Cain Velasquez Will Not Stand Trial In Attempted Murder Charge

UFC legend/WWE alum Cain Velasquez will not stand trial after pleading no contest to the charges against him regarding a 2022 incident. Velasquez was charged with first-degree attempted murder, multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting an occupied motor vehicle, among other charges. As part of his plea, Velasquez “will be convicted but not subject to a mandatory life sentence after premeditation allegations were dropped in accordance with a plea agreement with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office,” the East Bay Times reports.

Velasquez was arrested after opening fire at a vehicle carrying Harry Eugene Goularte, driven by his stepfather, Paul Bender. Bender was struck by a bullet fired by Velasquez and was hospitalized with non-threatening injuries. Goularte had been charged with molesting an underage relative of Velasquez at a home daycare center run by his mother. This case is ongoing.

After retiring from MMA in 2019, Velasquez turned his attention to wrestling and worked a few Lucha Libre AAA shows before signing with WWE that year. Velasquez’s sole WWE match saw him lose to UFC rival Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2019. Lesnar, who had won the WWE Title shortly before the event, lost to Cain at UFC 121 in October 2010.

Velasquez was released from WWE in April 2020 as part of ‘budget cuts’ stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Velasquez returned to pro wrestling in 2021, working a match at Lucha Libre AAA’s Triplemania Regia event in December of that year. Velasquez also wrestled in December 2022 but has not competed since.