Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez says he is settling back into everyday life after being released from prison in February following a 10-month period of incarceration.
Velasquez shared his first public remarks since his release in a video posted to Instagram, after previously pleading no contest to several charges including premeditated attempted murder linked to a 2022 incident. Although he was given a five-year sentence, the time he had already spent in custody — including eight months in jail and additional time under house arrest after being granted bail — counted toward the total.
“Now that it’s been a couple weeks since my release I’ve had some time to kind of get back into things, get back into a normal way of life,” Velasquez said, according to his Instagram post and MMA Fighting.
“Get used to just doing the normal things. Being home with the family. Being there for my kids and I just wanted to thank everybody for their love and support,” he said. “Your words of inspiration, of encouragement, constantly just lifted me up. Myself and my family.”
Velasquez had originally been expected to be released on parole in March, but the date was moved forward to February after he earned additional credit for taking part in rehabilitative programmes while incarcerated.
“I’ll keep doing the work to get back to everyone,” Velasquez added. “For myself now, just slowly get back out there. I didn’t want to overwhelm myself with the pace of life that I was getting used to, to now all of a sudden a new way of life, a new way of living, a new rhythm… Again, just thank you, thank everyone. It’s good to be out.”
The former champion was arrested in 2022 after pursuing a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez’s son at a daycare run by Goularte’s mother.
Authorities said the pursuit covered roughly 11 miles and ended after Velasquez fired multiple shots from a .40-calibre handgun at the vehicle, striking Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, in the arm and causing non-life-threatening injuries. Prior to serving his sentence, Velasquez had resumed coaching at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, and also appeared at speaking engagements and professional wrestling events.
