A Cuban became the center of attention on social media after celebrating exuberantly when his rooster won a fight, in a viral video posted on TikTok this past Friday by the user @buen.chamacoibrahincito.
In the 27-second clip, the man—whose condition was unclear, whether he was tipsy or simply overwhelmed with emotion—repeatedly shouts, "Asere, the excitement is great," and celebrates that "the animal is handsome," referring to his winning rooster.
The video description, written by the author himself, sums up the sentiment: "The emotion is great when your animal is fine and handsome. Long live this sport."
The headline refers to Cuban slang, where "tener nota" or "grande la nota" means to have a lot of style, grace, and charisma, something akin to having "tremendous swing."
Gamefowl breeding is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Cuban popular culture, with official records dating back to April 8, 1737, when a royal decree already regulated its practice on the Island.
After the Revolution of 1959, cockfighting was banned, and the venues were closed between late 1967 and early 1968 to eliminate gambling, although the breeding of roosters never completely disappeared.
In 1980, Cuban authorities decriminalized the activity, making it a contravention rather than a crime, and since then it has existed in a gray area between what is tolerated and what is pursued.
Today, that contradiction is more evident than ever: while the police dismantle illegal billboards, the regime operates the business legally through the state-owned company ALCONA S.A., which is part of the Flora and Fauna Business Group.
The Animal Welfare Decree-Law 31/2021 prohibits animal fighting, but it includes a specific exception for fights authorized by the competent authority, which in practice creates a state monopoly on the cockfighting business.
That double standard became evident in June 2026: on the 22nd of that month, the police in Pinar del Río dismantled an illegal cockfighting ring in Herradura, Consolación del Sur.
A week later, on June 29, seven people were charged in Santa Clara for participating in an illegal cockfighting ring at the Arcoiris campsite, facing sentences of up to four years in prison.
The animal rights organization BAC-Habana denounced in November 2025 that cockfighting in Cuba is not clandestine but rather supported by the regime through ALCONA S.A.; shortly after, the Cuban bank blocked their account.
Meanwhile, the popular passion for "gallos finos" remains intact, as evidenced by the euphoria of the man in the video, whose celebration encapsulates in just a few seconds what this sport means to thousands of Cubans: "The excitement is immense, Aero, that man is going to die."
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