Cain Velasquez Was Released on Parole in 2026
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was released on parole supervision on February 15, 2026, after serving a five-year sentence imposed in March 2025 for the 2022 shooting and attempted-murder case. The sentence included credit for time already served. Earlier reporting also covered a disputed restitution claim; that civil issue is separate from his release.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez remains entangled in a legal battle over restitution payments following his 2022 attempted murder case. Velasquez, who was sentenced to five years in prison in March 2025, is now facing demands from the victims in his case, including a $1 million claim for financial losses tied to their daycare business.
The dispute stems from Velasquez’s February 2022 high-speed chase, during which he fired multiple shots at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, his mother Patricia, and stepfather Paul Bender. Goularte, who was accused of molesting Velasquez’s then-4-year-old son, was unharmed, but Bender suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the arm.
During a recent Santa Clara County court hearing, Velasquez’s attorney Renee Hessling challenged the financial demands, arguing that some claims—particularly the $1 million daycare compensation request—were excessive. “The victims in this case are seeking an exorbitant amount of money,” Hessling stated. “The defense’s position is that it’s unreasonable, so we do intend on litigating this.”
The restitution hearing has been postponed to June 3, 2025, as the court awaits additional documentation to assess the claims.
Velasquez, now 42 years old, expressed remorse before his sentencing, acknowledging that he should not have taken the law into his own hands. His family has also filed a separate civil lawsuit against Goularte, his mother, and their daycare business, alleging negligence and abuse.
For more details, visit MMA Junkie and Sherdog.
