> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Early Look: The 2026 IBJJF Crown Has Six World Champions and One Defending King - URL: https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/ibjjf-crown-2026-early-look/ - Published: 2026-10-13T23:17:55.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-20T00:05:37.000Z - Description: The IBJJF has named 43 of 48 contenders for November 8 at the Pyramid in Long Beach. Andy Murasaki is the only defending champion among them, and his bracket includes two men who have beaten him at the Worlds. - Author: Chase Smith - Tags: Preview, IBJJF Crown 2026, Andy Murasaki, Mica Galvão, Larissa Dias, Janaina Lebre, Sabrina Gondim, Vinicius Liberati, Nicholas Maglicic, Seif-Eddine Houmine, Alexander Sak, Leonardo Souza, Erich Munis, Sarah Galvão, News & Features, Sam Nagai, João Mendes, Jun Yong Cho, Keven Carrasco, Will Wilson, Mateo Cardona, Ademir Barreto, Rerisson Gabriel, Jackson Nagai, Tarcisio Santos, José Steve, Rafael Gamba, Uanderson Ferreira, Nolan Stuart, Fellipe Andrew, Leo Ferreira, Windson Torres, Omar Nada, Davi Vetoraci, Francisco Papasidero, Helder Rodrigues, Pedro Machado, Matheus Vetoraci, Elisabeth Clay, Nikolett Kis, Aghata Rabelo, Keanna Klay, Gabi Pessanha, Maria Alencar, Yara Soares, Anabel Lopez, Ingridd Alves, Maria Vitória Ruffatto, Hazel Butcher-Salazar [The Crown](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/ibjjf-crown-2026/) has one of the cleanest pitches in jiu-jitsu. The IBJJF invites eight of the best black belts in a weight class, drops them into one bracket on one night, and hands the crown to whoever wins three straight matches. The fourth edition runs Sunday, November 8, at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California, live on FloGrappling. There are four men's divisions and two women's divisions, and each champion takes home $20,000. Forty-three of the 48 contenders are set. Six of them won black belt world titles at the 2026 Worlds, yet only one is a defending Crown champion: [Andy Murasaki](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/andy-murasaki/), who is chasing a third straight middleweight title. **Updated October 19:** the IBJJF has since named all 48 contenders. Erich Munis, Gabi Pessanha, Sarah Galvão and Nolan Stuart are all back to defend their titles alongside Andy Murasaki, Rerisson Gabriel took the last featherweight spot, and Cole Abate is the only 2025 champion not in the field. Eliza Nascimento is no longer on the IBJJF’s list at women’s lightweight, where Giovanah Oliveira has been announced. The full field is on our [IBJJF Crown 2026 page](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/ibjjf-crown-2026/). ![Andy Murasaki holds up the Crown trophy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-murasaki-lead-3x2.jpg) 43/48 contenders named so far 6 2026 black belt world champions in the field $20K to each of the six division champions 3 for 3 Crown titles each for Erich Munis and Gabi Pessanha Twelve finishes from last year’s Crown, to set the mood: ## Why the Crown Matters ![The IBJJF Crown mats under the lights](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-mats-pyramid.jpg) Most of the year, the best black belts have to fight through crowded brackets to find each other. At the Worlds, a contender can spend a full day working toward the one match everybody came to see. The Crown skips the line. Every opponent is someone the IBJJF picked as one of the best in the world at that weight, so the quarterfinals look a lot like the final four at a major. How the Crown works Quarter­finals Semi­finals Final Champion ♛︎ $20K Three wins to the crown Eight invited black belts per division, six divisions, one night in Long Beach. It's also a rematch machine. The Worlds settle the gi titles, and months later the Crown puts many of the same names back in a bracket together with real money on the line. The format has grown fast. The first Crown in 2023 had four athletes per division and paid $15,000 to each winner. Since 2024 every bracket has had eight, and this year's champions earn $20,000. ## How the Crown Got Here The first edition ran on November 19, 2023, and the IBJJF billed it as its biggest professional event yet. Three editions later, two names have owned it. [Erich Munis](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/erich-munis-dos-santos/) has won ultra heavyweight every year, and Gabi Pessanha has done the same at women's super heavyweight. Neither is among the 43 contenders announced so far. Every Crown champion | Division | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Featherweight | Sam NagaiIN THE 2026 FIELD | Diego Pato | Cole Abate | | Middleweight | Tainan Dalpra | [Andy Murasaki](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/andy-murasaki/)IN THE 2026 FIELD | Andy MurasakiIN THE 2026 FIELD | | Heavyweight | Fellipe AndrewIN THE 2026 FIELD | Adam Wardzinski | Nolan Stuart | | Ultra heavyweight | [Erich Munis](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/erich-munis-dos-santos/) | Erich Munis | Erich Munis | | Women's lightweight | Luiza Monteiro | Brianna Ste-Marie | [Sarah Galvão](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/sarah-galvao/) | | Women's super heavyweight | Gabi Pessanha | Gabi Pessanha | Gabi Pessanha | Won it more than once Murasaki took the long way to his reign. Tainan Dalpra submitted him with a triangle in the 2023 final, then withdrew injured before their rematch in the 2024 final, which handed Murasaki the title. In 2025 he beat Jackson Nagai 4-0 to keep it. Some contenders have been knocking on the door for years. João "Bisnaga" Mendes lost the last two featherweight finals, to Diego Pato in 2024 and Cole Abate in 2025. Bisnaga’s first Crown final, against Diego Pato in 2024: [Janaina Lebre](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/janaina-lebre/) has the same story at women's lightweight. She lost the 2024 and 2025 finals to Brianna Ste-Marie and [Sarah Galvão](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/sarah-galvao/), each time by a single advantage, and both she and Bisnaga are back in 2026. ## The Field So Far Middleweight is the only full bracket, and it's a monster. Every other division has seven of its eight contenders, with one name still to come in each. The field as of October 13 ♛︎ Past Crown champion|★ 2026 black belt world champion Featherweight70 kg · 154.6 lb Jun Yong Cho Keven Carrasco João Mendes Will Wilson Mateo Cardona Ademir Barreto Sam Nagai♛︎ Open seat, still to be named Middleweight82.3 kg · 181.6 lb Tarcisio Santos José Steve [Leonardo Souza](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/leonardo-souza-de-oliveira/) Rafael Gamba Jackson Nagai [Mica Galvão](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/mica-galvao/) Uanderson Ferreira [Andy Murasaki](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/andy-murasaki/)DEFENDING♛︎ Heavyweight94.3 kg · 208 lb [Vinicius Liberati](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/vinicius-liberati/)★ Fellipe Andrew♛︎ Windson Torres Leo Ferreira Omar Nada Davi Vetoraci [Nicholas Maglicic](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/nicholas-maglicic/)★ Open seat, still to be named Ultra heavyweightNo limit Francisco Papasidero [Seif-Eddine Houmine](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/seif-eddine-houmine/)★ Helder Rodrigues Thierry Felipe [Alexander Sak](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/alexander-sak/) Pedro Machado Matheus Vetoraci Open seat, still to be named Women's lightweight64 kg · 141.6 lb Nikolett Kis [Janaina Lebre](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/janaina-lebre/)★ Eliza Nascimento Elisabeth Clay Aghata Rabelo Keanna Klay [Sabrina Gondim](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/sabrina-rogeria-ataide-b-gondim/)★ Open seat, still to be named Women's super heavyweightNo limit [Larissa Dias](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/larissa-dias/)★ Yara Soares Hazel Butcher-Salazar Ingridd Alves Maria Alencar Maria Vitória Ruffatto Anabel Lopez Open seat, still to be named ## Five Open Seats Here's the twist. Five of last year's six champions are not among the 43 names announced so far: Cole Abate, Nolan Stuart, Erich Munis, Sarah Galvão and Gabi Pessanha. 1 seat left Featherweight 2025 champion: **Cole Abate**, not yet announced 1 seat left Heavyweight 2025 champion: **Nolan Stuart**, not yet announced 1 seat left Ultra heavyweight 2025 champion: **[Erich Munis](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/erich-munis-dos-santos/)**, not yet announced 1 seat left Women's lightweight 2025 champion: **[Sarah Galvão](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/sarah-galvao/)**, not yet announced 1 seat left Women's super heavyweight 2025 champion: **Gabi Pessanha**, not yet announced Each of their divisions has exactly one spot left. The IBJJF hasn't said who fills them, so for now Murasaki is the only reigning champion in the field. Two former champions are back, though. Sam Nagai won the first featherweight title in 2023, and Fellipe Andrew won the first heavyweight title the same night. ## Matchups We'd Circle Brackets haven't been drawn, so none of these are promised. If the draw cooperates, these are the ones we want to see. ### Murasaki and the Men Who Know Him Best ![Mica Galvão celebrates with the Brazilian flag](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/mica-galvao-flag.jpg) Murasaki hasn't lost at the Crown since the 2023 final, and his bracket is full of people with history against him. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Andy Murasaki](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-andy-murasaki.jpg) Defending champion [Andy Murasaki](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/andy-murasaki/) Middleweight Crown champion in 2024 and 2025 The defending champion and four men with history ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Mica Galvão](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-mica-galvao.jpg) [Mica Galvão](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/mica-galvao/) 2024 Worlds, lightweight final Galvão won the world title. Murasaki took silver. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Tarcisio Santos](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-tarcisio-santos.jpg) Tarcisio Santos 2026 Worlds Santos beat Murasaki on his way to lightweight bronze. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Jackson Nagai](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-jackson-nagai.jpg) Jackson Nagai 2025 Crown, middleweight final Murasaki won 4-0 to keep his crown. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Leonardo Souza](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-leonardo-souza.jpg) [Leonardo Souza](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/leonardo-souza-de-oliveira/) 2025 Worlds They met there, and Murasaki went on to lightweight silver while Souza took bronze. The IBJJF says Galvão is back after two years away from its majors, and this is his first Crown. Santos is 19 and got his black belt about a year ago. Nagai is the 2024 world middleweight champion and took lightweight silver at the 2026 Worlds. Galvão and Murasaki in the 2024 world lightweight final: ### Larissa Dias and Maria Alencar, Round Three ![Larissa Dias with her World Championship medal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/larissa-dias-world-medal.jpg) Dias beat Alencar with a toehold in the bronze medal match at last year's Crown, and the two finished first and second at heavyweight at the 2026 Worlds. Dias has won three world heavyweight titles, the last two in a row. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Larissa Dias](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-larissa-dias.jpg) ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Maria Alencar](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-maria-alencar.jpg) VS Head to head 2025 CrownDias won the bronze medal match by toehold. 2026 WorldsDias gold, Alencar silver at heavyweight. The rest of the bracket won't make it easy. Yara Soares lost the 2025 world final to Dias, and Anabel Lopez took silver at +65 kg at ADCC Worlds this year. Dias and Soares with the 2025 world heavyweight title on the line: ### Janaina Lebre and Sabrina Gondim, Round Three ![Janaina Lebre holds a first place trophy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/janaina-lebre-trophy.jpg) Lebre beat Gondim in the 2024 Pan final, then choked her with an ezekiel in last year's Crown quarterfinal. Both have won world titles since: Lebre her second straight at lightweight and Gondim her first, at featherweight. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Janaina Lebre](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-janaina-lebre.jpg) ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Sabrina Gondim](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-sabrina-gondim.jpg) VS Head to head 2024 PansLebre won the lightweight final. 2025 CrownLebre won the quarterfinal by ezekiel choke. 2026 WorldsBoth won gold: Lebre at lightweight, Gondim at featherweight. Elisabeth Clay is in this bracket too, and she's the reigning No-Gi world champion at middleweight and in the open class. Lebre and Gondim in the 2024 Pan final: ### Two World Champions at Heavyweight ![Vinicius Liberati with his European Championship medal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/vinicius-liberati-european-medal.jpg) [Vinicius Liberati](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/vinicius-liberati/) won super heavyweight at the 2026 Worlds and enters at heavyweight here, where [Nicholas Maglicic](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/nicholas-maglicic/) is the reigning world champion. Liberati knows this weight, too: he took heavyweight silver at the 2024 Worlds. ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Vinicius Liberati](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-vinicius-liberati.jpg) ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Nicholas Maglicic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-nicholas-maglicic.jpg) VS Two 2026 world champions Liberati2026 world champion at super heavyweight. Maglicic2026 world champion at heavyweight. Add Fellipe Andrew, the first Crown heavyweight champion, and Leo Ferreira, a heavyweight silver medalist at the last two Worlds, and this could be the deepest bracket outside middleweight. Liberati in the 2024 world heavyweight final: ### Houmine Against an Open Field ![Seif-Eddine Houmine in competition](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/seif-eddine-houmine-gi.jpg) [Seif-Eddine Houmine](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/seif-eddine-houmine/) won ultra heavyweight at the 2026 Worlds, his second world title, and the 38-year-old Frenchman makes his Crown debut in Long Beach. With Munis not among the names so far, Houmine headlines a bracket with Pedro Machado, who moves up two weight classes, and [Alexander Sak](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/tag/alexander-sak/), who won ultra heavyweight and the open class at the 2026 Asian Championship. Last year's bronze medalist, Francisco Papasidero, is back too. Houmine’s 2026 world ultra heavyweight final against Gutemberg Pereira: ## Rookies at the Big Table The Crown has mostly been a room for established black belts. This year's field also has six recent promotions, all of them medalists at brown belt at the 2026 Worlds. Fresh black belts, all medalists at the 2026 Worlds ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Rafael Gamba](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-rafael-gamba.jpg) Middleweight Brown belt world champion at middleweight ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Omar Nada](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-omar-nada.jpg) Heavyweight Brown belt world champion at super heavyweight and in the open class ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Thierry Felipe](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-thierry-felipe.jpg) Ultra heavyweight Brown belt world silver at ultra heavyweight ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Nikolett Kis](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-nikolett-kis.jpg) Women's lightweight Brown belt world champion at lightweight ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Eliza Nascimento](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-eliza-nascimento.jpg) Women's lightweight Brown belt world bronze at middleweight and in the open class ![IBJJF Crown 2026 artwork for Hazel Butcher-Salazar](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/3d/253d3449-b760-4784-93a7-b4078a758450/content/images/2026/10/crown-2026-hazel-butcher-salazar.jpg) Women's super heavyweight Brown belt world champion at heavyweight and in the open class Gamba, Nada and Felipe will make their black belt debuts at the Crown. ## How to Watch The Crown streams live on [FloGrappling](https://www.flograppling.com/events/16110799-2026-ibjjf-the-crown?ref=fabricjiujitsu.com). The start time hasn't been announced, and [tickets](https://longbeachstate.evenue.net/event/SE2627/IBJJF1108?ref=fabricjiujitsu.com) are on sale through Long Beach State. Our [IBJJF Crown 2026 page](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/ibjjf-crown-2026/) has the details and will carry the brackets once they're published. ## What Comes Next Five contenders are still to be named, and the brackets follow. We'll have the full field on our event page as soon as the IBJJF finishes its announcements, and every upcoming event is on the [calendar](https://www.fabricjiujitsu.com/calendar/). *All results, records and videos in this story come from official channels.*