Cain Velasquez is headed to prison.
This Monday, the former UFC heavyweight champion received a five-year prison sentence after entering a No Contest plea in his attempted murder case. Velasquez will get credit for the time he has already served, meaning his actual time left in prison will likely be less than two years as his prolonged legal ordeal concludes. We will discuss Velasquez`s sentence and also the implications from the recent UFC London event, where Sean Brady achieved a dominant victory over Leon Edwards.
“Hi Jed, my name is Mike Heck. My question is, from your perspective as someone with legal background, what was your reaction to Cain Velasquez`s sentencing?”
For those who may not know, I used to be a lawyer before transitioning to the world of MMA. Although I am no longer actively practicing law, I still hold my law degree. With this legal background, I can confidently state: initiating a car chase and firing shots recklessly at another vehicle is not a way to avoid jail time.
To clarify, in 2022, Velasquez engaged in an 11-mile high-speed pursuit of a car carrying Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting Velasquez`s son at a daycare owned by Goularte`s mother. During the chase, Velasquez fired multiple rounds from a .40-caliber handgun at the vehicle. However, he mistakenly shot his stepfather, Paul Bender, in the arm. Velasquez was arrested shortly afterward without resistance.
Since Velasquez`s initial arrest, he has received considerable public support, with many claiming he did nothing wrong. However, this viewpoint is incorrect. The events concerning Velasquez`s son are undeniably tragic, but Velasquez is not entitled to act as judge, jury, and executioner. Taking someone`s life, or attempting to, is illegal, especially when the person has not been convicted of any crime. Allowing such actions would signify a complete breakdown of societal order.
While some may disagree, even Velasquez`s staunchest supporters should acknowledge that his actions endangered many more people than just Goularte. This is evident from the fact that he shot an innocent bystander. It is genuinely fortunate that no one was more seriously injured during the 11-mile car chase and subsequent gunfire.
Initially, I anticipated Velasquez could face a 10-year sentence, possibly reduced to five with good behavior. Therefore, receiving a five-year sentence seems like a favorable outcome for Velasquez. Prosecutors were seeking a 30-year sentence. He received a fraction of that. If events had unfolded slightly differently that night, someone could have been killed, and instead of potential release next year, Velasquez might have faced life imprisonment. As it stands, Velasquez has approximately one year left in prison, which is certainly not ideal, but is a reasonable resolution considering the circumstances. It feels like a just compromise in this situation.
Sean Brady will take the belt from Belal Muhammad, right?
Actually, no.
Let`s begin here: Sean Brady`s performance this past Saturday was truly impressive. I had expected Edwards to come into the fight with renewed energy and pose a significant challenge to Brady. I was completely mistaken. Brady took control from the very beginning and maintained it throughout the fight. Furthermore, he didn`t just defeat Edwards; he broke him down.
By the third round, Edwards clearly no longer wanted to be in the fight. This is why Edwards even attempted a takedown, despite being outmatched on the ground, as he was mentally defeated. He was simply going through the motions until Brady found an opportunity to finish the fight. This might sound harsh, but that is what was evident on Saturday, and Brady deserves full credit for making it happen.
However, do I believe Brady can defeat Belal Muhammad? No, because I have seen them fight previously, and it was not a competitive match. This is not to say Brady hasn`t improved or has no chance, but their fight wasn`t that long ago, and Muhammad clearly dominated Brady. Moreover, Belal has performed strongly since then. He essentially established the strategy for defeating Edwards, which Brady then executed.
If Brady can consistently secure takedowns, he becomes a threat to anyone in the welterweight division. However, his striking is still a weakness, and there are formidable opponents at 170 pounds who are difficult to take down. I think Belal is a stylistically unfavorable opponent for Brady. So, unless there are significant changes, if they were to rematch, I would expect Muhammad to win again.
What are your thoughts on a potential fight between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Sean Brady, or perhaps Leon Edwards moving up to fight Israel Adesanya?
With no disrespect intended, both of these are poor suggestions.
Let`s primarily focus on the Brady vs. Shavkat matchup, as many have proposed this as a logical next step. My counterargument is: why?
Rakhmonov was scheduled for a title fight. It was officially booked, he was prepared, but the champion was injured and withdrew. Instead of waiting for Muhammad to recover, Rakhmonov did the UFC a favor by staying on the UFC 310 card, accepting a late-notice opponent change and winning. Why would anyone suggest he should fight again before receiving his earned title opportunity?
The same reasoning applies to Brady. Why should he fight again immediately? He just defeated the former champion and the top-ranked contender in the division. Sean Brady has accomplished enough. There is no need to further thin out the contender pool. Rakhmonov should face the winner of Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena later this year, and Brady should serve as the backup fighter. This is a straightforward plan.
(Having said that, if they were to fight, I would favor Shavkat because, again, Brady excels on the ground, but if he can`t get the fight there, he is much less dangerous).
Regarding Leon Edwards moving up to middleweight, it`s a possibility. He might not be physically imposing enough for sustained success in that weight class, but he could likely defeat some fighters if he chooses to. However, suggesting a matchup against Israel Adesanya is one of the worst ideas I`ve heard. That fight would likely involve very few strikes over 25 minutes, and the audience would be deafened by the booing. No thank you.
If Leon`s time at the top of the UFC is ending, how does his legacy compare to Michael Bisping`s? Who is the greater British UFC fighter between them?
I`m also curious about your thoughts on Leon vs. Jorge Masvidal – is now the ideal time to finally make this fight happen?
For me, the question of Edwards vs. Bisping is easily answered, although some may disagree: Leon Edwards is the greater fighter than Michael Bisping, but not as historically significant.
Bisping is a pioneer of British MMA. Even if he had never won a UFC title, “The Count” would still be considered a hugely important figure in the sport`s history. However, he did go on to win a title in a surprising turn of events. When thinking about British MMA, Michael Bisping will always be the first name that comes to mind.
Nevertheless, it`s quite clear that Edwards has achieved more than Bisping. A large portion of Bisping’s career was marked by losses against top-tier opponents. It took him a long time to get a title shot – despite the UFC’s clear desire to give him one – because he struggled in major fights. Leon, on the other hand, has consistently been considered a top fighter, though sometimes criticized for being less exciting. He won all the significant fights he participated in, even if some were not aesthetically pleasing.
More importantly, Leon defeated an all-time great to win the welterweight title and has since defended it twice. Bisping`s title win was legitimate, but his title defense was against a declining Dan Henderson (which he almost lost) before losing to Georges St-Pierre, a former welterweight who specifically chose him for his comeback fight. In my view, Leon is clearly the better and more accomplished fighter.
Regarding Jorge Masvidal, yes, now is the time to finally schedule Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal. Edwards appeared uninspired and ineffective against Brady, and while much of that is likely due to Brady`s performance, part of me wonders if Edwards` focus might be waning. Masvidal is an opponent who would definitely motivate him, and now that Leon is not in immediate title contention, this could be an entertaining matchup.
Does Carlos Ulberg`s performance against Jan Blachowicz suggest that he will never become a champion? I feel that at this stage of their careers, he needed a more decisive win. Then again, the light heavyweight division is weak, so who knows.
In the co-main event on Saturday, Carlos Ulberg secured a narrow decision victory over former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. It was… not impressive. But here’s the thing: it isn’t entirely Ulberg’s fault.
The reality is, Jan Blachowicz is a very difficult opponent to fight. Aside from Glover Teixeira – who took him down and submitted him – who has looked impressive against Jan in the last five years? Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira, two of the top light heavyweights, both had split decisions against him because it is almost impossible to dominate Blachowicz convincingly. He is so defensively sound and well-rounded that anyone fighting him is unlikely to look particularly good.
That being said, Ulberg did look particularly unimpressive. Despite my praise for Blachowicz, he is still 42 years old, was returning from a long layoff and shoulder injury, and I personally scored the fight in Jan`s favor. Ulberg was hesitant to fully commit to his offense against Blachowicz, and this lack of aggression does not bode well for his title aspirations. I`m not saying it`s impossible, but MMA history suggests that fighters who avoid taking risks rarely win championships. They might defend a title they already hold, but it`s unusual for them to win a title from someone else.
Also, yes, the light heavyweight division is currently in a weak state. You cannot rule out anyone from winning the belt in that division, as anything is possible.
