Cain Velasquez Reveals the Heartbreaking Moment He 'Lost a Will to Live'
Former UFC heavyweight king Cain Velasquez breaks down the exact moment he felt the system completely failed his family.
Cain Velasquez built his name as a two-time UFC heavyweight champion who wore opponents down with relentless pressure and a strong wrestling background. He retired from the cage in 2019 with a 14-3 record.
His life has taken a far different path since then, marked by a lengthy legal case and a prison term. Recently, the former champion described a moment when he completely lost the will to live, an event that changed the course of his life.
Cain Velasquez Details One Lowest Point of His Life
Breaking his silence on the trauma behind the headlines, Velasquez sat down on The Shawn Ryan Show to discuss the events of February 2022. It all started when his young son told him he was abused at a daycare.
Velasquez and his family immediately filed a report with authorities. However, the police released the accused man, Harry Goularte, just a few days later. At the same time, the daycare owner told the other parents that the allegations were false. Because of this, Velasquez felt like the police and the courts were failing to protect his family.
"I followed them and they went right to pick up Harry… and I lost it," Velasquez said. "Whatever you would say 'having it' is, I lost it. I f*cking lost a will to live. Didn't care about dying, didn't care about anything. I was in a different place in that moment."
Velasquez then followed a vehicle carrying Goularte in an 11-mile chase and fired at it. Goularte was not hit, but another man in the vehicle was wounded.
Cain Velasquez's Legal Outcome and Path Back From Prison
Velasquez initially pleaded not guilty. But in August 2024, he pleaded no contest to charges that included attempted murder, shooting at a motor vehicle, and assault with a firearm. On March 24, 2025, a judge gave him a sentence of five years in prison, followed by four years of probation
However, Velasquez did not have to serve all five years in a state prison. Because he had already spent 1,283 days locked up in local jail and sitting under house arrest while waiting for his trial, the judge counted that as time already served.
As a result, he spent only about 11 months in a state prison. The state of California officially released him on parole on Feb. 15. The government lawyers in court argued that Velasquez took the law into his own hands and put innocent people near a school in danger. Meanwhile, the man accused of hurting Velasquez's son has said he is not guilty. The courts scheduled Goularte's own criminal trial to take place later in 2026.
Cain Velasquez Owns His Actions in Reflection After Release
Velasquez has spoken publicly about taking responsibility since his release. In an August documentary short film titled “The Resurrection of Cain Velasquez | An Uncrowned Film,” he stated, "I did what I did, and it wasn't right."
Frustration with the legal system fueled his anger, but he accepted that he had to face the consequences. It remains a painful journey involving a child, a family in crisis, and the long road that followed.
