Alan Finfou

Alan Douglas Pereira do Nascimento, universally known in the grappling community by his nickname “Finfou,” is an elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt representing the Checkmat academy. Renowned for his resilient spirit and highly technical triangle chokes, he overcame immense socioeconomic hardships to become a European Open Champion and a highly sought-after international instructor.  

Early Life and the Cantagalo Social Project
Born on March 12, 1982, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nascimento was initially raised by his mother in Jardim Catarina, a notoriously dangerous favela in Niterói. To shield him from the surrounding violence, his mother sent him to live with his grandmother in the Favela do Cantagalo in Rio. Life remained a survival struggle, requiring a young Alan to balance work and academics simultaneously.  

At age 13, while playing arcade games at a local storefront, he was approached by BJJ legend Fernando Augusto “Tereré,” who invited him to try a class. Tereré ran a social project in the slum aimed at steering youth away from street crime through martial arts. Nascimento immediately recognized the sport as a gateway to a better life, obsessively training during the day while finishing his schooling at night.  

Rise to Black Belt
Nascimento trained under Tereré until 2003, climbing to the rank of purple belt. When Tereré moved away from Rio de Janeiro, Alan transitioned his training to another legendary figure, Ricardo Vieira, in Copacabana.  

Despite finding immense success on the competitive circuit, BJJ offered little financial stability at the time, occasionally forcing Nascimento to step away from the mats to work standard jobs. However, Ricardo Vieira consistently pulled him back, mentoring him and convincing him that his true future lay in Jiu-Jitsu. His dedication culminated in 2007 when “Ricardinho” Vieira awarded him his black belt.

Moving to Sweden and European Legacy
In 2005, while still a colored belt, Nascimento was approached with an opportunity to teach BJJ in Sweden. He accepted the challenge and permanently relocated to Scandinavia shortly after receiving his black belt.  

From his adopted home in Sweden, Finfou became a foundational architect for Nordic and European grappling. He established a reputation as a world-class coach, notably serving as the primary black belt mentor to historic Polish champion Adam Wardziński.  

Main Achievements
Nascimento has captured major titles across the globe at every belt rank, notably excelling in both the Adult and Master divisions:

1st Place: IBJJF World No-Gi Champion (2016 Master 1 — Weight & Absolute)

1st Place: IBJJF European Open Champion (2007, 2008, 2009)

1st Place: CBJJ Brazilian National Champion (2007, 2008, 2009)

1st Place: IBJJF World Champion (2006 brown, 2005 purple)  

1st Place: CBJJE World Cup Champion (2008)

2nd Place: IBJJF European Open (2012, 2016)  

3rd Place: IBJJF World Championship (2009, 2014)  

Practitioner Profile
Nickname Origin: “Finfou” is the name of a traditional children’s game played in the Cantagalo slum. Because Alan loved playing the game when he first started training, Fernando Tereré gave him the moniker.

Weight Division: Peso Médio (82.30 kg / 181.5 lbs) and Peso Meio-Pesado (88.30 kg / 194.5 lbs)

Favorite Technique: Triangle

Team Association: Checkmat / Vieira Bros Team Cantagalo