Story byNolan King, MMA JunkieTue, February 17, 2026 at 3:00 AM UTC·3 min readCain Velasquez is practically a free man – and many in the combat sports community and beyond are rejoycing. A multitime UFC heavyweight champion, Velasquez was released on parole Sunday from Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, Calif. The emotional moment he reunited with his family outside the confines of incarceration was captured on video by a mariachi band, who played music throughout. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVelasquez, 43, spent 11 months in prison after he pled no contest to multiple felony charges, attempted murder among them. Velasquez fired a hand gun at a man, Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting Velasquez's young son at a daycare.
