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Francisco Albuquerque

“Toco”

Source: novageracaobjj.com

Francisco "Toco" Albuquerque is a Nova Geração black belt whose teaching career began in Leblon and includes more than 100 black-belt students.

Biography

Francisco "Toco" Albuquerque (born 1969) is a black belt associated with Nova Geração whose career as a teacher began in Leblon. He began training in late 1986 after encouragement from Rodrigo Medeiros, first training under Manoel Maria "Maneco" Cardoso Neto before receiving his black belt from Carlson Gracie in 1996. Albuquerque and Medeiros taught in Leblon while they were purple belts, with Carlson Gracie publicly backing their instruction. Albuquerque said the school reached about 200 students within months. In 1992, the two started Nova Geração in Leblon as Carlson Gracie purple belts authorized to teach neighborhood children and teenagers. That early work with students remained central to Albuquerque's teaching. He described children's classes as work requiring patience, respect, responsibility, attention to school, and progress day by day. In technical instruction, he began with basic jiu-jitsu and adapted it to each student's build and aptitudes. Nova Geração won Brazilian team championships in 2004 and 2005. Albuquerque recalled Alexandre "Pulga" Pimentel turning the final match to secure gold in 2005. In 2015, Albuquerque said Nova Geração's scholarship program averaged about 50 students in jiu-jitsu, boxing, or Muay Thai. He described school attendance and responsible academic effort as conditions alongside training. The reach of his teaching also appears in the path of Roberto Serra, who said he joined Albuquerque at Nova Geração as a blue belt, received his black belt from him in 2007, and later opened a Carlson Gracie school in Cascais, Portugal. Nova Geração's current legacy page credits Albuquerque with more than 100 black-belt students.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, "Francisco 'Toco' Albuquerque" (accessed 2026-09-13).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes gives Francisco Albuquerque's birth date as March 27, 1969 in Rio de Janeiro.

      Where in the source: born on the 27th of March, 1969 in Rio de Janeiro

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says Albuquerque began training in late 1986 after encouragement from Rodrigo Medeiros, first trained under Manoel Maria 'Maneco' Cardoso Neto, and received all his belts from Carlson Gracie, including black belt in 1996.

      Where in the source: started training jiu jitsu through his good friend Rodrigo Medeiros in the end of 1986; first coach ... Manoel Maria Cardoso Neto ... 'Maneco'; all 'Toco's' belts were awarded by master Carlson; in 1996 ... awarded him his black belt

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes lists Albuquerque's team or association as Nova Geração.

      Where in the source: Team/Association: Nova Geração

      Accessed:

  • Nova Geração BJJ, "Legacy" (accessed 2026-09-13).(opens in a new tab)

    • Nova Geração BJJ's current legacy page identifies the instructor as Francisco "Toco" Albuquerque.

      Where in the source: Francisco "Toco" Albuquerque

      Accessed:

    • Nova Geração BJJ's current legacy page says Albuquerque received his black belt from Carlson Gracie in 1996 and has more than one hundred black-belt students under his name.

      Where in the source: Black belt under ... Carlson Gracie Sr. ... during 1996; over 100 black belt students under his name

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "O dia em que o Jiu-Jitsu salvou a vida do professor Francisco Toco, da Nova Geração" (June 29, 2015; accessed 2026-09-13).(opens in a new tab)

    • In a first-person Graciemag interview, Albuquerque says he and Rodrigo Medeiros began teaching in Leblon as purple belts, with Carlson Gracie publicly backing their instruction, and that the school reached about two hundred students within months.

      Where in the source: Comecei a ensinar junto com o Rodrigo Medeiros no Leblon; iniciamos como faixas-roxas; mestre Carlson ... era o mestre responsável pelo que a gente ensinava; em poucos meses estávamos com 200 alunos

      Accessed:

    • Albuquerque told Graciemag that his children's teaching stresses patience, respect, responsibility, attention to school and steady progress, while his technical coaching begins with basic jiu-jitsu and adapts it to each student's build and aptitudes.

      Where in the source: Ensinar a criançada exige primeiramente muita paciência; Respeito, responsabilidade ... atenção aos estudos; progresso ... melhoras um dia após o outro; trabalhar o Jiu-Jitsu básico ... dependendo do biótipo do aluno e de suas facilidades

      Accessed:

    • Albuquerque identified Nova Geração's 2004 and 2005 Brazilian team championships as a major teaching achievement and described Alexandre 'Pulga' Pimentel's decisive final match in 2005.

      Where in the source: bicampeonato (2004/05) da Nova Geração no Campeonato Brasileiro de Equipes; na última luta o Pulga virou e garantiu o ouro

      Accessed:

    • In the 2015 Graciemag interview, Albuquerque said Nova Geração's scholarship program averaged about fifty students in jiu-jitsu, boxing or muay thai and required school attendance and responsible academic effort.

      Where in the source: Minha única exigência é o garoto estar na escola ... estudos e as notas; média de 50 alunos bolsistas, treinando Jiu-Jitsu, boxe ou muay thai

      Accessed:

  • D'Jago BJJ, "Our History" (accessed 2026-09-13).(opens in a new tab)

    • D'Jago BJJ's history says Rodrigo Medeiros and Francisco Toco Albuquerque started Nova Geração together in Leblon in 1992 while both were Carlson Gracie purple belts authorized to teach neighborhood children and teenagers.

      Where in the source: started his own academy Nova Geração, together with Francisco Toco Albuquerque ... Leblon, Rio de Janiero 1992; Both of them Purple belts from Carlson Gracie, authorized to teach kids and teenagers

      Accessed:

  • FightNews, "Entrevista: Roberto Serra" (May 14, 2024; accessed 2026-09-13).(opens in a new tab)

    • In a 2024 FightNews interview, Roberto Serra says he joined Francisco 'Toco' Albuquerque at Nova Geração as a blue belt, received his black belt from him in 2007, and later established a Carlson Gracie school in Cascais, Portugal.

      Where in the source: na faixa azul fui treinar com o professor Francisco 'Toco' Albuquerque, na academia Nova Geração, no Leblon, onde fui graduado faixa preta em 2007; abriu a Escola Carlson Gracie Cascais

      Accessed:

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