Cain Velasquez, the former UFC heavyweight champion whose fists once ruled the octagon, stood in a Santa Clara County courtroom on Monday, March 24, 2025, and heard his fate. After a three-year legal saga stemming from a high-speed, high-stakes shooting in 2022, Judge Arthur Bocanegra sentenced the 42-year-old to five years in prison. The ruling landed with a mix of emotions—relief from some corners that it wasn’t worse, and heartache from others who believed it should have been better.
Velasquez’s story was never a simple tale of ego-fueled violence. It was personal—rooted in the rage of a father who learned that his then four-year-old son had allegedly been molested repeatedly at a daycare facility. The target of that rage was Harry Goularte, the man accused of the abuse. The result was an 11-mile car chase through Northern California, gunfire exchanged on public streets, and one innocent man caught in the crossfire. Now, Velasquez is paying the price for what many saw as a desperate and dangerous act of vengeance.
On February 28, 2022, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office, Velasquez grabbed his registered .40-caliber handgun, jumped in his truck, and began pursuing Goularte. The daycare, run by Goularte’s mother, Patty Bender, was the alleged site of the abuse. Velasquez wasn’t willing to wait for a court ruling—he acted. He tailed a truck carrying Goularte, Patty, and her husband Paul Bender through Morgan Hill and into San Jose. At one point, Velasquez rammed the vehicle and opened fire, with bullets flying near a school just as students were being dismissed. Goularte escaped unharmed, but Paul Bender was hit in the arm. Velasquez was arrested after the chase ended and was charged with attempted murder, assault with a firearm, and multiple gun-related offenses.
For nearly nine months, Velasquez remained behind bars without bail, as prosecutors painted him as a vigilante who had put the public at serious risk. In November 2022, Judge Bocanegra finally granted him a $1 million bail, releasing him to house arrest in Gilroy. The MMA community rallied around him—“Free Cain” shirts flooded social media, and many saw him as a father driven past the edge, not a criminal.
In August 2024, Velasquez made the decision to avoid trial. He pleaded no contest to attempted murder and nine related firearm charges, dodging a potential premeditated conviction that could have resulted in a life sentence. Prosecutors had pushed hard for 25 years to life, framing his actions as clear-cut vigilante justice. His defense attorney, Renee Hessling, countered by asking for probation, arguing Velasquez was a father, not a menace.
On Monday, Judge Bocanegra delivered his sentence—five years in prison, acknowledging both the severity of the crime and the circumstances that led to it. He credited Velasquez with 1,283 days of time served, a combination of jail time and house arrest. In practical terms, that leaves Velasquez with roughly 14 months to serve, and potentially less if granted a halfway house placement. In a statement to CBS News Bay Area, Hessling described the result as “bittersweet,” saying that while they had hoped Velasquez would remain free, they respected the court’s recognition of his character and remorse.
The courtroom was filled with emotion. Reports indicated that Judge Bocanegra teared up as he spoke about the real punishment Velasquez had already endured—being separated from his children. Velasquez addressed the court calmly, later reflecting on the situation during an interview with the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast, saying he understood what he had done and acknowledged that “we can’t take the law into our own hands,” before adding that he would accept the court’s decision with his head held high.
While the MMA world largely rallied behind Velasquez, Paul and Patty Bender saw things differently. Paul, who was shot during the incident, told The Mercury News in January that they felt abandoned by a system that had elevated Velasquez’s fame over their trauma. He emphasized that they were terrified during the chase and that their lives were put at risk. Though the public and even some legal voices sympathized with Velasquez’s motive, the judge made it clear that the pain the Benders endured was not to be ignored. Prosecutors reiterated that allowing vigilante justice would set a dangerous precedent, with DA Jeff Rosen commenting in a statement, “If you want justice, apply for a badge.”
Velasquez is expected to be released by mid-2026, depending on his behavior and eligibility for early release. Meanwhile, he continues to pursue a civil case against Goularte and the daycare, accusing them of negligence and sexual battery. Goularte still faces a felony charge for lewd acts with a minor, and his trial remains pending.
As for Velasquez’s career, the days of UFC glory are long behind him. His last fight was in 2019, a quick knockout loss to Francis Ngannou. A brief foray into professional wrestling followed, with appearances in WWE and AAA, but since the incident, the focus has been all courtroom, not combat.
The sentencing reignited fervor online, with “FREE CAIN” trending across social media. Fans and fighters expressed a mix of relief and frustration—grateful that Velasquez didn’t get 25 years, but upset that he got any time at all. One user wrote that “five’s too much, one max,” arguing that Velasquez was justified. Others called for presidential intervention, tagging UFC president Dana White and former president Donald Trump. Fighter Renato Moicano chimed in with disbelief, writing, “It’s crazy Cain got 5 years!”
Cain Velasquez’s story is one of pain, passion, and consequences. His actions may have been fueled by righteous anger, but they crossed a line the law couldn’t ignore. The five-year sentence is a compromise—not the life sentence prosecutors demanded, and not the full freedom his supporters had hoped for. With time served, he’ll likely be out within a year, but the weight of the last three years—and the trauma that led him there—won’t fade quickly.
For a man who once reigned as one of the most feared fighters in the world, the greatest battle he’s now facing is one of restraint, reflection, and redemption.