Cain Velasquez Releases First Public Statement Since Arrest
Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has released his first public statement since being arrested earlier this year.
Velasquez, a prominent figure in mixed martial arts since his debut in 2006, was arrested on February 28 for attempted, premeditated murder.
The incarceration came after the Salinas native allegedly pursued and intended on shooting an individual, later revealed to be named Henry Goularte. The man is reported to have molested a relative of Velasquez.
After seemingly shooting the step-father of Goularte, who was in the vehicle at the time, the UFC legend was apprehended and charged, and later denied bail last month. If found guilty of the charges, Velasquez could serve 20 years behind bars.
Now, a month-and-a-half beyond his initial arrest, Velasquez has broken his silence for the first time.
Taking to Twitter, Velasquez thanked those who supported him in the aftermath of the incident, and have continued to do so through the ongoing legal proceedings. The 39-year-old also called on the “true victims” of the case to come forward and ‘speak the truth’.
“To everyone that has expressed your support, my family and I will never be able to thank you enough. From the bottom of our hearts and the depths of our souls, we are forever grateful for your love. Your selfless gestures and kind words have given me strength in my darkest times. This story is complex and slowly unraveling as we speak. To the true victims of this case, may God give you strength to come forward. Though it is most difficult to relive the pain that has happened to you, in speaking the truth, justice will be served and your own true healing will start. I will never stop helping or loving my community and all of you. Thank you for loving me – Cain Velasquez”
Since his arrest, Velasquez has received heavy support from across the MMA community. As well as the likes of Alexander Volkanovski, Tai Tuivasa, Colby Covington, Ronda Rousey, and Joe Rogan all speaking out in interviews and on social media, a number of notable names wrote letters to the Santa Clara County Superior Court in support of Velasquez.
Among those to send letters were UFC President Dana White, Bellator kingpin Scott Coker, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Kamaru Usman. In his written statement, White spoke of the “dignity” and “respect” he’d come to know of Velasquez.
“I have known Mr. Velasquez for more than 15 years, and during his time as an active athlete with UFC, he represented our company with dignity and always treated others with respect,” White wrote. “He was a model example of how a professional athlete should carry himself, projecting a positive image to UFC’s fanbase.” (h/t ESPN)
Beyond Velasquez’s former UFC and MMA peers, fans also looked to pitch in by donating to a GoFundMe page set up for Velasquez and his family. However, the fund-raising effort was later shut down.
What are your thoughts on Cain Velasquez’s case?
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