Cain Velasquez Released From Jail

Ex-UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez is no longer in jail after being released. 

On February 15, Velasquez was released on parole from the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California. Footage surfaced shortly after his release, capturing the 43-year-old being greeted by his wife, Michelle, and their children, with a mariachi band providing a celebratory backdrop. 

Velasquez’s release marks the end of an 11-month prison stay that followed years of legal uncertainty. In March 2025, Velasquez was jailed for five years. This was after pleading a no contest to attempted murder and felony assault. The primary factor in his early release was the 1,283 days of credit he received for time spent in county jail and under strict house arrest while awaiting trial.

Velasquez’s Release

“He received 1,283 days of pre-sentence credit for time served while awaiting sentencing and was eligible for credit-earning opportunities while incarcerated. He was released to parole supervision on Feb. 15, 2026, after serving his full sentence as defined by law,” the Department of Corrections

The case, which drew massive support from the MMA community, stemmed from a February 2022 shooting. Velasquez opened fire on a vehicle containing Harry Goularte, who is accused of molesting Velasquez’s young son at a daycare. While Velasquez has now completed his sentence, Goularte’s own felony trial for lewd acts with a minor remains pending. 

“Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison today for a vigilante shooting spree that wounded an unintended target and sprayed bullets near a school crowded with children, teachers and parents,” Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

“Velasquez began shooting at the victims at a Morgan Hill intersection. As they tried to flee, he rammed their vehicle and fired more rounds at them, striking the driver in the arm and right flank, severing his brachial artery, as they drove past the Charter School of Morgan Hill,” Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office