Sean Strickland doesn’t consider the UFC heavyweight legend must have been behind bars to start with.
The previous UFC middleweight champion is amongst those pleased to see Cain Velasquez reunited along with his family after over 300 days.
Velasquez walked out of California state prison last Sunday, having been sentenced to jail time in March 2025 after pleading no contest to felony attempted murder, assault and weapons charges.
Velasquez was charged after an incident wherein he shot on the automotive of Harry Goularte, a person accused of molesting his son. The ex-UFC star struck Goularte’s father, who was present within the vehicle.
Following the heavyweight legend’s arrest, a bunch of UFC and MMA figures expressed support for Velasquez and dismay at his punishment — and Strickland continues to be furious about what transpired.
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Sean Strickland thinks Cain Velasquez’s prison sentence was a ‘stain’ on the USA
It isn’t a Strickland fight week without a variety of rants, and that trend has not stopped ahead of Saturday’s UFC Houston event.
Before he headlines the cardboard against Anthony Hernandez, Strickland has targeted the UFC over fighter pay, Bad Bunny and the NFL over the Super Bowl halftime show, and Ronda Rousey’s MMA comeback against Gina Carano.
The newest to enter Strickland’s sights were those that selected to place Velasquez in prison.
During an interview with Complex, the polarizing American reacted to the ex-heavyweight champ’s release by blasting his imprisonment as a “stain” on his country.
“Yeah dude, hell yeah,” Strickland said when asked for his thoughts on Velasquez’s release.
“The incontrovertible fact that he went to jail…that’s the issue.
“Back within the (day), man…it might make you a hero. Now it makes you go to jail for what? I believe he did over a yr,” he added.
“It’s a stain on this country.”
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There was only one UFC heavyweight title fight since Cain Velasquez was sentenced
During his stint behind bars, Velasquez didn’t miss much price catching up on in the load class he once ruled over.
The UFC heavyweight division is in a troubling state, having endured an enormous decline because the days when Velasquez and a variety of other legends competed in it.
Since he was sentenced, only one heavyweight title fight has taken place, and that didn’t go to plan for anyone involved.
In his first defense, Tom Aspinall was injured by Ciryl Gane’s pokes, which left the champion requiring double eye surgery.
With an absent titleholder and a weak roster that leaves plenty to be desired, the modern-day UFC heavyweight division could use someone like Velasquez.