Andy Murasaki is back for The Crown 2026 with a clear goal: a third title. The owner of the middleweight crown for the past two editions, the athlete was confirmed by the IBJJF for another run at the tournament, taking place on November 8 at the iconic Pyramid in California.
In its fourth edition, The Crown brings together 48 elite athletes from around the world, split into six weight divisions with eight-competitor brackets. Each division champion will also fatten their bank account, since the prize for first place, the king of the grand prix, is $20,000. With Andy in the mix, the middleweight grand prix gains even more weight and shapes up as one of the toughest brackets of the night.
CHASING THE THREE-PEAT: ANDY DEFENDS HIS MIDDLEWEIGHT REIGN
An IBJJF No-Gi world champion, Andy has become the man to beat at middleweight at The Crown. After winning the crown in 2024, he did it again at the 2025 edition. That time, he beat Mateo Cardona and Pedro Maia, both by decision, on his way to the final.
In the final, his opponent was Jackson Nagai, an IBJJF world champion. Sharp with his sweeps, Andy took the lead and controlled the match until the end. The plan now is to write his name into the event’s history as the division’s first three-time champion.
BY SUBMISSION: ANDY MURASAKI ALSO SHINED AT UFC BJJ
Outside The Crown, Andy Murasaki has also left his mark on the UFC’s grappling league. At UFC BJJ 3, in October 2025 in Las Vegas, he faced Kris Olivo and put together a dominant performance from the second round on. With top pressure, he reached mount and attacked the neck and arm.
In the final round, the No-Gi world champion did not let up. Secure in mount once again, he submitted Olivo with a kimura with 22 seconds left in the fight.
Top pressure is one of Andy’s main weapons in the grand prix. In The Crown’s format, where you have to win three matches to take the crown, controlling the pace and finishing fights makes all the difference. That is how it went in the last two editions, and that is the recipe Andy Murasaki wants to use to win a third title.
A BIG RETURN: MICA GALVÃO IS BACK AT MAJOR IBJJF EVENTS
The road to a third title, however, runs through a stacked bracket. Mica Galvão, a champion at Worlds, the Europeans, the Pans and Brazilian Nationals, accepted the invitation and marks his return to major IBJJF events in the middleweight grand prix.
The brother of Samuel Nagai, the event’s first featherweight champion, Jackson Nagai is also in the running and will get a shot at revenge after last year’s final. Uanderson Ferreira rounds out the group of experienced names and arrives hungry for a win.
On the other side, a wave of young talent at its peak promises to add excitement on the road to the crown. José Steve, Leonardo Souza, Rafael Gamba and Tarcisio Santos were announced for the bracket and want to show they are ready to knock off the favorites.
MEET THE EIGHT MIDDLEWEIGHTS OF THE CROWN 2026:
- Andy Murasaki
- Mica Galvão
- Jackson Nagai
- Uanderson Ferreira
- José Steve
- Leonardo Souza
- Rafael Gamba
- Tarcisio Santos
This article was originally published in Portuguese: read the original version.
