Former UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Released from Prison, Announces Plans for Breathwork Seminar
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez was released from a California prison on Sunday, February 16, 2026, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to ABC7 Eyewitness News [1]. Following his release, Velasquez announced plans to host a holotropic breathing seminar in the San Jose, California area.
Velasquez’s Plans for a Breathwork Seminar
Velasquez shared his intentions via Instagram, outlining a one-day seminar focused on mental and emotional well-being. The seminar will center around holotropic breathing techniques, aiming to provide participants with tools for stress release, clarity, and overall emotional reset [1].
The event is envisioned as a limited-capacity, paid experience. Velasquez intends to include a personal meet-and-greet, a question-and-answer session, a group photo opportunity, and time for conversation with attendees. He is currently gauging public interest through social media before finalizing the seminar details.
Legal Background and Sentencing
Velasquez’s release follows a plea of no contest in August 2024 to charges of attempted murder, felony assault with a firearm, and shooting at a motor vehicle [1]. These charges stemmed from an incident in February 2022 in Santa Clara County, where Velasquez was arrested after a high-speed chase during which he discharged a handgun at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte.
The incident occurred after Goularte was accused of sexually abusing Velasquez’s four-year-old son while at a daycare facility. During the chase, Goularte’s stepfather sustained non-life-threatening injuries from a gunshot wound [1].
Velasquez was initially sentenced to five years in prison but received credit for time already served in custody and under house arrest, making him eligible for parole in early 2026. He stated during his March 2025 sentencing that he accepted whatever sentencing the judge deemed fit, acknowledging his actions as reckless and dangerous and expressing his remorse [1].
As of February 16, 2026, Goularte’s case remains pending, with a trial setting hearing scheduled for April 15 [1].
About Cain Velasquez
Cain Ramírez Velasquez, born July 28, 1982, is an American former professional wrestler and mixed martial artist [2]. He is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he held the Heavyweight Championship twice [2]. Velasquez retired from mixed martial arts in 2019 and briefly pursued a professional wrestling career with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and WWE before his release from WWE in 2020 due to COVID-19 related budget cuts [2].