Here in North America, we see Brazilian MMA champions like Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Shogun Rua and think the MMA talent pool is too deep to measure in Brazil. But in fact the sport still has not reached its full potential in the largest country south of the equator and MMA is not nearly as popular as soccer or straight jiu jitsu. Like Muay Thai in Thailand, MMA is seen by many as a sport for the poor, which may change a little when the UFC goes back to Rio in August. For now, there are still a lot of prospects in the Amazonian country like Cristiano Marcello, Bruno Carvalho, and the man who invented the anaconda choke, Milton Vieira.

Vieira first stepped into a dojo at the age of 14 to study Muay Thai, but a car accident and a serious hand injury forced him to rethink that career path at the tender age of 16. He was told to stay away from any type of physical action other than boring rehab exercises, which he completely ignored and made a remarkable recovery. Like BJJ legend Jean Jaques Machado, to this day Vieira credits jiu jitsu as giving him the determination to drive on.

Before long he'd earned his brown belt in jiu jitsu from Master Carlson Gracie and a black belt in Luta Livre from Olivieira Jeferson Pereira. In 2001 Vieira was ready for MMA and jumped in with both feet, but it wasn't easy at first.

"I was not as indestructible as I thought," Vieira says with a chuckle looking back on it. "I had accomplished a lot and thought I could conquer anything, especially after the accident. But I lost my first fight and had to readjust my training and overcome it."

In 2003, after a few international title fights Vieira had shown enough promise to be invited by Professor Zé Mario Sperry to become part of the renowned Brazilian Top Team. At the time that legendary camp consisted of top level fighters such as Ricardo Arona, UFC Middleweight Champion (and founder of BTT) Murilo Bustamante, The Nogueira Brothers, Vitor Belfort, Allan Goes, Mario Sperry, and WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho. Most of the team competed in the biggest fight organization in the world (at that time) PRIDE Fighting Championship.

Though Vieira thought he was going to BTT to learn from them, he ended up teaching those vaunted fighters a new move he had been working on. The Anaconda Choke was something he'd come up with and used to end a few fights. Vieira taught it to Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira who is credited with being the first to use it in 2004 when he finished Hiotaka Yokoi in Pride FC. Both Nogueira brothers learned this submission from "Miltinho."

Over the years, Vieira amassed a record of 11-7 (all seven of his losses are by decision) in such promotions as Meca, Pride Bushido, and DEEP and is now ready to headline his own event this weekend. Milton and his caveman looks will be taking on "The Beast from Belem" Bruno Lobato in the main event of Bitteti Combat 8 on June 18th in Rio de Janeiro.