his roller-coaster journey to the pinnacle of mixed martial arts.
‘It’s A Hard Subject To Talk About’
Born and raised in Southern California, Nakatani admits that he didn’t enjoy a typical childhood with two ever-present and supportive parents.
He told onefc.com:
“I had a different upbringing. My childhood wasn’t a normal upbringing. I was an only child, and I lost my mother when I was 2 going on 3 years old. So, I didn’t grow up with my parents. It made it really tough being by myself.”
With his mother’s passing and his father out of the picture, Nakatani was raised by his grandmother.
He said that growing up without someone always watching over his shoulder forced him to rely on himself – to find internal motivation rather than the external validation he might have received from his mother:
“I feel like my childhood was kind of a blur. It wasn’t the easiest upbringing. I feel like I really learned how to believe in myself, you know?
“I pushed myself in high school, playing sports, wrestling. Not having my parents there to cheer me on or take me to practice or tell me to do this and do that, it really made me become individually strong. It’s a hard subject to talk about for me, but it’s part of my upbringing.”
Life Lessons In Wrestling
Nakatani was always athletic and energetic, but it wasn’t until he discovered wrestling in the ninth grade that he found a proper funnel for his youthful exuberance:
“I liked to play football, baseball, soccer. I tried it all. I was just bouncing around, just trying to see what really enticed me.
“When I got to high school, I didn’t know anything about wrestling. I thought wrestling was like WWE. We used to watch it on TV. Once I met my coaches, and I got to see what real wrestling, high school and collegiate wrestling, what it really was about, I gravitated to it so much.”
The Californian says that wrestling turned his life around and set him on the path to becoming the high-level professional athlete he is today.
As a member of one of the state’s top high school teams, Nakatani used his innate work ethic and natural athleticism to quickly rise through the ranks. In his senior year, he finished seventh in the ultra-tough California state high school wrestling tournament.
Above all, the lessons he learned on the wrestling mats continue to stick with him today:
“Individually, as a person, I wanted to push myself to get to the level they were at and be the best I could be and win gold and win as many medals and be on top of the podium.
“It really made me learn a lot about myself, you know? Losing, winning, losing, winning, injuries. I just continued to push myself to the next level. I always wanted to get better and level up. It was a blessing. Wrestling changed my life for the better.”
Inspired By Those Around Him
Even though he grew up without a mother, Nakatani was blessed to be surrounded by plenty of aunts and uncles.
One uncle, Corey Nakatani, was one of the most accomplished horseracing jockeys of the 1990s and early 2000s. It was his uncle’s daily discipline and devotion to his craft that showed the young Nakatani what life as a successful professional athlete entailed:
“I still have my uncle, Corey. He’s a blessing. He’s a Hall of Fame jockey. He was one of the best in the world, and he rode horses for like 30 years.
“He was a big inspiration to me. He still goes to my fights to this day now, and we get to spend a little more time together, as he was so busy because he was a professional athlete, cutting weight, riding horses every day, traveling here, and doing this, doing that. I looked up to him a lot.”
Despite the support of his uncle and his driven nature, Nakatani felt somewhat directionless after high school.
That all changed when he met another key figure – respected MMA and Muay Thai coach Josh Aragon.
After connecting with Aragon, Nakatani threw himself wholeheartedly into the sport of MMA and hasn’t looked back, compiling an impressive 8-1 professional record against the best regional talent available on his way to ONE Championship.
He recalled:
“I was just running around with my friends and trying not to get in trouble but causing trouble. I had to do something to change my life, or I probably would have gotten in a lot of trouble.
“I actually gravitated when one of my friends was like, ‘You need to meet my coach, and I think you guys would hit it off.’ And that’s where I met my coach now, Josh Aragon. He believed in me, and we grew together.
“It grew to what it is today, not knowing I was really going to become a professional and one of the best in the world. I believed I could do it, but to really see it come to life, it’s unbelievable. It’s so exciting, and it’s just growing. I just feel like we’re just getting better, and I’m still learning. I’m still getting better. The sky’s the limit.”
‘Dreams Come True’
Given his successful run on the regional scene, Nakatani knew it was only a matter of time before he was called up to the global stage.
Still, he admits that receiving the call to join ONE Championship felt like a surreal moment:
“Dreams come true. I believed it, but I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’ This is almost everything I’ve ever wanted. Almost a dream come true. I wanted to travel the world and show anybody who needed the inspiration, the youth, or any of my friends or family, you can really achieve what you want in life through hard work and dedication. I was super excited.”
Adding to the moment, the call to Nakatani came on the anniversary of his mother’s passing.
Ahead of his big debut at ONE Fight Night 26, he’s ready to prove that no matter the circumstances, perseverance and determination can lead to greatness:
“I had gone to the cemetery to visit her, and it was an emotional day. Then I got hit with the call, and I was like, ‘No way.’ I was just crying out of happiness.
“When you’re down, you can never give up. Stay positive and continue to believe and have faith in God and help put you in the right direction. I feel like this was the right direction for me to grow internationally and really put some emphasis on my name.”
