Cain Velasquez was officially sentenced to serve five years in prison. The former UFC heavyweight champion was arrested in 2022 and charged with attempted murder, felony assault, and some gun charges. ‘Cardio Cain’ was alleged to have been involved in a car chase with Harry Goularte, who is alleged to have assaulted Velasquez’s son.

During the chase, the UFC legend allegedly fired his gun at Goularte, who was fleeing in his car, but the bullet unfortunately hit Goularte’s stepfather instead. Velasquez was arrested straight after and tried. The former heavyweight champ agreed to a plea deal with the prosecutors and accepted a five year sentence so that he could avoid going to trial. Since the sentence includes the time Velasquez has already spent in prison, he will have to spend about eighteen months in jail before he is free.

And given the details of the case, his former coach, American Kickboxing Academy head honcho Javier Mendez, feels California Governor Gavin Newsom should use his powers and pardon Cain Velasquez. “Well, Donald Trump is more federal. This is more state. The state governor, Gavin Newsom, he’s the one that could pardon Cain, not Trump. Had it been Trump, I believe Trump would have pardoned him right away. But this isn’t Trump’s decision. He has no decision making here,” Mendez told Redcorner MMA in a recent interview.

“Gavin Newsom is the only one that would have the heart to… look into it and see that this man is not a threat to anybody. He needs to be home with his family. So Gavin Newsom if you’re hearing this, you are the only one that can help him. You’re the only one that people would be gratified and thankful to you if you do such a great gesture,” the legendary coach pleaded.

Indeed, Donald Trump, as President, has clemency powers in federal cases. There is little doubt that the 47th President would have pardoned Velasquez if he could. After all, not only does Trump love the UFC, he is also very good friends with Dana White. The UFC CEO could have easily put in a good word and gotten Velasquez pardoned.

But since Velasquez has been convicted in a state court for a state crime, the clemency power in his case belongs to the Governor of the state, who is Gavin Newsom. Hence Mendez’s heartfelt request to him. Moreover, the coach feels that the whole prison sentence is a mistake since he feels that the UFC legend clearly qualifies for one of the few legitimate defenses in attempted murder cases.

Javier Mendez explains why Cain Velasquez shouldn’t do any more time

For Javier Mendez, who trained Cain Velasquez and holds him in great regard, the whole thing seems like a clear case of temporary insanity. The AKA head coach pointed out how the UFC legend wasn’t thinking right and “lost his mind” when he found out what allegedly happened to his son.

“And, the thing of it is that when something happens to your child, you know, and you do something about it, do you really have your right thought? When that happens to your child, you lose your head. Cain Velasquez lost his mind when something happened to his child,” he said.

Indeed, temporary insanity is a legitimate defense in court, and Velasquez’s lawyers may well have went with it had the case gone to trial. However, the UFC legend thought it was safer to agree to a five-year plea deal, rather than go to trial and risk the maximum punishment of a life sentence if found guilty. What do you think about Javier Mendez’s plea to Governor Gavin Newsom?