UFC legend Cain Velasquez sentenced to five years in prison for attempted murder as his attorney releases statement
UFC legend Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder. However, his sentence is reduced on time already served and he could be behind bars for a year. Velasquez has been given a five-year sentence after a plea of no contestGetty Prosecutors are said to have wanted Velasquez locked up for 30 years over a 2022 shooting in an 11-mile car chase. The 42-year-old faced ten charges following a high-speed pursuit of Harry Goularte in a car. Goularte was accused of molesting Velasquez’s then four-year-old son on ‘multiple occasions’. Velasquez, who was a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, is said to have fired several shots into the other vehicle. Inside was Goularte, along with his mother and stepfather Paul Bender. Bender suffered a gunshot wound to his arm, but this was a non-life threatening injury. The sentencing was heard at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California. Velasquez pleaded no contest to all of the resulting charges, and prosecutors have demanded a long sentence. The retired MMA fighter’s defence asked the court about considering probation as well as his time already spent behind bars. Attorney Renee Hessling, who represented Velasquez, is disappointed with the sentencing but optimistic about his future. “Today’s results are bittersweet — we had hoped Mr. Velasquez would remain out of jail,” Hessling said in a written statement, as quoted by MMA Junkie. Velasquez is a former world champion in the UFCGetty “However, the facts remain clear: Cain Velasquez is a good man, a devoted father, and a respected member of the community. What he and his family have endured has been nothing short of a living nightmare—one they did not deserve. “Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character. He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable. “The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines. When he is released, he will continue to lead by example—protecting, contributing, and caring for the people around him.” Velasquez took full responsibility for his actions before he went into the sentencing. When speaking on the Kyle Kingsbury podcast per the Daily Mail, he said that he would respect the decision of the court. “I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know? Not just people involved, but to innocent people,” Velasquez said. “I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to pay that back.” Velasquez added: “Whatever the court feels correct for what I have to do, I’m going to do it with my head up and still be me and not play the blame game. “It was me that did that and reacted in that way.” Velasquez won 14 of his 17 proffesional fights during his MMA career, 12 of which came by knockout. He announced his retirement in October 2019, eight months after he was beaten by Francis Ngannou.
UFC legend Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder.
However, his sentence is reduced on time already served and he could be behind bars for a year.
Prosecutors are said to have wanted Velasquez locked up for 30 years over a 2022 shooting in an 11-mile car chase.
The 42-year-old faced ten charges following a high-speed pursuit of Harry Goularte in a car.
Goularte was accused of molesting Velasquez’s then four-year-old son on ‘multiple occasions’.
Velasquez, who was a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, is said to have fired several shots into the other vehicle.
Inside was Goularte, along with his mother and stepfather Paul Bender.
Bender suffered a gunshot wound to his arm, but this was a non-life threatening injury.
The sentencing was heard at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California.
Velasquez pleaded no contest to all of the resulting charges, and prosecutors have demanded a long sentence.
The retired MMA fighter’s defence asked the court about considering probation as well as his time already spent behind bars.
Attorney Renee Hessling, who represented Velasquez, is disappointed with the sentencing but optimistic about his future.
“Today’s results are bittersweet — we had hoped Mr. Velasquez would remain out of jail,” Hessling said in a written statement, as quoted by MMA Junkie.
“However, the facts remain clear: Cain Velasquez is a good man, a devoted father, and a respected member of the community. What he and his family have endured has been nothing short of a living nightmare—one they did not deserve.
“Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character. He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable.
“The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines. When he is released, he will continue to lead by example—protecting, contributing, and caring for the people around him.”
Velasquez took full responsibility for his actions before he went into the sentencing.
When speaking on the Kyle Kingsbury podcast per the Daily Mail, he said that he would respect the decision of the court.
“I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know? Not just people involved, but to innocent people,” Velasquez said.
“I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to pay that back.”
Velasquez added: “Whatever the court feels correct for what I have to do, I’m going to do it with my head up and still be me and not play the blame game.
“It was me that did that and reacted in that way.”
Velasquez won 14 of his 17 proffesional fights during his MMA career, 12 of which came by knockout.
He announced his retirement in October 2019, eight months after he was beaten by Francis Ngannou.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2025/02/20/4100232-83142304-310-310.png)
