Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez jailed

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has received a five-year jail sentence for attempted murder.

The 42-year-old pleaded no contest to attempted murder felony assault and other related gun charges last August in California.

The American shot at a vehicle in 2022, with three people on board including Harry Goularte. He injured another man in the truck in the arm and torso.

Goularte was the intended victim and, according to the district office, is facing felony child molestation charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to.

Defence attorney Renee Hessling called the ruling “bittersweet” as she had hoped to avoid a prison sentence for Velasquez.

The former champion has been on house arrest since November and received 1,283 days of time served, reducing his sentence.

“Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character,” Hessling said in a statement.

“He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable. The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines.”

Velasquez fought 15 times in the UFC, twice winning the heavyweight title with wins over Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos.

The California native retired after a knockout defeat by Francis Ngannou in 2019, with a record of 14 wins and three losses.