Cain Velasquez has opened up about the events that led to his arrest in 2022, recalling the emotional breaking point that preceded an 11-mile pursuit in which he fired multiple shots at a vehicle carrying a man accused of abusing his young son.
The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion revisited the incident during an appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show. Velasquez described how learning about the alleged abuse at his son’s daycare, followed by developments in the criminal investigation, pushed him into a state of mind he struggled to recognize.
According to Velasquez, his then-four-year-old son disclosed that he had allegedly been sexually abused at the facility. His family contacted authorities and filed a report, but the subsequent release of the accused man left him increasingly distressed.
Harry Goularte, a relative of the daycare’s operators, was arrested in February 2022 and charged with a felony count involving alleged lewd acts with a child under 14. He pleaded not guilty and has denied wrongdoing.
Cain Velasquez Recalls What Triggered the 2022 Shooting
Velasquez explained that his family initially followed the proper legal channels after hearing their son’s account. However, he became increasingly frustrated after Goularte was released under court supervision shortly after his arrest.
The 44-year-old Californian also recalled receiving an email from the daycare’s operators disputing the accusations and announcing that the facility would reopen. He said the message intensified his anger and convinced him that the situation was not being handled as he had expected.
After taking his son to the zoo to help him step away from the distressing circumstances, Velasquez went for a drive. During that trip, he unexpectedly spotted members of Goularte’s family.
I’d never seen him out in public ever, right? Well, that day I saw them,” Velasquez recalled. “I had a conversation with God again. Well, I said, ‘God, you know what I’m doing. So, you make this however you want. You make this outcome however you want to make it, but you know what I’m doing.’
Velasquez followed the vehicle as its occupants went to collect Goularte, who was expected to receive an electronic monitoring device. He described losing control emotionally when he realized where they were heading.
I fu*king lost the will to live. I didn’t care about dying. Didn’t care. Didn’t care about anything. I was in a different place at that moment,” he said.
Cain Velasquez Admits Innocent People Could Have Been Hurt
What followed was an approximately 11-mile vehicle pursuit during which Velasquez rammed the other vehicle with his truck and fired multiple rounds from a handgun.
Goularte escaped the shooting without being hit, but his stepfather, Paul Bender, sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to his arm. Velasquez acknowledged that his actions placed people beyond the vehicle in danger.
There’s traffic, so innocent people could have gotten hit. I was trying not to, but I wasn’t here,” Velasquez said. “I understand it could have hurt a lot of people who weren’t even involved.
The UFC veteran also admitted that he considered everyone inside the vehicle responsible, despite Goularte being the only occupant charged in connection with the alleged abuse.
Cain Velasquez - UFC Champion Hunted the Man Accused of Abusing His 4-Year-Old Son | SRS #352
The incident resulted in Velasquez facing multiple criminal charges. He ultimately pleaded no contest to attempted murder, felony assault, and firearm-related offenses before receiving a five-year prison sentence in March 2025.
He spent nine months in solitary confinement and later described the experience as an opportunity for personal reflection. Velasquez viewed the isolation as a period that forced him to confront himself without the identities and achievements that had defined his life outside prison.
The 44-year-old was released in February 2026 after receiving credit for time served and remains on parole.
