Last night, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was arrested in California on attempted murder charges.
According to reports, the incident left one man shot, and he was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while another man was arrested. According to Santa Clara County Jail records, the 39-year-old is still booked with a court date slated for Wednesday.
“Cain Velasquez was the suspect arrested yesterday in connection with this incident. He was booked into Santa Clara County main jail for attempted murder.
“The motive and circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation at this time,” said the San Jose Police Media Relations Twitter account.
4/ Cain Velasquez was the suspect arrested yesterday in connection with this incident. He was booked into Santa Clara County main jail for attempted murder.
The motive and circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation at this time. pic.twitter.com/bBuuPQytNx
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) March 1, 2022
Holding Cain
Velasquez is also being held without bond; however, no charges have been listed. According to law enforcement reports, the former champion was involved in a shooting near a local high school at around 3 p.m. on Monday.
“The motives and circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation at this time,” per the San Jose Police public information Twitter account.
Cain Velasquez is a former UFC star.
He is the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion and became instantly famous for knocking people out and his Brown Pride tattoo across his chest.
I still can’t get over the idea that Cain Velasquez, at one time the baddest man on the planet, felt the need to use a gun. Attempted murder. Just can’t wrap my head around it.
— Jen (@Jmadams03) March 1, 2022
Who Is Cain Velasquez?
Born in Salinas, California, Velasquez moved to Yuma, Arizona, where he attended and graduated from Kofa High School and became a star wrestler.
Velasquez attended college in Iowa and wrestled for one season. After that, he transferred to Arizona State University in Tempe, becoming a bigger star within wrestling circles in college once he entered the Division I school.
He would be on the same collegiate team as future MMA stars C.B. Dollaway and Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader.
https://twitter.com/MMAdamMartin/status/1498669483459813383?s=20&t=LkLyCmAhpLMHGEdq2C6YiA
AKA
However, when Velasquez joined the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, he began his mixed martial arts career. The martial arts center has developed the careers of fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, and many more.
He got into the UFC in only his third professional fight after two first-round knockouts, and he extended that streak during his first two fights in the UFC.
Velasquez would win the UFC heavyweight championship after defeating Brock Lesnar in the first round via TKO in only his seventh UFC appearance. However, his heavyweight run immediately hit a snag when he lost the belt in his first title defense.
Police have now released Cain Velasquez’s mug shot and confirmed he was the suspect arrested in Monday's alleged shooting incident in San Jose. pic.twitter.com/hoBluZp69x
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) March 1, 2022
Career Trajectory
Then-rising star Junior Dos Santos knocked him out in the first round, which many thought would derail his career. However, it would become a rivalry that Velasquez would avenge in two more fights retaining and defending his UFC heavyweight championship.
After losses to Fabricio Werdum in 2015 and Francis Ngannou in 2019, Velaquez eventually decided to retire in October of the same year.
Velasquez then entered the world of professional wrestling, which landed him in the WWE and also Mexico, where he started his professional wrestling career.
Velasquez’s career now hinges on the outcome from this new set of circumstances
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