Yarbrough graduated from Wheeler High School in 2005 where he was a multiathlete participating in numerous sports such as baseball, basketball, football, and swimming where Yarbrough placed 3rd in the state of Georgia when he was 13. Yarbrough currently attends University of Georgia where he studies psychology. Yarbrough took a semester off to participate in the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. Cale was given the nickname "Aquaman" due to his swimming background.
After starting school at Kennesaw State, Cale began training at KnuckleUp Fitness with Mateo Cutbill. After seeing his knack for the sport, Mateo encouraged Cale to pursue MMA full-time. Cale started training with Rory Singer and Adam Singer at the Hardcore Gym, after moving to Athens in 2006. Cale's amateur record is 5–0, with every bout ending by TKO. He currently holds the ISKA Amateur United States Light Heavyweight Championship belt.
The Ultimate Fighter
In the first episode Yarbrough fought John Clarke, winning by way of TKO and earning a spot in the Ultimate Fighter house. Yarbrough was chosen by UFC light heavyweight championship #1 contender and former Ultimate Fighter winner, Forrest Griffin. Yarbrough would continue on to fight in episode seven against Patrick Schultz after a skin disease on a contestant demanded a replacement which Schultz took. Yarbrough defeated Schultz by majority decision. There was controversy over the decision including demands from Rampage Jackson that the fight should go to a third round. After verbal taunting of C.B. Dollaway from Yarbrough, he became the number one recruit's pick to fight in the quarterfinals. C.B. defeated Yarbrough by TKO in the first round.
UFC
Cale Yarbrough was originally set to make his mixed martial arts debut, against former castmate Dan Cramer. They were set to fight at the TUF 7 finale. Cramer was forced out of the fight due to a broken collar bone. Yarbrough was then scheduled to fight fellow Team Griffin member Tim Credeur in The Ultimate Fighter 7 finale, but the bout was canceled by the Nevada State Athletic Commission due to Credeur testing positive for Adderall, a banned prescription drug. The bout was rescheduled to be on the preliminary card of the UFC event, on July 19. Yarbrough lost in the first round to veteran Tim Credeur by way of KO.
Post UFC
He made his post UFC debut defeating Anthony Mckee after Mckee quit after the first round, even retiring inside the cage. Yarbrough was set to fight Jason Karpel at MTX Audio II on January 10, 2009. Cale's opponent did not receive medical clearance, so Yarbrough was left without a fight. Instead he fought, Devon Plaisance showing great stand up defeating Devon via TKO in the first round. His next fight was on March 27, 2009 where he fought Justin Hall at the King of the Cage event entitled Invincible. Yarbrough won the fight in the second round by knockout. Brett Chism, Kevin Brooks and Bernard Rutherford all fell short against Cale after he dominated them during the fights, improving his record to 6-1. Cale made his Strikeforce debut on April 17 for the preliminary portion of the card in a light heavyweight bout against Josh Schockman. Cale won the fight via technical knockout in the second round. Yarbrough lost to Strikeforce veteran Francisco France in St. Charles, Missouri for Fight Me MMA. Yarbrough bounced back from the loss with an impressive submission win over Clint Hester—a fight many fans in Georgia asked to see for many years. He fought UFC veteran, and MFC veteran Rodney Wallace on April 15, 2011 in North Carolina, where he lost by decision. Yarbrough has not fought since. He is now a police officer.
