UFC President Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov have reacted to the recent arrest of former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez, who hasn’t competed in the Octagon since a 2019 defeat to Francis Ngannou, was arrested on Monday following a shooting incident in California. The 39-year-old reportedly pursued and attempted to shoot 43-year-old Harry Eugene Goularte, who is accused of molesting an underage relative of Velasquez.
After shooting and injuring a 63-year-old man, believed to be Goularte’s stepfather, Velasquez was incarcerated and held on numerous charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
As the facts and context behind the incident have emerged in recent days, a number of fighters and influential individuals in the MMA and UFC community have sent messages of support for the former elite heavyweight.
Now, the promotion’s top man Dana White has addressed the incident, describing his former champion’s response to Goularte’s alleged crime as something “we all say we’d do.”
“I obviously feel sorry for him and his family,” White said in an interview with Barstool Sports. “It’s a horrible thing. I don’t know enough details to speak on it, but from what I’ve heard—we all say we’d do it if it ever happened to us. Cain did it.”
Khabib Sends Support To Long-time AKA Teammate Velasquez
Velasquez, who remains in custody awaiting arraignment after being denied bail, also received support from one of his long-time teammates and fellow former UFC titleholders.
Having trained alongside the Californian at the famed American Kickboxing Academy, Khabib, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, has spent a lot of time with Velasquez and experienced the veteran’s character.
Taking to Instagram, “The Eagle” assured Velasquez that the entire AKA team will always be with him, signing off with the hashtag, “#weareAKA.”
“You are the man Cain. We love you and we always stay with you. @officialcainvelasquez #weareAKA”
As the incident continues to develop and the facts emerge, it’s clear how serious the situation is. If found guilty, Velasquez will be facing between 20 years and life in prison.
Velasquez’s fate is set to become more clear in the coming days and following his court appearance.
What was your reaction to Cain Velasquez’s arrest?
