It All Starts With Forgiving Yourself: Former UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Opens Up About Life After Prison

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has spoken candidly about his time in and out of prison for the first time, saying: 'It all just starts with forgiving yourself.'

The 43-year-old also said he hopes to inspire others to learn from his mistakes.

'Hopefully somebody can see my story, and hopefully that can help them as well. They can learn from my mistakes as well,' he added.

Velasquez was sentenced to prison on 24 March 2025 after pleading no contest to attempted murder, felony assault and other gun-related charges stemming from the 2022 shooting incident involving a man accused of molesting his child.

He was released on parole on 15 February after serving approximately 11 months in state prison, with additional sentence reductions earned through rehabilitative programmes.

Embracing Accountability and Forgiveness

A short film titled The Resurrection of Cain Velasquez was released on YouTube on 6 August, in which Velasquez openly admitted: 'I did what I did, and it wasn't right.' He shared that everything that had happened to him, including his imprisonment, was part of his journey.

Velasquez said: 'I have to live with what I did, but if I hadn't done anything, I think that would've hurt me the most.'

The film features emotional clips of Velasquez with his child, as the former UFC champion explains that it would have been difficult for him to live with himself if his child had looked at him and said: 'You didn't do anything.'

The Resurrection of Cain Velasquez, produced by Uncrowned, also highlights the lessons he learned behind bars and his determination to move forward with purpose

A Father's Pursuit for Justice

Velasquez's imprisonment stemmed from an incident in February 2022, when the former UFC champion pursued a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte.

At the time, Goularte had been charged with molesting one of Velasquez's four-year-old sons at a daycare operated by his family.

Authorities said Velasquez chased the vehicle for 11 miles while allegedly firing multiple rounds at it. Goularte was unharmed, but one of the bullets struck his stepfather, Paul Bender, leaving him with non-life-threatening injuries.

Velasquez was arrested on 28 February 2022 and spent about eight months in Santa Clara County Jail before being granted $1 million bail (approximately £744,000) and placed under house arrest pending trial.

On 24 March 2025, he was transferred to state prison to begin serving his five-year sentence.

His remaining prison term was significantly reduced after credit for time already served in jail and under house arrest, and he was released on parole in February 2026.

Finding Purpose After Prison

Although Cain Velasquez's legal case remains one of the most talked-about stories in MMA, the former champion does not want it to define the rest of his life.

Velasquez has since spoken about recognising his wrongdoing, stating: 'We cannot put the law in our own hands,' during an interview.

'I know what I did was very dangerous towards other people. I understand what I did, and I'm willing to do everything I have to pay back that,' the MMA figure added.

Velasquez continues to coach at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), where he teaches lessons that extend beyond martial arts and reflect what he learned while behind bars. One of the techniques he teaches is called 'Ascension Breath', which he said helped him process and release trauma during his time in prison.