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Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempted murder, bringing a three-year legal battle to a close. The ruling was handed down on Monday, March 24, 2025, following Velasquez’s plea of “No Contest” to charges stemming from the 2022 shooting of accused child molester Harry Goularte. While Goularte was not injured in the incident, his passenger sustained a gunshot wound.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned Velasquez’s actions, stating, “This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner. His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents who could have been injured or killed as he shot at his intended victim. We have excellent law enforcement in this county. Let them do their jobs.”
Velasquez, now 42, last competed in MMA in 2019, suffering a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou. Since then, he has made sporadic appearances in professional wrestling and was recently announced as a coach for the Global Fight League (GFL). While his fighting career appears to be behind him, his sentencing marks a dramatic turn in the former champion’s legacy.
Meanwhile, Goularte faces his trial in June, ensuring that the case remains a topic of legal and public scrutiny. Velasquez’s conviction and sentence serve as a cautionary tale about taking justice into one’s own hands, underscoring the legal ramifications of vigilantism.
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