Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez sentenced to prison for 2022 shooting
By Simon Head
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was handed a custodial sentence for his part in a shooting that took place back in February 2022.
Velasquez appeared at a sentencing hearing at Santa Clara Hall of Justice in San Jose, California having previously issuing a plea of no contest to several charges, including attempted murder, assault and weapons charges.
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The charges stemmed from an incident where Velasquez chased and shot at a car containing Harry Goularte, who, along with his family, were responsible for the daycare of Velasquez's four-year-old son.
In the days leading up to the incident, Goularte had been arrested for allegedly repeatedly molesting Velasquez's son.
Goularte's stepfather, Paul Bender, was struck in the arm by gunfire during the shooting incident.
Cain Velasquez sentenced to 5 years in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder and other charges stemming from his arrest in 2022.
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) March 24, 2025
Prosecutors asked for 30 years to life, defense sought time served and probation. In the end, Velasquez gets 5 years in prison. #UFC
Prosecutors pushed for a sentence of 30 years to life for Velasquez, while the former UFC star's legal team were pushing for no jail time.
And at Velasquez's sentencing hearing on Monday, Judge Arthur Bocanegra handed down a five-year sentence for Velasquez, minus time served.
Per MMA journalist Josh Gross, Velasquez was initially in jail for nine months before eventually being placed under house arrest. In total, he had already served 1,283 days. As a result, the 42-year-old will have to spend 542 days in prison to complete his sentence.
Breaking from San Jose: Cain Velasquez received 5 years in prison and gets credit for time served (1,283 days). So he's looking at less than two years. Velasquez was remanded into custody following the sentencing.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) March 24, 2025
Prior to his sentencing, and with the permission of the court, Velasquez appeared on a podcast hosted by his former teammate and ex-UFC fighter Kyle Kingsbury, as he spoke of his regret over the incident.
"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.
"I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to, to pay that back. 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.
"What I did was not correct. I understand that. I paid and I’ll pay whatever else as far as what I have to do to pay all that back. I don’t think I can pay it back, but I can always learn from my mistakes and help others.
"It’s just information that you never know anybody. Trust your kids. Have that open communication with your kids. When you do go to the bathroom with them when (they’re) very young, you can work your way in there as far as talking to them about what’s appropriate and what is not, so they know to tell you and they can always tell you whenever something is not correct.
"So as far as that goes, it’s basically that the more we get consciously aware of ourselves, the more that light shines on dark things, especially things like that."
In a statement following the sentencing, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, "One man’s decision to take the law into his own hands left an innocent man wounded and endangered schoolchildren, teachers, and many others in our community.
"If you want to do justice in Santa Clara County, please apply for a badge."
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