Former UFC champ Cain Velasquez released from prison after short sentence for attempted murder conviction

"The 43-year-old Velasquez was remanded to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on March 27, 2025, three days after his sentencing by now-retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Arthur Bocanegra, who was visibly in tears when he handed down a five-year prison term. That ultimately translated to about a year of incarceration after accounting for Velasquez's time in county jail following the Feb. 28, 2022 shooting, and later his supervised release on $1 million bail also issued by Bocanegra during which Velasquez traveled out of state to participate in wrestling and fighting events under a work exception, including serving as a corner man at a UFC match in Las Vegas."

"Velasquez pleaded no contest in August 2024 to attempted murder and nine gun assault crimes in the attack after reaching an agreement with prosecutors that removed premeditation from the allegations, eliminating a mandatory life prison term. Still, Deputy District Attorney Aaron French sought a 30 years-to-life prison term while Hessling sought probation, and Bocanegra ultimately sided far more toward the defense request. At sentencing, Velasquez said his actions were reckless and extreme"

Cain Velasquez, 43, a former UFC mixed-martial arts champion who fought out of San Jose, was released Feb. 15, 2026, after serving less than a year in prison following an attempted murder conviction for shooting and wounding the family of a man accused of sexually abusing his son. Velasquez pleaded no contest in August 2024 to attempted murder and nine gun assault charges after a plea agreement removed premeditation and the mandatory life term. A five-year sentence was imposed in March 2025 and translated to about a year served after credit for prior custody and supervised release on $1 million bail. Prosecutors had sought 30-to-life while defense sought probation. Velasquez traveled under a work exception during supervised release to participate in wrestling events and served as a corner man at a UFC match, and he described his actions at sentencing as reckless and extreme.

Read at www.mercurynews.com