Sam Nagai promises no stalling at The Crown 2026
In an exclusive interview with VF Comunica, the 2023 champion says he is back to prove he is still at the top of the featherweight division and wants opponents who push forward
Sam Nagai is heading to The Crown 2026 with a message for the featherweight bracket. In an exclusive interview with VF Comunica, the Inevat Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who won the division at the first edition of the event in 2023, said he is going back to Long Beach to prove he is still one of the best in the division.
“I want to show that I’m still at the top of the division, with real Jiu-Jitsu. No stalling, no steroids, just looking to go to war with the best in the division,” Sam said.
The Crown 2026 takes place on November 8 at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California. Each division has eight athletes, three matches to the title and a $20,000 prize for the champion.
No preference on opponents
Sam said he is not picking a rival. What he wants is to face people who come to attack.
“I want to fight athletes who push forward! It doesn’t matter who I face at The Crown, I just want it to be an epic match and for the fans to get fights worthy of a real show,” he said.
Two finals in 2026 and two rivals already beaten
His words come after a season in which Sam was back in the fight for the biggest titles. He reached the featherweight finals at the Pans and at Worlds and lost both to Cole Abate, 6 to 4 and 4 to 2. Abate is not in The Crown bracket.
On the way to those finals, Sam beat two men he will see again in Long Beach: Jun Yong Cho, in the Pans quarterfinals, and Mateo Cardona, in the Worlds quarterfinals. Both wins came on advantages.
The first featherweight champion
In 2023, Sam won the first featherweight title in Crown history, the same year he became world champion. At the event he got past Diego “Pato” Oliveira and Isaac Doederlein. If he wins again, he will be the division’s first two-time champion.
The featherweight bracket was completed on Thursday with Rerisson Gabriel. Along with Sam, Jun Yong Cho, Mateo Cardona and Rerisson, the field includes João “Bisnaga” Mendes, Ademir Barreto, Will Wilson and Keven Carrasco. Jackson Nagai, Sam’s brother, competes at middleweight.
Read more: Sam Nagai returns to The Crown, Rerisson Gabriel completes The Crown 2026 featherweight bracket and Andy Murasaki wins double gold in Houston ahead of The Crown.
Can Sam Nagai become the first two-time featherweight champion at The Crown? Tell us in the comments.
