After a legal process spanning three years, former UFC champion Cain Velasquez has been officially penalized in connection with his arrest in 2022.
This Monday, the ex-UFC heavyweight titleholder received a five-year prison sentence, with credit for time already served. This sentencing follows his no-contest plea to multiple charges, including attempted murder, related to an event in February 2022. Velasquez engaged in a high-speed pursuit, covering 11 miles, after Harry Goularte. Goularte was accused of sexually assaulting Velasquez’s son at a daycare facility operated by Goularte`s mother. During the chase, Velasquez discharged several rounds from a .40-caliber firearm at Goularte`s vehicle, injuring Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, in the arm.
Judge Arthur Bocanegra delivered the sentence to Velasquez, granting him credit for 1,283 days served, encompassing both time in jail and under house arrest. Consequently, the 42-year-old is expected to spend less than two additional years in prison.
The announcement of the sentence sparked a wave of responses from professional fighters, both within and outside the UFC, as well as from MMA enthusiasts and readers.
Below are some of the reactions to the court`s decision.
