Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez Paroled, Released From State Prison

Cain Velasquez, the 43-year-old former UFC heavyweight champion, was released on parole from the California State Prison in Soledad on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, after spending nearly 11 months in state custody, his longtime agent Mike Fonseca confirmed to ESPN and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed the release to ABC7 and The Athletic.

Velasquez was sentenced to five years in March 2025 after pleading no contest to charges related to a February 2022 shooting and high-speed chase in Morgan Hill, where he is reported to have chased and fired at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte. Prosecutors and multiple outlets say Velasquez was credited with 1,283 days served at sentencing; New York Times reporting also notes the sentence included four years of supervised probation.

The Feb. 2022 incident unfolded as an 11-mile pursuit in which one occupant of the targeted vehicle was struck by gunfire. Accounts differ on the identity of the injured man: ESPN and CBS Sports refer to him as Goularte’s father, while ABC7 and Yahoo name him as Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, and describe his wounds as non-life-threatening. Goularte was arrested Feb. 23, 2022, and charged with felony lewd acts with a minor; he was released on bond and ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor, and his next court appearance is a trial-setting conference on April 15, 2026.

Legal proceedings before and after sentencing included a November 2022 $1,000,000 bail order that placed Velasquez on house arrest prior to his state custody, and filings indicating Velasquez has also filed a civil case against Goularte. Reporting from multiple outlets describes the criminal counts against Velasquez as including attempted murder and other shooting-related charges, with some outlets placing his no-contest plea in 2024 and most outlets listing the March 2025 sentencing date.

ABC7 reported that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Velasquez “served his full sentence as defined by law,” and ABC7 paraphrased Velasquez at sentencing saying he “completely agreed with whatever the judge's sentencing sees fit. He called his actions reckless and dangerous. And said that he was truly sorry.” ABC7 also reported defense attorney Renee Hessling declined to provide a statement, saying, “Velazquez is not available for a statement at this time.”

Social media captured a family reunion after his release; CBS Sports and a tweet by Nolan King credited video of the moment to Mariachi Jalisciense. Velasquez, who fought out of American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, first won the undisputed heavyweight title by knocking out Brock Lesnar in October 2010, became a two-time champion, and last fought in February 2019 before announcing his retirement in October 2019.

Court calendars show a June 3, 2026 hearing tied to restitution that may involve Paul Bender and the Goularte family. Reporting on the case contains inconsistent details across outlets about the exact month of sentencing and the identity of the man injured in the chase; those discrepancies remain reflected in public filings and local law enforcement records.