Cynthia Calvillo returning to strawweight to welcome back Brianna Fortino at June 4 UFC event

A strawweight showdown is set for the UFC’s June slate.

Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed to MMA Fighting that a matchup between Cynthia Calvillo and Brianna Fortino — formerly known as Brianna Van Buren — at the UFC’s event on June 4. Cageside Press first reported the bout will take place on May 21, but sources close to the situation say it will actually take place at the UFC’s first June event of 2022.

Calvillo returns to the strawweight division for the first time since fighting Marina Rodriguez to a draw at UFC on ESPN 7 in December 2019 — where Calvillo missed weight by over four pounds. The 34-year-old made the move up to flyweight where she picked up a main event win over Jessica Eye at UFC on ESPN 10 in June 2020. She would go on to lose her next three bouts to Katlyn Chookagian, Jessica Andrade, and Andrea Lee.

Fortino will make the walk to the octagon once again after taking the last two years off. “The Bull” told MMA Fighting on We Got Next that she hoped to return in the first half of the year after getting married, and welcoming the couple’s son into the world in April 2021. After winning her octagon debut against Livinha Souza, Fortino faced Tecia Torres in her second promotional appearance, losing a unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 11 in June 2020.

The 115-pound matchup joins a card that also features an exciting featherweight tilt between Dan Ige and Movsar Evloev.