Ricardo first stepped on a jiu-jitsu mat at the age of 5, joining the kids class of IBJJF Hall of Fame coach Romero Cavalcanti (Jacaré).
Vieira also played football (soccer) at a high level, making the junior squad of the famous Rio de Janeiro club Flamengo, though an injury kept him from progressing further in this activity.
[1] He also made another appearance in 2011 at the Brazilian National No-Gi Championship where he won the Master’s division as a lightweight.
One of the most successful teams in contemporary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, CheckMat's worldwide headquarters is in Signal Hill, California.
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