Former UFC champ Cain Velasquez released from prison on parole
Former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was released on parole Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 (ET), after serving the last 11 months in a California state prison. The move follows a March 2025 sentencing related to a 2022 shooting incident that drew national attention and legal fallout for all parties involved.
Release and legal timeline
Velasquez, 43, walked out of state custody on parole after being credited with 1, 283 days served when he was sentenced to five years in prison in March 2025. At the time of sentencing he had pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a February 2022 shooting. He spent the most recent 11 months behind bars before being granted parole.
Prior to the prison term, Velasquez had been granted $1 million bail and placed on house arrest in November 2022. He also faces ongoing civil litigation tied to the same episode; Velasquez has filed a civil case against the man whose vehicle he chased and fired upon.
Facts of the 2022 incident and criminal proceedings
The charges arose from an incident in February 2022 in which Velasquez pursued and fired repeatedly at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez's 4-year-old son. The pursuit extended roughly 11 miles, and Goularte's father, who was riding in the vehicle, was shot and injured.
Goularte continues to face a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor. The criminal and civil strands connected to the episode have moved through the courts over multiple years, culminating in the March 2025 sentencing for Velasquez and the ongoing prosecution of Goularte on the separate allegation.
Legacy, reaction and next steps
Velasquez is best known for his run as the undisputed heavyweight champion in mixed martial arts, capturing the title with a knockout of Brock Lesnar in October 2010. He fought out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose and formally retired from professional MMA competition in 2019.
The case provoked strong reactions from the mixed martial arts community and beyond. Leadership within the sport publicly expressed support for Velasquez during his legal struggles, submitting statements to the court that described him in positive terms. The parole release resets Velasquez’s immediate circumstances, but legal and civil entanglements remain on his record.
On parole, Velasquez will be subject to conditions typical of supervised release. The civil suit he has filed is expected to proceed independently of his criminal sentence and parole status. Observers note that the next phases of the civil and ongoing criminal cases will determine whether any further legal consequences arise.
This development closes one chapter in a multi-year legal saga that began with the February 2022 shooting and has interwoven criminal charges, civil litigation, and public commentary about justice, parental protection and accountability. Velasquez’s return to the community will likely prompt renewed attention to those unresolved legal matters and to his personal future outside of professional fighting.
