Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who was released on parole on February 15, 2026, now faces a new legal challenge.
According to sources, a restitution hearing in Santa Clara County has opened a dispute, with the family of the man Velasquez pursued seeking compensation tied to the closure of a home daycare operation.
The case is being presided over by Judge Benjamin Williams. Velasquez had pleaded no contest and was sentenced in 2024. While both parties appear to be nearing agreement on restitution for physical and property damages, the significant point of contention is the Goularte family’s claim for lost wages from their daycare business, which shuttered following the 2022 incident.
Harry Goularte, who faces a felony charge and remains in the pre-trial phase, was accused of committing lewd acts against Velasquez’s four-year-old son at the daycare run by his mother, Patricia Goularte. Goularte has denied all wrongdoing and is currently out on bail.
During the roughly 90-minute hearing, multiple witnesses took the stand, including former daycare attendees and the parents and guardians of children who had been enrolled. They offered testimony in support of the Goularte family’s character.
Defense attorney Renee Hessling, however, challenged each witness with a pointed question: whether they would genuinely feel comfortable leaving a child in the care of someone accused of molestation. No final ruling has been issued.
The court has laid out a structured timeline for both sides to present their positions. Uncontested restitution amounts are due April 3. Plaintiffs must submit arguments on disputed amounts by April 17, with the defense responding no later than May 15. The judge’s 90-day window to issue a ruling opens on May 29.
The underlying incident that set these proceedings in motion occurred on February 28, 2022, when Velasquez pursued a vehicle carrying Goularte, his mother Patricia, and stepfather Paul Bender.
Bender sustained a non-life-threatening arm wound during the confrontation. Velasquez was arrested and spent years incarcerated before his parole release earlier this year.
His case drew sympathy from across the MMA community. One of the most prominent voices in his corner was UFC CEO Dana White, who submitted a letter on Velasquez’s behalf to the Santa Clara County Superior Court. He spoke about the former champion’s character and legacy within the sport.
“Yeah, I’m happy for him obviously to get home to his family, and you know what they went through, if that wasn’t bad enough, the guy’s been in jail this whole time,” White said.
Support came from multiple directions. Velasquez’s longtime teammates at American Kickboxing Academy, including Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, reportedly submitted letters of support during the proceedings.
Podcast host Joe Rogan addressed the situation at length during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show featuring former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria. Rogan made no effort to conceal his frustration over the five-year sentence Velasquez received.
“He’s in jail right now. He got sentenced. He got sentenced to 5 years. And the judge said this was the least amount he could sentence him. He didn’t want to sentence him,” Rogan said.
Rogan described the emotional reality of a father confronted with the alleged abuse of his young child.
He stated: “If you’re not a father, you do not understand the rage you would have if some man molested your baby. You don’t understand. It’s, it’s, you would see red in a way that no one can describe to you unless you’re a parent.”
On the question of whether Velasquez belonged behind bars at all, Rogan was unequivocal.
“Everybody understands it. He should have never gone to jail. He’s not a threat to society. He’s not a danger. He shouldn’t be in prison,” Rogan mentioned. “And he already did three years. He was already in jail for three years.”
He continued: “He has been a great example for so many upcoming guys, like for the new generation. I don’t know why guys like him have to end up in jail for something like that. He didn’t rob anyone.”
Rogan also speculated about a possible presidential intervention, saying: “Maybe Trump pardons him. I mean that’s what I really hope, makes something happen with that.”
