Why Did UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Get Locked Up?
It's not often that an attempted murderer is called a "hero," so why are people supporting Cain Velasquez?
Published March 25 2025, 12:22 p.m. ET
UFC champion and MMA fighter Cain Velasquez was a hero to his fans when he fought his way to the top in the octagon. Now, some are calling him a hero again. Although, that title has not come without some amount of controversy.
Cain was locked up for a violent crime committed in 2022, so why are people still supporting the fighter? Here's what we know about what he did to get locked up and why fans are supporting him now more than ever.
Why did Cain Velasquez get locked up?
In 2022, according to The Independent, Cain went on what the Santa Clara County district attorney's office called a "vigilante shooting spree."
He fired multiple shots at a truck that had three people in it and was later arrested for attempted murder. So why are people on his side?
According to court records, the man whom Cain chased down and tried to shoot, Harry Goularte, was accused of molesting Cain's son at the daycare that the 4-year-old attended.
A week prior to the shooting, Harry was arrested for the sexual assault of a 4-year-old who attended the daycare run by his family. He was released from custody and was traveling to retrieve an ankle monitor when Cain opened fire on the truck he was in.
Cain injured Harry's stepfather, who was in the vehicle.
In March 2025, Cain was sentenced to five years in prison, including time served. His expected release date is February 2027.
Cain thanked the people who stood by him through it all.
Although the public seems to overwhelmingly support Cain's actions, Cain himself acknowledged the danger in what he did.
While appearing on a podcast with his friend Kyle Kingsbury, via The Independent, Cain reflected, "We cannot put the law in our own hands. I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know?"
On TikTok and other social media platforms, fans have shown their support for his actions and vowed to continue supporting him as he finishes his prison sentence.
In a TikTok video announcing the sentencing, one user wrote, "Give that man an award, he is a legend." Another wrote, "The only thing he did wrong was not finishing it." Others wrote, "Free Cain Velasquez!'
Some even called for President Donald Trump to issue a pardon for Cain, pointing out that the Jan. 6 rioters were free and Cain deserved his freedom more than anyone. In 2024, Cain thanked the people who stood by his side, writing on Instagram, "To everyone that has expressed your support, my family and I will never be able to thank you enough."
He then expressed his wish that victims in the case be given the strength to come forward. He encouraged truth, promising, "justice will be served."
While Cain's future remained uncertain after his sentencing, it was abundantly clear that the public stands by his side and he won't have any lack of support and fans when his prison term finishes.