“This is a tragic case. Mr. Velasquez is not a danger to public safety,” said Judge Arthur Bocanegra as he delivered the sentence against former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. It’s heartbreaking to see a father torn from his son’s life, especially when his actions were driven by a desire for justice rather than harm. Despite the court’s ruling, Team Khabib has stepped forward with heartwarming words of support for Velasquez, standing firmly by his side.
The entire Team Khabib, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, Daniel Cormier, and Javier Mendez, came forward to share their heartfelt messages for the former champion as he faced a maximum prison sentence of five years. Khabib Nurmagomedov took to his Instagram handle to upload a photo with Velasquez and captioned it with, “Stay Strong Lion.” Following ‘The Eagle’s footsteps, Islam Makhachev also uploaded a story supporting the former heavyweight champion.
Daniel Cormier expressed his support by sharing a photo of Velasquez on his Instagram handle, captioning it: “Warrior, Cain, you are the man. That won’t ever change. You’ll approach this like you’ve done every step of your life. See you soon, champ.”
In addition, Javier Mendez went a step further by sharing a heartfelt message, expressing his love for him and calling out the system. “I understand, and although I feel the system was wrong in taking you away a little while longer from your loved ones, I was hoping that they either would have given you time served or at least continued to stay on home arrest, where you have clearly shown and demonstrated to be an asset to the community.”
Although much of the MMA community believes the system has been working against the wrong man, we must examine the case more deeply. On February 28, 2022, Cain Velasquez confronted the plaintiff in Santa Clara, California, opening fire on a bustling street. The incident followed allegations that the plaintiff had abused the former UFC fighter’s son at a daycare operated by his family.
The former two-time heavyweight champion chased him for 11 miles before shooting at their car with his registered gun. The accused was accompanied by three people during the chase. As he began shooting, a bullet struck the driver in the arm and right flank, severing his brachial artery, as they drove past a school that was letting out for the day.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen in his statement emphasized that the former fighter’s decision to take the matter on his own has put the lives of many people in immense danger. “One man’s decision to take the law into his own hands left an innocent man wounded and endangered schoolchildren, teachers, and many others in our community. If you want to do justice in Santa Clara County, please apply for a badge,” said the Judge. Despite Velasquez’s harsh act, the plaintiff was not harmed by him and he is currently facing felony child molestation charges. He is currently out of custody with GPS monitoring.
Well, does the former UFC star regret his actions? Let’s find out.
Cain Velasquez makes a heartwarming confession before the trial
The prosecutors wanted to send Cain Velasquez to a 25-years-to-life prison sentence. However, the former fighter’s attorney team made a contrasting plea, requesting probation with no additional prison time. They emphasized the 1,283 days he has already served, along with two years of house arrest, as sufficient punishment.
Cain’s punishment is five years minus the time served, which puts the end of his sentence on February 28, 2027.
Before going into the prosecution, Cain Velasquez emphasized that he regretted how he handled the situation and expressed that things could have been solved in a much more civilized manner.
“From what I can say as far as myself, the way that I handled things, was not the way to do it. We cannot put the law in our own hands… So whatever the court feels correct for what I have to do, I’m going to do it with my head up and still be me, and not play the blame game. It was me that did that and reacted in that way,” said Cain Velasquez.
The entire MMA world stands in solidarity with the fighter as he will now be locked away from his family for five years. In an act of forgiveness, the gentle giant ascertained that he had already forgiven the perpetrator’s family and he held no grudges against them, “With time, I’ve forgiven them. I know that my kids are incredible. Everything is divinely orchestrated. My son is amazing — one of the strongest, most remarkable kids I know. He’s my best friend, and I’m so proud of who he is. This will not define him; he’s meant for greater things. I can’t harbor hate for them. There are things I need to move on from, so I can give love to my kids and those around me. I wish them healing in the best way possible.”
Many more prominent names from the MMA fraternity came out in support of Velasquez and expressed their disappointment at the verdict. Jorge Masvidal, Ariel Helwani, Chris Weidman, and Ali Abdelaziz were among those who took to social media to express their concern.
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