Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez received support from Dana White shortly after being detained and accused of a crime that could see him spending the rest of his life in prison. White wrote to the judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, pleading for the consideration of Velasquez’s character in the case’s adjudication.
On February 28, Velasquez was accused of pursuing a vehicle transporting Harry Goularte and firing at it. He wounded the arm of Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender. Goularte has been previously accused of abusing the four-year-old son of Valesquez at a home daycare managed by Goularte’s mother.
Cain Velasquez was being held at the Santa Clara County jail. If he is found guilty, he may spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Dana White’s letter was included in a 246-page petition for Cain Velasquez’s release from prison. Velasquez’s attorney Mark Geragos, Cain Velasquez’s attorney submitted the report to the 6th District Court of Appeal.
In his letter, Dana White praised Velasquez as a “model example” of a professional athlete. Additionally, White praised the former UFC champion for his honorable representation of the organization while he worked there.
The whole letter read:
“March 4, 2022
To the honorable judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court, I write this reference in full knowledge of Cain Velasquez’s current charges of attempted murder and assault. I was stunned to learn of these charges against him, as they are completely out of character for the man I was proud to say was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. 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. He was a model example of how a professional athlete should carry himself, projecting a positive image to UFC’s fanbase.
Mr. Velasquez was extremely professional and went above and beyond to make a connection with our fans and promote the sport of mixed martial arts—- not only as an entertainment product, but also as a character—building discipline. As a Mexican American, Mr. Velasquez was proud of his heritage and never passed up an opportunity to visit Mexico on behalf of our company and demonstrate his gratitude to the Mexican fans for their support. People who know him best describe him as a humble, soft-spoken man who was very much dedicated t0 his family, including his wife and his two children.
If given the opportunity, I’m sure Mr. Velasquez would like nothing more than to return to his family and continue to make a positive impact on his community. I sincerely ask that you take this into consideration as you adjudicate next steps in this process concerning Mr. Velasquez. lf you wish for me to confirm any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Dana White UFC President”
When it comes to supporting Cain Velasquez, the MMA world seems to be on the same page for once. Numerous MMA icons reportedly showed their support for Velasquez, including Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov. They were his colleagues at the American Kickboxing Academy.
A number of well-known UFC fighters signed letters in support of Cain Velasquez, including Islam Makhachev, Kamaru Usman, Henry Cejudo, Brandon Moreno, Fabricio Werdum, Yair Rodriguez, and Kelvin Gastelum.
Daniel Cormier thanked his AKA buddy for his help and wrote:
“Throughout the years, he has traveled with me, supported me, and even helped me prepare for a coaching job at the high school while I retired from my fighter career. Cain has taken it upon himself to help every chance he gets.”
Nurmagomedov expressed similar sentiments in his writing:
“[Velasquez] is an honest and kindhearted person who would do anything for his family and friends. He is the type of man that most of us would want on our side in life.”