Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been granted permission to compete at a professional wrestling event while on bail.
MMA Junkie reports that a Santa Clara County judge ruled that the ex-MMA star would be allowed to travel across state lines to Arizona by plane to compete for Lucha Libre promotion AAA Worldwide.
Earlier this month, the 40-year-old was released on a $1 million bail after being charged with the attempted murder of Harry Goularte earlier this year.
Advert
He was placed under house confinement restriction, however, that will be temporarily waved so he can compete at the event.
The judge ruled that Velasquez would be allowed to partake in the event without GPS monitoring, despite the district attorney’s office objection.
However, he will have to pay for and hire a police officer to accompany him at the event at all times.
He will leave his home on December 1 and return on December 4, with the event set to take place on December 3 at Mullett Arena.
The former MMA star took up professional wrestling in 2019 as part of the Mexican promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
He had a brief stint in the WWE where he went up against Brock Lesnar at the Saudi Arabia event Crown Jewel.
He returned to AAA in 2021, and will now return once again after just recently being released on bail.
The event takes place in Tempe, where Velasquez attended Arizona State University and wrestled for college.
He still faces seven charges, after he allegedly chased and shot at Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez’s 4-year-old son.
Goularte is also currently out of bail as he faces one felony charge of lewd acts with a child.
He instead shot and injured Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender whilst chasing down Goularte.
Velasquez had previously been denied bail after Bender had pleaded with the judge not to release him as he was fearful for his life.
However, Judge Arthur Bocanegra laid down the conditions for the 40-year-old’s release.
Terms of the fighter's release include a $1 million bail, GPS monitoring, and compliance to an extended set of terms.
Those terms include no weapons, CTE outpatient treatment, counselling, seizure conditions, and a protective order to stay away from Harry Goularte, Patricia Goularte and Paul Bender.
As per MMA Junkie, the judge told Velasquez: “Mr. Velasquez, I would not release you if I was not convinced that upon a release at this time, eight months later, that you would be a danger to Harry Goularte primarily, Patricia Goularte or Paul Bender.
“If you are as devoted a husband and father, I’m confident and have to believe you will not jeopardize anything that would take you away from your son, your daughter, your family. I hope you don’t prove me wrong.”
The MMA legend replied: “I won’t, your honour.”
Topics: MMA, UFC, Cain Velasquez, Wrestling
Jayden Collins