Master Fabio Gurgel- Founder of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Team

Master Fabio Gurgel known as “The General '' is a 7th Degree BJJ Red and Black Belt holder and co-founder of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Team. He was regarded as the best fighter of his generation. His accomplishments as a coach and head instructor include the establishment of the Alliance Jiu Jitsu team and as a fighter, he has won 12 World Titles and earned a prestigious place in the IBJJF Hall of Fame.

Fabio Gurgel was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 18 January 1970. Fabio Gurgel’s family relocated from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro before the birth of Fabio. Fabio’s family was supportive and played an essential role in the development of his interest in sports. 

Fabio’s first involvement with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu happened at the age of 13. After a few weeks, his brother Fernando joined him in the training. Both brothers progressed and got their Black Belts together. Later, Fernando and Fabio co-founded the most prestigious and successful BJJ training team “Alliance Jiu Jitsu”. Leo Negao, a student of Fabio Gurgel, gave him the nickname of “ General.”

He started training under the legendary BJJ trainer Romero Cavalcanti. Fabio Gurgel received a juvenile Yellow belt in the first year of his training at the age of 13 and an Orange belt at the age of 14. Romero awarded him with Blue and Purple Belts at the age of 15 and 16 respectively.

At his instructor's academy, (Jacare Jiu Jitsu) Fabio started his career as an assistant coach in 1988. And in the same year, he earned the Brown Belt and won many competitions. 

After receiving the brown belt, Fabio opened his own BJJ academy in “The Club Federal do Rio de Janeiro.” He won major championships in the brown belt division and fought in “Copa Company” and “Lightning Bolt Cup”. At that time he was widely renowned as the best Brown belt BJJ fighter. These distinguished accomplishments helped him earn his Black Belt on October 23, 1989. Fabio received his black belt from the hands of Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti. Fabio was the first person to receive his Black belt from the iconic trainer Romero Cavalcanti.

Fabio Gurgel formed "Alliance Jiu Jitsu" (the best future jiu-jitsu team) in 1993 along with his Master Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti and Fernando Gurgel and Alexandre Paiva. In 1994 Fabio relocated to Sao Paulo for the propagation of the Alliance team and opened a second branch there. After the opening of Alliance in Brazilian City, Fabio Gurgel won the Mundial title in 1996. 

In 1997, the founders of Alliance Team decided to go international and began its worldwide expansion. Same year, Alliance opened its Academy in Finland. Next year, they opened another Academy in New York and the expansion never stopped ever since. As of 2022, Alliance has more than 300 Academies in 29 countries.

Alliance is the only Jiu Jitsu team that has the honour of winning World Champion Titles 12 times in the men’s category and 10 World Champion titles in the women’s category.  

At the start of 1990, Jiu-Jitsu vs Luta Livre challenges were in vogue. Fabio accepted the challenge against Denilson Maia. Fabio Gurgel took part in Jiu Jitsu vs Luta Livre challenge in 1991.

The General was at the peak of his fighting career and won the challenge bout in the first round by strikes from the mount against Denilson Maia.

Fabio won the very first Championship conducted under the new CBJJ in 1994 and maintained his winning streak in 1995 and 1996 including the win in the first Mundial World Championship in the same year.

UFC was an attractive, beneficial, and new platform for the fighters. Fabio decided to partake in the UFC fight and a bout scheduled between Fabio Gurgel and Jerry Bohlander. The opponent was far more experienced and Fabio lost the fight.

Fabio got two victories in 1997, secured second position in World Vale Tudo Challenge III and a Mundial Title.

192-pound Fabio fought against 242-pound Mark in the World Vale Tudo Challenge organized by Frederico Lapenda and Sergio Batarelli. After these consecutive wins he had to face Mark Kerr in the final under no holds barred rules the fight lasted for 30 mins and Mark was the winner of the battle.

A few years later, Fabio Gurgel won another Mundial fight in 2000 and 2001. Fernando Pontes, a student of Fabio, tapped him in the fight in the same year (2001). Fabio had never lost a fight by tapping out, the defeat by his own student disturbed him. 

On the other side, Fernando Pontes got a colossal amount of confidence after defeating his former teacher and winning the 2001 World Championship.  

Fabio Gurgel took part in the European Open in 2010 and won the most prestigious event of BJJ. After this victory, he got his name in the BJJ Record Book. 

In 2002, a new Federation body named CBJJO was formed and introduced some new rules that were against the existing Jiu-Jitsu federation (CBJJ). This association offered heavy prizes to their competitors that attracted the fighters of CBJJ. 

Fabio did not allow Alliance fighters to participate in CBJJO Competitions. But some of the Alliance members wanted to compete in CBJJ and went behind his back. Fabio’s efforts went in vain and prominent names including the majority of Alliance Black Belts decided to leave and made their own ‘Master Team’.

But Fabio didn’t stop; he knew how to fight when the wind was not in your favour. Fabio continued efforts to resurrect and establish the Alliance Team. Fabio as a President of Alliance finally got success in creating a team of excellent fighters like Gabi, Langhi Brothers, Lepri, Marcelo Gracia, Peinaldo, Faria, and Bruno Malfacine (BJJ Hall of Famer), and many other industry-leading prominent fighters. Among his students, there were more than 50 fighters who won the World Championships which, itself is a record of its kind. 

Despite Fabio’s intense engagement with Alliance and coaching responsibilities, he never compromised on his fighting career and always trained more than his comrades. He won European Championships in 2007, 2009, and 2010. Alliance team also earned third and fourth team Titles in 2008 and 2009. 

Fabio Gurgel fought bravely throughout his career. This fight is considered one of his best fights. He was 40 years old when he competed in the European Championship. Fabio won the fight and got the Title. Fabio regarded this win as one of the most memorable wins for him at the age of 40.

Fabio decided to open an Alliance Academy and started working on it along with his fellow Coach Romero “Jacaré” Cavalcanti and brother, Fernando Gurgel. Then he shifted to Sao Paulo in 1994 and opened Alliance Gym. At Sao Paulo, he worked as an instructor and leader of Alliance. After some time, he started his own Alliance Jiu Jitsu Academy in a Brazilian city and trained great fighters like Gabi, Peinaldo, Lepri, and many more.

Fabio Gurgel is considered the top instructor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Gurgel trained more than 50 World Champions.

In 2016 Fabio Gurgel and Alexandre Palva received the Award for the “Top Ranked Alliance Team” from IBJJF.

In 2020 the name of Fabio Burgel was included in the Walk of Fame of Rio de Janeiro Brazil.

In October 2020 Fabio Gurgel earned a 7th Degree Red and Black coral belt at the age of 51 and became the Master Fabio Gurgel. He announced the news of the coral belt on his official Instagram account.

As recognition of his extraordinary instructorship and radiant fighting career filled with world titles, IBJJF included the name of Fabio Gurgel in the IBJJF Hall of Fame in 2014.

Fabio competed in The World Vale Tudo Championship 3, a Vale Tudo Grand Prix that allowed headbutts, bare knuckles, and stomps against opponents. Fabio quickly finished Patrick Smith by securing a TKO in only 50 seconds.

Fabio Gurgel defeated Michael Pacholik in 1997. This is considered among the career best fights for Fabio. The fight lasted for five minutes and Fabio finished Michael by TKO.

Fabio has written two books:

• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Basic Techniques (2007)
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Advanced Techniques (2007)

These books are about the history and techniques of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They contain in-depth elaborative guides on useful skills like holds, locks, throws, strikes, and escapes; and demonstrate how to defeat any attacker with the least amount of effort and applying techniques.

Fabio got retirement from the competitive sport at the age of 51. He is still actively involved with Alliance Team as a Master Fabio Gurgel. He is living a busy life filled with interviews and participation in Webinars and online sessions. Fabio loves to talk and share his knowledge. 

Fabio Gurgel won many titles in his career including European Titles, World Titles, and Brazilian Titles. According to the alleged reports, he is worth more than $3 million.

Gabi Garcia is a Black Belt Alliance Hall of Famer, who trained under Fabio Gurgel. She's one of the prodigies of the Alliance Team. 

The best Roosterweight fighter in BJJ history, Bruno Malfacine has won World Championships ten times.

Undoubtedly, Marcelo Garcia is among the finest BJJ competitors. He is renowned for competing in the absolute division and defeating World Champions. He has won 5 BJJ World Championships and 4 ADCC Championships.

Master Fabio Gurgel, a 7th-Degree Coral Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, offered different courses in which he showed the best BJJ techniques and skills he learned in his career. Fabio has decades of expertise, study and experience in his courses.

In the Closed Guard Course, Fabio advised working against an opponent when they are standing, and applying pressure to your guard can help you maintain a closed guard that will be strong enough to withstand attacks without crumbling. 

In this course, Master Fabio demonstrated how to use sacrifice techniques, how to properly distribute your weight, and how to pin the shoulder in the best way possible.

Master Fabio Gurgel is living a very occupied and productive retired life. He often appears in the social media live streams of fellow coaches and shares his valuable lessons. He actively participates in the webinars and training sessions. Recently Alliance Jiu Jitsu conducted the “Alliance Jiu Jitsu Summit Brazil 2022, in which he gave many awards and spoke to the audience.

Fabio Gurgel vs Murilo Bustamante

Fabio Gurgel vs Ricardo Arona

Fabio Gurgel vs Rodrigo Medeiros

Fabio Gurgel vs Daniel Gracie

Fabio Gurgel Vs. Rodrigo Cafu

Fabio Gurgel Vs Francisci Bueno

Fabio Gurgel Vs. Saulo Ribeiro

Fabio Gurgel Vs. Ricardo Liborio

Fabio Gurgel Va. Amaury

Photo credit: @fabiogurgel