When Cain Velasquez stepped in to do his time, he surely expected time, routine, and a lot of personal reflection. But what he didn’t expect was for the prison system to teach him anything about justice, as he met folks whose experiences made him wonder if the system always got it right.

During his time in prison in California, the UFC legend met Derek Martinez, an inmate who had been detained for more than 20 years in what is believed to be a wrongful conviction by many. As a result, the circumstances of Martinez’s case stayed with him, not because of rumors or jailhouse talk, but because of what Cain Velasquez says should not happen in a certainty-based system: DNA exclusions, recanted testimony, and no real path left to review the conviction.

Cain Velasquez calls for accountability inside the justice system

Taking to his Instagram account, Cain Velasquez didn’t come forward with a dramatic announcement or a political rant. What he said stemmed from proximity. During his time inside, the 43-year-old claims he noticed patterns that were impossible to ignore—not about violence or guilt, but about how final the justice system becomes once it makes up its mind.

Velasquez describes meeting Derek Martinez as a watershed moment in his overall perspective on incarceration. “Coming to prison, I didn’t know what to expect,” Cain shared. “Meeting people like Derek Martinez, I was shocked how the system failed him.” According to Velasquez, Martinez has been imprisoned for more than two decades despite being excluded from DNA evidence related to the crime, and the testimony used to convict him falling apart.

For the unaware, Martinez, who is currently serving 54 years to life in a California prison, was convicted in the 1997 homicide of 24-year-old Christopher Kohn, who was found beaten to death inside his apartment in the early hours of January 31. Investigators suspected the incident was a robbery, but no physical or circumstantial evidence ever linked Martinez to the scene, the victim, or anybody present that night. Even though evidence was collected on the site, none of it was analyzed, and he was not mentioned in the first police reports or witness interviews.

Years later, when the evidence was ultimately analyzed, none of it matched Derek Martinez, making the state’s version of the crime impossible. At the same time, the original suspect couldn’t be ruled out based on that DNA, but the conviction against Martinez was never reconsidered. Now this is where Cain Velasquez’s biggest frustration lies: the lack of a real mechanism for revisiting a verdict.

As per the 43-year-old, the system does more than just make mistakes; it also shields them by default. Velasquez boiled the issue down to one core failure: oversight. “A common theme in these miscarriages of justice is the lack of oversight and independent review,” he added, explaining why instances like Martinez’s rarely see the light of day after all appeals have been exhausted.

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Derek Martinez has filed over a decade’s worth of petitions and appeals, including repeated motions for DNA testing, all of which were eventually refused despite evidentiary hearings and recanted testimony. His final plea to the California Supreme Court was dismissed in February 2022, and subsequent attempts to get relief in federal court were denied in 2023, effectively closing his legal options.

This has motivated the 43-year-old former UFC champion to publicly campaign for an independent conviction review commission in California, not to declare innocence, but to compel accountability. Coming from the MMA legend who is now serving time, the message was really powerful without the need for theatrics.

Cain Velasquez did not position himself as a rescuer or a victim. He was speaking as someone inside the system, observing it in real time and deciding that silence would be easier but wrong. In fact, his silence could’ve really benefited him, considering the fact that the former UFC heavyweight champion could be home sooner than expected.

Velasquez’s parole eligibility date changed

The irony sits right there in the timing. Cain Velasquez is speaking louder now, even though silence may benefit him more. While he advocates for accountability and reform from within, the system he criticizes has silently moved his clock forward. His parole eligibility date has been changed, which means he may be able to return home sooner than expected.

According to updated incarceration records, the former UFC heavyweight champion is now eligible for parole as early as February 2026, up from the previously stated March date. That change does not guarantee freedom, but it does matter. Eligibility is earned, not given, and is determined by time served, behavior inside, and participation in rehabilitation. Legends like Daniel Cormier are vouching for his early homecoming.

And for someone who has primarily kept his head down while imprisoned, it seems like his actions have not worked against him—even as he’s chosen to speak out. That’s what makes the situation tricky. Cain Velasquez didn’t need to say anything. With eligibility approaching, discretion would have been safer.

Instead, he entered into a larger debate, fully aware that parole is never assured and can be impacted by perception as much as documentation. Whether he’s released in February or later, the 43-year-old has made it clear that comfort was never the goal. Speaking up was.