Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was arrested on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder and booked into the Santa Clara (California) County Jail, the San Jose Police Department announced Tuesday morning.
According to online records, Velasquez is being held without bail. A court date is set for him on Wednesday.
The San Jose Police Department announced Monday evening that a shooting occurred near the intersection of Monterey Highway and Bailey Avenue in the city. Police said an adult male was shot at least once and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police on Tuesday identified Velasquez as the shooter.
"The cause and circumstances of this incident are still being investigated," San Jose Police said on its Public Information Twitter account.
Velasquez, 39, is a two-time former UFC heavyweight champion, holding the title in 2010 and 2011, and again from 2012 to 2015. The California native is widely regarded as one of the top heavyweight fighters of all time. Velasquez retired from MMA in 2019 and is coaching at American Kickboxing Academy, his longtime gym in San Jose.
Velasquez's team had not responded to a call for comment until Tuesday morning.
After participating in the UFC, Velásquez began professional wrestling, first in Mexico, where his parents were born, and then in WWE. He was released by WWE at the start of the pandemic in 2020, but resurfaced for Mexican promotion AAA in December. Sources said the plan was for him to wrestle more this year.