Ex-UFC champ Cain Velasquez sentenced to 5 years for shooting

Field Level Media|published: 03/25/2025, 10:22am EDT

April 12, 2022; San Jose, CA, USA; Cain Velasquez appears at the Superior Court Hall of Justice in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Matt Erickson-USA TODAY

Cain Velasquez, a former UFC heavyweight champion, was sentenced to five years in prison for a shooting that happened in February 2022.

Velasquez was sentenced in San Jose, Calif., on Monday. He had been on house arrest since November 2022 and will receive credit for time served.

In August, Velazquez pleaded no contest to charges of felony attempted murder and assault as well as weapons charges.

The charges were the result of an incident in which Velasquez, 42, chased and shot at the vehicle of a man charged with molesting the fighter's son. The man's relative, who was also in the vehicle, was shot and injured during the incident.

Renee M. Hessling, an attorney for Velasquez, said in a statement to ESPN:

"Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character. He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable.

"The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines. When he is released, he will continue to lead by example -- protecting, contributing, and caring for the people around him."

--Field Level Media