Cain Velasquez sentenced to 5 years in prison for 2022 shooting

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for his 2022 shooting.

Velasquez’s sentencing came down from Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Arthur Bocanegra on Monday. The maximum time Velasquez could have served in jail was 40 years, or as little as walking away with zero prison time. According to KRON4, Deputy District Attorney Aaron French asked the Judge for a sentence of 30 years to life in prison, while Velasquez’s camp was hoping to walk away.

However, the Judge decided on five years in prison for Velasquez for the shooting. Velasquez pleaded no contest to attempted murder.

Cain Velasquez was arrested back in March of 2022 when he allegedly shot at a man who allegedly committed child sexual abuse to his son. However, he apparently missed that man, and his bullet hit the defendant’s stepfather.

Velasquez was facing 10 charges including attempted murder; shooting at an occupied motor vehicle or aircraft; three counts of assault with a firearm; three counts of assault with a deadly weapon; willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony. If he is found guilty of attempted murder he faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison, with additional time being added for the other charges, if found guilty.

Cain Velasquez admits he handled the incident wrong

Ahead of his trial, Cain Velasquez admitted he handled the incident wrong.

Velasquez says he shouldn’t have resorted to violence which is why he was okay with whatever sentencing decision came down.

“The way that I handled things is not the way to do it. We cannot put the law in our own hands. I already pled guilty. I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people. Not just to people involved, but to innocent people. Whatever the court feels is correct … I’m going to do it with my head up, and still be me,” Velasquez said on the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast.

Velasquez went 14-3 in his MMA career and last fought in February of 2019 when he was knocked out by Francis Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champ has notable wins over Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos, Bigfoot Silva, and Travis Browne among others.