[citation needed] Nakakura is also a seido kaikan karate and Judo black belt.
He took up Judo for three years in high school and soon after started training in seido kaikan karate where he took 2nd in the West Japan B-league competition losing only to Tsuyoshi Nakasako, a current K-1 fighter.
He won by submission (rear naked choke) over Heima Hashimoto in a fight that lasted a bit over three minutes.
May 10, 2009 Shooto Tradition Final, Nakakura fought a non-title bout against former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight title holder Takanori Gomi.
Takanori Gomi had dropped and stopped the Shooto champion with strikes at 4:42 into the second round.