When Cain Velasquez is sentenced in court on Monday, he’s prepared for whatever comes his way.
The former UFC heavyweight champion pled no-contest in court this past April after facing several charges including premeditated attempted murder, felony assault charges, and other related gun charges following his arrest back in 2022.
Throughout the process, Velasquez has not spoken in-depth publicly about the situation he and has family have been in. But recently, he sat down for an interview with past teammate Kyle Kingsbury where he discussed what he could.
“From what I can say as far as myself, the way that I handled things, that was not the way to do it,” Velasquez said on The Kyle Kingsbury Podcast. “We cannot put the law in our own hands. …
“I already pled [no-contest] so I’m going to get a sentencing [on Monday], and I know what I did. I know what I did was very dangerous towards other people — not just to people involved, but to just innocent people. I understand what I did, and I’m willing to do everything I have to pay back that.
“So whatever the court feels correct for what I have to do, I’m going to do it with my head up and still be me, and not play the blame game. It was me that did that and reacted in that way.”
Velasquez was arrested back in February 2022 when he went on an 11-mile high speed car chase going after a vehicle that contained Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting his son at a daycare owned by his mother. The 42-year-old fired several rounds from a .40-caliber handgun at the vehicle, but ultimately struck Goularte’s stepfather Paul Bender in the arm. He sustained non-life threatening injuries as a result.
Despite the trauma he and his family continue to go through, Velasquez says he’s forgiven Goularte, and hope they can also recover.
“Again, for me, I can’t be stuck on any place,” Velasquez explained. “Even with that family, with what they’ve done, I can’t have hate like that for them because there’s things that I have to move on to, and give love to my kids, and give love to the people around… like, I have to share this with everybody. So I can’t give hate to them at all.
“I wish them healing in the best way, whatever that is. Like, I wish that for them, I understand they all have traumas, as well. It’s not right to spread it. … I’m glad they, themselves, have stopped because they can’t practice anymore, as far as being a daycare.
“With my own time, I’ve forgiven them and everything else, and I know my kids are great. … My son is amazing, he’s one of the strongest, funniest kids that I know. He’s my best friend, I’m proud of him, of who he is, and this will not define him. He’s meant for greater, and my daughter as well. They’re both meant for great things, and I’m just like, ‘I’m so blessed to live this life with you. You help me, I help you. It’s not like I’m just teaching you, you’re teaching me. I’m just f*cking loving being with you at this moment. This is sacred, the most sacred to be with another version of yourself.”
Regardless of the outcome in Monday’s sentencing, Velasquez hopes that the lesson the public can learn from the situation will be open and honest communication with parents and children, and being aware that these things happen in the world — and it can happen to anybody.
“What I did was not correct, I understand that,” Velasquez said. “I paid, and I’ll pay whatever else as far as what I have to do to pay all that back. I don’t think I can pay that back, but I can always learn from my mistakes and help others.
“It’s just information that you never know anybody. Trust your kids, have that open communication with your kids. … So as far as that goes, it’s basically that, and again, I think the more we get just consciously aware of ourselves, the more the light shines on dark things — especially like that.”
