Sergio Calderon

Sergio Calderon Gonzales was born on October 10, 1979, in Barcelona, Spain, and raised in the neighboring district of Cerdanyola del Vallès. From an early age, martial arts films sparked a deep fascination with combat sports — a passion that would eventually define his life. During his youth, however, football (soccer) served as his primary athletic outlet, and he competed at an amateur level for his hometown team for many years.

At 15, Calderon took his first steps onto the mats, enrolling in both kickboxing and Muay Thai. The striking disciplines resonated immediately, and he spent the next nine years sharpening his skills, making combat sports a cornerstone of his daily identity.

After his 26th birthday, a move to a neighboring town brought Calderon to an unexpected crossroads. The relocation made commuting to his longtime kickboxing academy impractical, yet training locally posed its own conflict — it would mean competing against teammates he regarded as family. His brother offered a solution: try a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class.

Calderon was not entirely unfamiliar with the sport, having attended tournaments as a spectator to watch his brother compete. The aesthetics of groundwork had not initially captivated him, but he agreed to give it a chance. That trial class exceeded every expectation, and in February 2006, Calderon committed to a BJJ membership.

His first instructor was Almir Itajay de Moraes, widely known as "Chen" Moraes, who operated under the Anaconda Jiu-Jitsu banner. Under Chen's guidance, Calderon earned his blue belt — a milestone that set the trajectory for everything that followed.

The blue belt period proved one of the most formative chapters in Calderon's BJJ journey. It was during this phase that he began coaching the sport himself, and it was also when he transitioned from Almir Itajay de Moraes' Anaconda Jiu-Jitsu to Yan Cabral's Association Aranha — one of Spain's most prominent BJJ affiliations. Under Cabral's mentorship, Calderon advanced through the purple, brown, and black belt ranks entirely within the Aranha structure.

Colored Belt Competition Highlights

Calderon's colored belt career produced a compelling competitive record. At blue belt, he earned 3rd place at the IBJJF European Open in 2008. As a purple belt, he went one step further, claiming 1st place at the 2010 IBJJF European Open. His brown belt campaign peaked with a gold medal at the IBJJF Masters World Championship in 2012 in the Master 1 division — a result that clearly signaled his readiness for the black belt stage.

Calderon competes in the Peso Pena division (70 kg / 154.5 lbs). His partnership with the Aranha association remained intact until 2017, when he stepped forward under his own independent banner: CFC Team.

Among Sergio Calderon's most enduring contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the establishment of the first BJJ gym in his hometown of Cerdanyola del Vallès. The academy, known as Cerdanyola Fight Club and operating under the CFC Team banner, has grown into one of Spain's leading academies, with a particularly strong presence throughout the Catalonia region.

Founded during Calderon's blue belt years, the gym reflects his early drive to develop the sport in an area with limited grappling infrastructure. For years, it operated as an affiliate of Yan Cabral's Association Aranha, drawing on the technical and organizational support of one of Spain's most respected BJJ networks. In 2017, Calderon transitioned to running the academy fully under the CFC Team identity, independent of the Aranha affiliation.

Calderon's role as a pioneering figure in Spanish BJJ is well established. He is widely recognized as one of the first Spanish grapplers to compete at a high level on the international BJJ circuit, helping elevate the sport's profile across Catalonia and beyond.

Sergio Calderon's black belt competition record reflects a sustained commitment to performing at the highest levels of international grappling. His medal haul spans multiple prestigious circuits, demonstrating consistent podium-level results across both gi and no-gi formats, in European and global competitions alike.

2014–2016: Establishing a Podium Presence

In 2015, Calderon delivered one of his most productive competitive campaigns, claiming gold at the IBJJF Nice Open while reaching the finals of both the IBJJF London Winter Open and the IBJJF Berlin Open, earning silver at each. That same year, he added a 2nd place finish at the UAEJJF German National Pro. At the IBJJF Masters Worlds, he secured 3rd place finishes in both 2014 and 2015 in the Master 1 division — a testament to his technical consistency at the sport's most prestigious masters-level event.

In 2016, Calderon extended his competitive reach into the no-gi format, finishing as runner-up at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — a result that underscored his versatility across both rule sets.

2017–2018: Pro Circuit Gold and Continued Excellence

In 2017, Calderon claimed gold at the UAEJJF Italia National Pro, adding an international pro circuit title to his growing résumé. His podium appearances continued into 2018 with a silver medal at the IBJJF Dublin Open. Across the IBJJF and UAEJJF circuits, Calderon's record stands as one of the most consistent produced by a Spanish competitor of his generation.