Francisco “Toco” Albuquerque

Francisco “Toco” Albuquerque, a Carlson Gracie Sr black belt, is the co-founder of the prestigious “Nova Geracao” team. From his gym in Rio de Janeiro he has produced some of the best grappling talent in the world, fighters like Alexandre “Pulga” Pimentel and Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu while also using BJJ in the benefit of the Brazilian community with very lively social projects.

Francisco Albuquerque Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Francisco Albuquerque Neto

Nickname: The Name “Toco” means tree stump, the name came about after a family member took a picture of Francisco when he was a child. The picture was taken at his family’s holiday home in Teresopolis, and Francisco showed next to a tree stump. The family members liked the picture so much they started calling him “Toco”, the name stuck to him until today.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Francisco Albuquerque

Main Achievements:

• Brazilian National Champion (1994);
• “Estadual” Champion (1994);
• “Oscar do Jiu Jitsu” Champion (1993)

Favourite Position: n/a

Team/Association: Nova Geração

Francisco “Toco” Albuquerque’s Biography

Francisco Albuquerque was born on the 27th of March, 1969 in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil. He was born and raised in the burgh of Leblon. He started training jiu jitsu through his good friend Rodrigo Medeiros in the end of 1986. Rodrigo has started training 6 months prior to Francisco and he always challenged him to come and train, one day “Toco” accepted and he hasn’t stopped since. His first coach was a Carlson Gracie brown belt (at the time), Manoel Maria Cardoso Neto also known as “Maneco”, though all “Toco’s” belts were awarded by master Carlson.

“Toco” and his good friend Rodrigo Medeiros were invited to give classes at a local gym in their neighbourhood of Leblon. From this gym one of the greatest teams in Rio de Janeiro would raise, the Nova Geracao team, today also with affiliates in the United States with Mr Medeiros’s supervision. Francisco started also teaching as a brown belt, one day, in 1996, Master Carlson Gracie showed up at his academy and awarded him his black belt in front of his students in a very special ceremony.

Mr Francisco Albuquerque has always been a person very much in touch with his community, and a true citizen, always finding time to do social work through Nova Geracao. Since 2004 his team has worked on a social project with the support from the Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral, trying to input social values through practicing sports (BJJ), a work that has been praised by the media and the general public.