Cain Velasquez, the former UFC heavyweight champion, will be sentenced in March after pleading no-contest to charges including attempted murder related to a 2022 incident where he allegedly fired at a car containing a man accused of molesting his son.
Cain Velasquez’s fate remains undecided until March. His sentencing hearing, initially slated for January, got bumped to March.
The 42-year-old ex-UFC heavyweight champion plead no-contest to several charges. These include attempted murder after a 2022 incident where he allegedly fired at a car during a high-speed chase. The car carried Harry Goularte, accused of molesting Velasquez’s son at his mom’s daycare. Wild, right?
A motions hearing is still on for Friday, Jan. 24. However, the sentencing and probation hearing shifts to March 24.
Velasquez initially faced trial but chose to plead no-contest instead. He could face anything from probation to life in prison—though life is unlikely due to his plea deal.
The Santa Clara County DA clarified that “he faces prison time,” despite his no-contest plea. This means he’s accepting punishment without admitting guilt. A tricky situation!
Velasquez’s arrest followed him firing multiple rounds from a .40-caliber handgun at Goularte’s vehicle. Unfortunately, a bullet hit Goularte’s stepdad, Paul Bender, injuring him non-fatally.
After the chase ended, Velasquez was peacefully arrested by Morgan Hill Police. He faced numerous charges, including premeditated attempted murder.
He spent eight months in jail, denied bail repeatedly before securing release on a $1 million bond. Once out, he resumed coaching at American Kickboxing Academy and even dabbled in pro wrestling. Quite the comeback!
Recently, Velasquez took on a managerial role for Dubai’s team in the Global Fight League alongside Javier Mendes, his longtime head coach. An unexpected twist in his career path!