UFC legend sentenced to five years in prison, miraculously escaped after multiple charges

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for a shooting incident that occurred in 2022.

The decision was made by Judge Arthur Bocanegra of the Santa Clara County Circuit Court, and Velasquez accepted the verdict without pleading guilty or not guilty. This legal option, known as a “no contest,” allows him to avoid admitting guilt but still be sentenced.

He faced a long sentence, but was given five years

Although he could have theoretically ended up behind bars for up to 40 years or been acquitted of the charges entirely, the judge decided the sentence was five years. Deputy District Attorney Aaron French argued for a much harsher sentence, seeking 30 years to life in prison, while Velasquez's defense fought for the most lenient possible sentence.

The former UFC champion was arrested in March 2022 after allegedly trying to kill a man he accused of sexually abusing his child. The attack took place at a daycare facility run by his mother, and the suspect already had a history of similar crimes.

Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for attempted murder after firing ag*n at a man who allegedly molested his son over 100 times at a daycare pic.twitter.com/DSj8qTDi1F

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) March 24, 2025

The bullet hit the wrong person.

However, Velasquez failed to hit the person he was aiming for – instead, the bullet ended up in the body of the suspect's stepfather. He fired from his car at another vehicle, which was carrying three people, including his target.

A total of ten charges have been filed against him, including attempted murder, shooting into a vehicle, three counts of assault with a firearm, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon with intent to commit a felony.

He avoided a more severe punishment.

If convicted of attempted murder, Velasquez would face a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to life in prison. In addition, he could have been convicted of other charges.

Before the trial began, the former fighter admitted he had made a mistake, saying he should not have taken the law into his own hands or resolved the situation with violence. He also stressed that he is ready to accept the verdict the court issues.

JUST IN: Former UFC fighter Cain Velásquez sentenced to 5 years in prison for hunting down & firing at a man who allegedly molested his 4-year-old son at daycare.

In 2022, Velásquez got into a high-speed, 11-mile chase with accused pedo Harry Goularte Jr. after finding out about… pic.twitter.com/BW8mWcCoq5

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 24, 2025

The public supports Velasquez

Many expected him to be released, especially since he enjoyed great support from the martial arts community and the general public. When he was allowed to defend himself at liberty, many followers believed that he would ultimately avoid a prison sentence.

However, the court ruled otherwise. He had already served part of his sentence in custody before being released on $1 million bail, but will now have to serve the rest behind bars.

Velasquez left a deep mark on the UFC during his career, and many combat sports fans still believe that at his peak he was one of the most dominant heavyweights of all time, especially in his fights with Junior dos Santos. /Telegraph/