Former UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Released From Prison

One of the UFC's most notable champions has been released from prison after spending yearly one calendar year behind bars. 43-year-old Cain Velasquez, a two-time heavyweight champion in the promotion, was released on parole Sunday after an 11-month stint at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California.

Last February, Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading no contest to several charges.

Velasquez was arrested after a 2022 high-speed chase with another driver in which he fired a gun into their car. The former fighter was pursuing a man named Harry Goularte Jr., who had been accused of molesting Velasquez's son.

Goularte Jr. was not shot after Velasquez fired into the car, but his stepfather - the driver of the vehicle being pursued - was struck by a bullet.

Goularte Jr. faces a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor, and Velasquez has filed a civil lawsuit of his own against him.

Velasquez Initially Faced a Longer Sentence

“This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner,” said Santa Clara County district attorney Jeff Rosen when Velasquez was initially sentenced. The prosecution advocated for a longer sentence that could have kept Velasquez behind bars for decades.

“His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents who could have been injured or killed as he shot at his intended victim. We have excellent law enforcement in this county. Let them do their jobs.”

The judge presiding over Velasquez's sentencing was moved to tears during the hearing, and elected for a lighter sentence, saying that keeping father and son apart was punishment enough on its own.

BREAKING: UFC champ Cain Velasquez was sentenced to 5 years in prison, with 1,283 days credit for time served. The judge was choked up and had tears in his eyes. He said keeping a son from his father was the worst punishment, and he gave Cain the lightest possible sentence. pic.twitter.com/tnqPaHZtiQ

— Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) March 24, 2025

“Today’s results are bittersweet — we had hoped Mr. Velasquez would remain out of jail,” Velasquez's lawyer Renee Hessling said, reacting to the sentencing in 2025.

"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's Career and Next Steps After Release

Velasquez was greeted by his family and a mariachi band, posing for photos and smiling as he was reunited with loved ones.

Shortly before his release, he promoted a "one-day Holotropic Breathing Seminar" on social media, where fans would be able to participate in breathing exercises, as well as a Q&A session with the former world champion.

Velasquez became a household name in MMA after knocking out Brock Lesnar to win the UFC heavyweight title in 2010. He would win the title a second time in 2012 with a decision victory over Junior Dos Santos, and defended the title in two subsequent fights.

After retiring from mixed martial arts in 2019, Velasquez entered a brief stint as a professional wrestler. He appeared for Mexican promotion AAA before his time with the WWE, where he wrestled Lesnar at the company's 2019 "Crown Jewel" event in Saudi Arabia.