Cain Velasquez hasn’t fought within the UFC since 2019, however that didn’t cease Dana White from stepping as much as assist him when he wanted it most.
Previous to receiving a five-year prison sentence following a no-contest plea pleading to a large number of fees together with premeditated tried homicide, Velasquez spent eight months in jail on account of a choose repeatedly denied him bail. Velasquez was initially arrested again in February 2022 after he went on an 11-mile excessive velocity chase pursuing a automobile containing Harry Goularte, a person accused of molesting the fighter’s son at a daycare owned by Goularte’s mom.
Through the automobile chase, Velasquez fired a number of rounds from a .40-caliber handgun on the car containing Goularte, however in the end a bullet struck his stepfather Paul Bender within the arm. Bender sustained non-life threatening accidents consequently.
It wasn’t till November 2022 that Velasquez was finally granted bail set at $1 million by Decide Arthur Bocanegra and White instantly stepped as much as assist the retired fighter.
“I don’t know if he gave out a press release or one thing beforehand once I was locked up and likewise he did pay my bail as effectively,” Velasquez revealed on a latest episode of the Basement Talk podcast previous to his sentencing. “In order that they’re serving to.”
White by no means publicly addressed paying Velasquez’s bail, though he repeatedly confirmed assist to the previous heavyweight champion with public statements and even wrote a letter on his behalf that was offered to the courtroom when Velasquez was making an attempt to get launched from jail.
“I’m pleased for him and his household to be lastly again collectively,” White told TMZ simply after Velasquez was launched. “Cain Velasquez is an effective man, he’s a superb individual, and I’m hoping the choose that checked out this case stated, ‘You understand what? This household has suffered sufficient.’
“As if the children haven’t suffered sufficient, they misplaced their father for nearly a yr. Hopefully the actual justice will get served on this case, and Cain Velasquez—who is an effective man, a superb father, a superb husband—will get to be house along with his household.”
Velasquez remained out of custody till his courtroom listening to in March when Bocanegra sentenced him to 5 years in jail. Prosecutors have been in search of 30 years to life behind bars.
As a result of months Velasquez spent in jail and on home arrest, he gathered sufficient time served to be eligible for parole as early as March 2026.
Whereas Velasquez is at present serving time in jail, he nonetheless has extra hearings associated to his crime with the following date set on June 3 for a restitution listening to, which determines how a lot cash the previous UFC heavyweight is because of pay the victims within the case.
