Sam Nagai returns to the Crown to try to become the first two-time featherweight champion
He won the first edition in 2023, and the Inevat athlete is the seventh name confirmed by the IBJJF in the division, which still has one open spot
Sam Nagai is back at the Crown. The IBJJF confirmed the Inevat Jiu-Jitsu athlete as the seventh name in the featherweight division of the 2026 edition. The event takes place on November 8 at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California. Nagai won this division at the first Crown, in 2023. Now he can become the first athlete to win the featherweight Crown twice.
Former world champion and current runner-up
Nagai is known as “Samurai”. He is a former black belt world champion and the current runner-up of the IBJJF World Championship. In its announcement, the federation highlights his forward pressure and his search for submissions.
One spot left at featherweight
With Nagai, the featherweight division has seven of its eight names. The other six are:
- João “Bisnaga” Mendes
- Will Wilson
- Ademir Barreto
- Keven Carrasco
- Mateo Cardona
- Jun Yong Cho
The family will have two athletes in Long Beach: Jackson Nagai, Sam’s brother, is confirmed in the middleweight division.
How the Crown works
The Crown is an invitation-only tournament run by the IBJJF, the sport’s main federation, and fought in the gi, the traditional uniform. This is its fourth edition. It has 48 invited athletes in six brackets of eight, and all the matches happen in one night. Each champion takes home US$ 20,000. The event is streamed on FloGrappling.
Will Sam Nagai take back the featherweight title, or will the division have a new champion? Leave your opinion in the comments.
