Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez released from prison on parole

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been reunited with his family after serving 11 months in custody over a 2022 shooting incident.

Video shared online shows the emotional moment Velasquez arrived home Sunday after being released on parole. He stepped off a shuttle to be greeted by his children, while a mariachi band played in celebration, turning the reunion into a heartfelt welcome-home gathering.

Velasquez had pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a February 2022 shooting. Prosecutors alleged that he fired at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting one of Velasquez’s family members. Goularte is still facing a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor, and Velasquez has also reportedly filed a separate civil case against him.

Although Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison, he received credit for time already served in county jail following his arrest, as well as time spent under house arrest ahead of his 2024 trial.

Throughout the legal process, Velasquez received public support from figures within the UFC. CEO Dana White reportedly described him in a letter to the court as a “model example of how a professional athlete should carry himself.”

His release marks a new chapter for the former champion, who had largely stepped away from professional competition before the incident occurred.