there are many martial arts practiced in rio de janeiro, one of the most popular being brazilian jiu-jitsu. brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) was created when the famous gracie family learned the fundamentals of kodokan judo, and adapted the style into a sport - the concept of the activity is to teach a smaller individual to defend themself with leverage and technique.

grappling and combat on the ground is common in bjj and many of the movements have found their way into other martial arts - most mma fighters learn bjj techniques to successful compete in the sport. rio de janeiro is filled with more bjj training facilities than any other city in the world - they can be found in every community of the city.

samba is a traditional style of brazilian dance and music that is beloved all over the country, and indeed the world - samba events happen close to every day of the week in various neighborhoods of the city. during carnival, the streets explode with the lively beats of samba bands playing passionate performances - samba is one of the most important cultural aspects of the city as a whole.