Hill: Jailed former UFC champion not making excuses in horrific case

One of the things about growing up is the realization that the childhood notion of good and evil being a black-and-white concept was all wrong.

The idea that those behind bars for committing crimes are simply bad people was always a dubious one, but rarely has there been a more stark reminder than the case of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

He’s one of the most genuine and thoughtful athletes I’ve ever covered. One of the biggest stars of the sport just as it broke into the mainstream, he remained gracious and humble.

He’s also in prison today after being sentenced this week to a five-year term resulting from a no-contest plea to an attempted murder charge, a ruling that reportedly had a California judge tearing up with emotion while handing it down.

Velasquez, unsurprisingly, was stoic and graceful while accepting his fate.

“I am truly sorry,” he told the court. “My actions were reckless. I am ashamed and regretful for how I handled myself.”

The details of his case are horrifying for so many reasons.

‘Not the way to do it’

Velasquez, a former All-American wrestler and model citizen with an extensive resume of community service, spotted Harry Goularte and two other people in a pickup truck and pursued the vehicle at speeds of up to 100 mph for more than 10 miles before firing off a barrage of gunshots. Goularte wasn’t struck, but his stepfather was.

The actions of Velasquez put many people in danger, and there is no excuse for such reckless behavior.

So what could possibly have prompted a quiet, reserved family man whose previous incidents of violence had been reserved for the cage or the mat to such a wildly out-of-character outburst?

Goularte had just been released on bail for the alleged repeated molestation of Velasquez’s 4-year-old son.

I don’t have kids, but it doesn’t take being a father to understand the emotions Velasquez must have felt seeing Goularte on the streets just days after learning the horrific allegations.

The way Velasquez responded was wrong. But I don’t think anyone can say what the right thing would have been. And despite a growing push for his release, Velasquez has accepted responsibility for his actions and understands there are consequences.

“From what I can say as far as myself, the way that I handled things was not the way to do it. We cannot put the law in our own hands,” Velasquez said days before sentencing on the podcast of former teammate Kyle Kingsbury, one of his only public appearances.

“I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know? Not just people involved, but innocent people. I understand what I did, and I’m willing to do everything I have to (do) to pay that back.”

It’s exactly what anyone who has ever spent more than five minutes with Velasquez would expect.

Velasquez, 42, was credited with time served in jail and house arrest and will likely do a little more than a year. Prosecutors were seeking 30.

Goularte, who still has a presumption of innocence, will go on trial in June. He has also been sued in civil court, along with the day care operation run by his mother and stepfather.

It’s an ugly case that will have lasting emotional trauma for all individuals involved long beyond the conclusion of any legal proceedings.

And one that offers many lessons, even if we can all hope to never see another similar incident.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.