Cynthia Calvillo is a Mexican-born American mixed martial artist who fights under the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion in the strawweight division. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and Muay Thai fighter is known for her aggressiveness which has made her a force to be reckoned with in the sport.
the biography
Cynthia Calvillo was born to Mexican immigrant parents in San Jose, California, United States on July 13, 1987. As a child, Calvillo showed great interest in sports as she always played American football on the field or on concrete in the streets with his brothers and neighbours. She described herself as a tomboy because she never liked anything girly and was always ready to fight anyone who challenged her.
Calvillo had imagined going down another part of life, but found herself training to be an MMA fighter at the age of 23 after falling in love with the sport. It took her two years to learn the ropes of the sport when she made her amateur debut in February 2012 against Stefanie Harrison whom she knocked out in the first round. The pair reunited again a few months later and Calvillo again recorded the first-round victory by technical knockout.
Between 2012 and 2014, Cynthia Calvillo racked up an impressive 5-1 amateur record which spurred her to turn pro. Her transition into professional mixed martial arts fighting, however, was put on hold for a few years after she broke her forearm in the same spot three times. Calvillo blamed the repeated injuries on not having good insurance and the best doctors to advise and guide her as she always made an early comeback which always aggravated the injury.
By 2016, Calvillo had fully recovered to make a flying start to her professional fighting career as she recorded three wins in five months over Jessica Sanchez-Birch, Gillian Robertson and Montana De La Rosa. Her performances caught the eye of the UFC who offered her a chance to fight Amanda Cooper at UFC 209 within 10 days. Calvillo accepted the offer and continued to make her UFC arc which she celebrated by defeating Cooper in the first round via submission.
Her highly successful UFC debut later earned her a spot on the main card of UFC 210 against Pearl Gonzalez whom she defeated via a naked choke submission. Her next fight came against Joanne Calderwood at UFC Fight Night 113. The fight was marred by Calderwood’s weight issues but the fighters still fought on, with Calvillo emerging victorious. The champion fighter felt untouchable thanks to her undefeated record but she was quickly brought down to earth in her next fight against Carla Esparza. She lost it by a slim margin via unanimous decision.
Cynthia Calvillo’s family
There is not much information available regarding Cynthia Calvillo’s family, other than the fact that she was raised by her Mexican immigrant parents; Toribio and Maria Calvillo, alongside his brothers. There is also no information regarding his marriage. Calvillo revealed she was married at 19 but divorced at 23.
Height and width
Cynthia Calvillo is 5 feet 4 inches (163cm) tall. The straw division fighter, which has a reach of 65 inches (165 cm), additionally weighs 115 pounds (52 kg).
other facts
Cynthia Calvillo is said to have an estimated net worth of around $700,000. The San Jose, Calif.-born fighter, who was named 2017 Newcomer of the Year by MMAjunkie.com, was able to earn most of her money through salaries and sponsorship deals. The figure is expected to rise in the coming years as Calvillo continues to build on his impressive record.
In December 2017, Cynthia Calvillo received a nine-month suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, and another six-month suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, after testing positive for Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a metabolite of marijuana before his fight with Carla Esparza on December 30. Due to the suspension, Calvillo, who holds a medical marijuana card in California, where the drug is legal for medicinal and recreational use, lost his sponsorship of the Body Armor sports drink.