Gilbert Nakatani Targets Joshua Perreira As Flyweight MMA Statement Tour Continues
Gilbert Nakatani spent his first two fights in ONE Championship losing close decisions while carrying a body that was not fully right. He knew what he was capable of. Nobody else could see it yet. Last November, he showed them.
A first-round knockout of Eko Roni Saputra at ONE Fight Night 37 changed the conversation, and Nakatani arrives at ONE Fight Night 42: Mann vs. Dzhabrailov on Prime Video this Friday, April 10, with the kind of momentum that only a statement performance can generate. His opponent is fellow American Joshua “Flyin Hawaiian” Perreira, and they meet in a flyweight MMA clash broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.
The Pasadena-based contender reflected on what changed when he finally walked in healthy.
“I had no flaws. I walked out unscathed. I feel like if I do what I’m supposed to do and can continue to be healthy, and I go into this next fight and treat it just the way I did the last one, then I can easily get another first-round finish. If not, a second,” Nakatani said.
That self-belief is not manufactured for fight week. Before signing with ONE Championship in late 2024, Nakatani had built an 8-1 record on the North American circuit with six stoppages inside two rounds. The level was always there. The Saputra knockout simply gave the wider world a reference point.
Even Nakatani admitted the ease of it caught him off guard.
“I almost surprised myself. I know what I’m capable of, but it was like one of these and one of these, and he went down. I was like, ‘Whoa!’ Everything just played out perfectly,” he said.
Perreira enters the bout carrying his own compelling story. The Hawaiian came in 5-0, but a serious knee injury sustained against Banma Duoji in his promotional debut halted everything and required surgery and months of rehabilitation. Friday night marks his return.
Nakatani respects what Perreira brings but sees the gap clearly.
“I just feel like my skill set and my level of competition have been a little bit harder. He’s tough. He’s strong. He’s athletic. He’s well-rounded. But with my pressure, my speed, and all of my attributes, I feel very confident in this fight,” he said.
The immediate target is Perreira. The longer view stretches further. Nakatani’s early losses to reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu and Jeremy Miado have never left him, and he wants both rematches on his terms.
“He’s finishing everybody, but he didn’t finish me. I was not healthy, so I’m looking forward to getting that rematch one day,” he said of Wakamatsu.
The path is clear, the hunger is real, and the Californian’s closing message leaves no ambiguity.
“I’m not scared of anybody in this world, so I’m ready to just go in there, give it my all, and continue to climb the ranks,” Nakatani said.
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