Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been released from prison after serving 11 months of a five-year sentence for a 2022 shooting incident. The mixed martial arts legend was convicted of attempted murder and other charges following a high-speed chase targeting Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting Velasquez's then 4-year-old son.

The case ignited widespread controversy within the MMA community, with many fans and fighters supporting Velasquez's actions as a father seeking justice. Velasquez faced 10 felony charges after firing multiple shots during the 11-mile pursuit, injuring Goularte's stepfather Paul Bender with a gunshot wound to his arm. The former champion pleaded no contest to all charges in March 2025.

Prior to his incarceration, Velasquez expressed remorse for taking the law into his own hands, acknowledging his actions were wrong despite the alleged child abuse. The 43-year-old fighter, who captured UFC gold in 2010 and 2012, had his career plagued by injuries before briefly pursuing professional wrestling with WWE from 2019-20. Goularte remains scheduled for trial on March 9 on charges of lewd acts with a minor, while Velasquez's family has filed a separate civil lawsuit against the Goularte family.