Cain Velasquez Granted Bail, Sees Trial Set For Early 2023

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez was granted bail Tuesday after a Santa Clara County judge decided that his criminal case, which includes a charge of attempted murder, will go to trial.

Velasquez was given a bail fee of $1 million, allowing him to be free from custody for the first time since late February, at the conclusion of this week’s preliminary hearings.

Velasquez’s case, which has 10 counts in total and includes one count of attempted murder, and three counts of assault with a firearm, is expected to proceed in a jury trial by early 2023. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in August.

Velasquez’s case stems from earlier this year when he allegedly got into an altercation with Harry Goularte, who is facing charges of molesting an underage relative of Velasquez.

Velasquez allegedly got into an “11-mile, high-speed chase” with a vehicle that carried Goularte, plus two of his family members. This chase allegedly came to an end after Velasquez “rammed” his vehicle into the one that Goularte was in, then fired a handgun multiple times.

A relative of Goularte who was in the car suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Until the trial begins, Velasquez is allowed to remain in home detention, with his location tracked by a GPS monitor. He will be allowed to leave his household for exceptions granted by the court.

Velasquez was denied bail numerous times during earlier periods of the court case. This week, judge Arthur Bocanegra granted him bail after deciding that he is not a threat to Goularte or his family members at this moment.

“Mr. Velasquez, I would not release you if I was not convinced that finally a release at this time, eight months later, that you would be a danger to Harry Goularte, primarily, Patricia Goularte or Paul Bender or the public,” said judge Bocanegra, in a quote obtained by MMA Fighting.

Correction: A previous version of the story reflected that Velasquez has been in custody since January. The article has been changed to reflect that he has been in custody since early February.