Brazilian MMA fighters Vitor Belfort , Gilbert Burns , and Edson Barboza expressed dissatisfaction with the Acadêmicos de Niterói samba school's parade at the 2026 Rio de Janeiro Carnival. The school presented a theme honoring President Lula, and one of its sections featured participants dressed as cans with the slogan "Family in a Can," an allegory that some conservative audiences, including UFC stars, interpreted as an attack on family values.
See too
On his social media, Vitor Belfort reacted to the repercussion of the topic with an image showing a family inside a package with the label 'expiration date indefinite'. In the caption, the former UFC champion stated that, although they were called a 'canned family', his faith in Christ would guarantee that values preserved by God cannot be corrupted by the world.
View this photo on Instagram
Gilbert Burns shared a similar image, labeled 'Traditional family with Christian and biblical principles', accompanied by a message stating that his family serves the Lord and teaches his children to respect others and love God above all else.
View this photo on Instagram
Edson Barboza also commented on the case by posting a montage of his family inside a can labeled 'Family in a can'. In the description, the lightweight (up to 70,3kg) encouraged followers to fight for their families and preserve what they consider most valuable.
View this photo on Instagram
Acadêmicos de Niterói was relegated in the Carnival.
Despite attracting attention with a parade considered controversial, the samba school that honored President Lula failed to please the judges and finished in last place with only 264,7 points. For comparison, the champion, Unidos do Viradouro, scored 270.
Johnny Walker opens up about his heavyweight debut at UFC 332.
You need to log in to comment.