Jackson Nagai is a Brazilian grappler, raised in Japan, and a black belt in jiu-jitsu under Lucas Leite who represents the Checkmat team in the sport's international circuit. A late bloomer, Nagai broke out as one of the top prospects in the game as a brown belt, after he started competing in the United States with stellar performances at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) global league and the Royal Invitational. Jackson is the older brother of Samuel Nagai, another well-known athlete with international accolades.