Ex-UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Sentenced to 5 Years for Attempted Murder of Alleged Child Molester

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez, 42, was sentenced to five years in prison in San Jose, Calif., on Monday for attempted murder and other charges stemming from an incident in 2022. 

Velasquez had targeted Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting the fighter's son while the child was at a daycare operated by Goularte's mother.  In a high-speed chase, Velasquez pursued and fired at a vehicle carrying both Goularte and his stepfather. 

Velasquez used his .40-caliber handgun, striking Goularte's stepfather, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Facing felony charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons violations, Velasquez pleaded no contest last August.

Cain Velasquez won two UFC heavyweight crowns. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Reflecting on his incident earlier this month on the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast (via The Economic Times), Velasquez sounded remorseful for his actions.

"From what I can say as far as myself, the way that I handled things, that was not the way to do it," he told Kingsbury. "We cannot put the law in our own hands."

Velasquez, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, is renowned for defeating prominent fighters in the division, including Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos, during his celebrated career.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Meanwhile, Goularte has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of committing lewd acts toward a minor, with his trial scheduled for June 2. 

Given the challenging circumstances surrounding Velasquez's crimes, many in the MMA community have expressed support for the former fighter and father, though they wish he had pursued his vengeance in a non-lethal way. 

Commenting on the incident that led to Velasquez's imprisonment, podcaster Joe Rogan remarked that he wished Cain could have handled the situation differently. 

"I mean, my only wish is that he did it with his hands," Rogan said. "My only wish is that he just ran the car off the road, pulled that guy out of the f*cking car, and beat him to death. F*ck you."

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