Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, currently out on bail awaiting trial for premeditated attempted murder, has received court permission to serve as a coach and cornerman for lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov at Bellator 300.
Cain Velasquez, the former UFC heavyweight champion, is scheduled to attend and act as a coach at Bellator 300 this Saturday. He is expected to serve as a cornerman for the reigning lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, for his match against Brent Primus. Notably, Velasquez was granted permission by the courts to be a part of Nurmagomedov’s team, as he is expected to face a trial in January on charges of premeditated, attempted murder. California State Athletic Commission’s executive director, Andy Foster, confirmed the news, stating, “He is scheduled to corner. We are in possession of a court order permitting him to do so”.
Velasquez’s attendance at Bellator 300 comes as part of the conditions set in place following his bail release in November. In order to make appearances or travel, he is legally obligated to get court approval. This policy has already resulted in his appearance at a professional wrestling event in Arizona and conducting sponsorship duties requiring him to travel throughout the US. This is the first time since his arrest in February 2022, that Velasquez will be returning to corner a fighter.
The attempted murder charges against Velasquez stem from an incident where he reportedly pursued a car in a high-speed chase while firing several shots from a handgun. The vehicle contained Harry Goularte, who is accused of sexually molesting Velasquez’s young son at a daycare managed by Goularte’s own mother. Though Goularte was unharmed during the attack, his stepfather sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The former champion was arrested without any conflict and was imprisoned for eight months before being granted conditional bail in November. A trial date for his case has been set for mid-to-late January 2024, and if convicted, he may face life imprisonment.
During his career, Velasquez was revered as one of the greatest heavyweights in history, boasting several championship reigns within the UFC before his retirement in 2019. Now, he will assist Nurmagomedov in his upcoming title defense against Brent Primus, a match that is part of the Bellator 300’s main event and the ongoing Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix. Velasquez and Nurmagomedov train together at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.