Cain Velasquez pleads no contest to attempted murder

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez pleaded no contest in a California court on Friday in return for a lighter sentence.

Velasquez, 42, was facing a trial on attempted murder charges for a February 2022 incident in which he repeatedly shot a man accused of sexually assaulting his son after a chase, but wounded the man's stepfather instead. He gave his confession before Judge Arthur Bocanegra at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California.

According to The Mercury News, the former champion's trial was scheduled to begin on September 9. A verdict is scheduled for October 18, but the actual sentencing is now expected at a later date.

As a result of the plea, the charge of first-degree murder will be dropped, meaning he no longer faces a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

“This defendant chose to be judge, jury and executioner. His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents, who could have been injured or killed when he shot his intended victim,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “We have excellent law enforcement in this district. Let them do their jobs.”

Velasquez was accused of shooting at a pickup truck driven by Harry Goularte – the man accused of abusing his then-four-year-old son at his mother's daycare – during a 11-mile chase on the afternoon of Feb. 28, 2022. Goularte was being driven by his stepfather, Paul Bender, as they drove from Morgan Hill to San Jose. Velasquez reportedly fired several shots from a .40-caliber handgun at the vehicle, missing his intended target and hitting Bender in the arm and torso. Velasquez was arrested without incident after the chase.

Velasquez was released from prison on $1 million bail in November 2022 while awaiting trial. Goularte remains charged with child abuse.

The county's probation department will develop a sentencing recommendation in the coming months that will weigh the seriousness of the incident against Velasquez's lack of prior criminal history and the sexual abuse case in which his son is the reported victim.