“Stay strong, lion,” said Khabib Nurmagomedov after the court handed Cain Velasquez a five-year prison sentence for attempted murder and nine other felonies. The former two-time heavyweight champion accepted the verdict in silence, but the MMA community rallied in unwavering support. Amid the uproar, Velasquez’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, broke his silence. In a heartfelt statement, he emphasized that if his own child faced similar harm, his reaction might have been even more severe.

While having a conversation with Mohannad Azizah, Javier Mendez was asked what his reaction would have been if the perpetrator assaulted his kid, to which the Team Khabib’s head coach emphasized that his reaction would have been much more severe: “To be honest with you, to be able to think clearly, I would have done worse. Because I would be in my clear mind, I would have made that guy look at my face when I did it to him. I would have done worse.”

He further added, “I’m not going to sit here and tell you I would have done the same thing as he did. No, no. I would have thought it out properly. I would have done it, and I would have found a way for no one to figure out it was me. I would have done it. I would have done it where he looked at me for what he did to my child. I would have him look at me while I punished him. I would have done that.”

Javier Mendez’s statement resonates deeply because no father would remain idle upon learning that their child has been molested. Cain Velasquez acted on this instinct when he discovered his child’s ordeal. On February 28, 2022, the former two-time heavyweight champion confronted the accused near Santa Clara, California. Upon witnessing the suspect accelerating his vehicle, Velasquez didn’t hesitate — he fired shots at the car.

After chasing them for 11 miles, a bullet struck the driver in the arm, severing his artery as they drove past a school that was letting out for the day. Fast forward to 2025, District Attorney Jeff Rosen, in his statement, emphasized that Cain Velasquez not only took the matters into his own hands but also risked the lives of other civilians in the process. With a heavy heart and tears in his eyes, Jeff Rosen sentenced the former champion to a five-year prison sentence at max. After the sentence, the entirety of the MMA community came in unison to disregard the judgment as, according to them, the courts were attacking the wrong man.

While the former heavyweight champion will spend his time in jail for years, the plaintiff will be out of custody with GPS monitoring. Well, amidst this chaotic scenario, Ariel Helwani has come forward to deliver a piece of good news.

Positive update by Ariel Helwani on Cain Velasquez’ jailtime

While discussing Cain Velasquez, renowned journalist Ariel Helwani read a report published by Uncrowned.com, which stated that there was utter chaos when Judge Arthus Bocanegra revealed his verdict. Velasquez’s sentence factored in the time he had already spent behind bars, sparking conversations that he might be released in less than five years, with 1,283 days credited as time served.

“When you consider the time served, it might end up being, according to his team, what I’m hearing, as soon as potentially January, with some good behavior involved, to where he could be released. So, initially, when we heard about the 5 years, ‘Oh my God! 5 years is a nightmare.’ Any day behind bars for a good man like Cain Velasquez is a nightmare. But I do believe that this was a good day for Cain Velasquez when you consider the fact that they were seeking 30 years to life. As you can see there, he’s being credited for 1283 days served,” said Ariel Helwani.

It must be noted that the judge who sentenced him emphasized that Cain is not a threat to the common folks, however, he had to do what’s necessary as the law states it. Given these circumstances, there’s a high possibility that the former two-time heavyweight champion will be out of jail sooner than expected. Regardless, what are your thoughts on the situation? State your opinions in the comments below.