UFC legend Cain Velasquez has been released from prison after spending nearly one year behind bars.
Velasquez, 43, was released on parole Sunday after serving 11 months at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California.
The two-time former heavyweight champion was arrested in 2022 after a high-speed chase in which he was pursuing a man named Harry Goularte Jr., who had been accused of molesting Velasquez’s son.
Velasquez fired shots into a car that contained Goularte Jr. and his stepfather, who was driving the vehicle. The bullets did not strike Goularte Jr., but his stepfather was injured in the incident.
Goularte Jr. faces a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor, in addition to a civil suit filed by Velasquez.
“This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said of Velasquez during the sentencing process.
“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.”
Prosecutors initially argued for a sentence that would have left Velasquez behind bars for decades. However, the judge presiding in the case, who was moved to tears during the trial, opted for a lighter sentence, believing that separating Velasquez from his son was punishment enough.
“Today’s results are bittersweet — we had hoped Mr. Velasquez would remain out of jail,” said Velasquez’s lawyer, Renee Hessling, after 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 was greeted by friends, family, and a Mariachi Band after his release.
Velasquez first won the UFC heavyweight crown after defeating Brock Lesnar in 2010. He regained the crown again in 2012 by defeating Brazilian Junior Dos Santos.
Since he retired from MMA in 2019, Velasquez has coached fighters and appeared as a professional wrestler.