Homecomings in combat sports are rarely like this. There was no belt around his waist, no Octagon lights, and no noise from the crowd. Instead, the news arrived quietly on a Sunday: a prison release, parole confirmation, and a former heavyweight champion returning to civilian life.

For years, Cain Velasquez was defined by violence within the cage. But once it spilled outside of it during an 11-mile automobile pursuit in 2022, it ended with a five-year term handed down in 2025 following a no-contest plea. Now, after serving time and receiving credit for days already spent in custody, he’s home. And the MMA world didn’t stay silent.

MMA icons welcome Cain Velasquez home

“😭😭😭 Welcome back, Cain! Wishing you and your family happiness and healing!! Ronda Rousey wrote on X. Just like her, more reactions came fast, emotional, and personal.

Daniel Cormier was much more direct: “My dog back home!!!!!!! Welcome home champ!!!!”

For ‘DC,’ the fighter was more than just a former colleague. Velasquez was a teammate, a training partner, and a figure that helped shape the American Kickboxing Academy era.

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“Welcome back real champ,” Khabib Nurmagomedov shared on Instagram. Short. Respectful. Heavy with meaning.

Velasquez’s legal case divided opinions but drew compassion from many parts of the sport. In February 2022, he chased a vehicle carrying a man accused of mol*sting his son at a daycare. Sh*ts were fired. The accused was unharmed, but his stepfather was hurt.

Cain Velasquez later described his acts as “reckless and dangerous” and told the court he would accept whatever sentence the judge deemed fit. Before that, he was the man who defeated Brock Lesnar for heavyweight gold, recaptured his belt from Junior dos Santos, and created a résumé worthy of the Hall of Fame.

His final fight was against Francis Ngannou in 2019, before retirement closed that chapter. Now, another one begins. There have been no indicators of a comeback. No fight announcements. Just a man reunited with his family, and a community of fighters publicly telling him that, no matter what the past holds, he is still one of them. But what’s next in store for the 43-year-old?

Cain Velasquez plans a mental reset seminar

“After my release on February 15th, I’m exploring the idea of hosting a one-day holotropic breathing seminar,” Velasquez wrote on Instagram.

“This would be an in-person experience focused on guided holotropic breathing, mental and emotional reset, stress release and clarity, a personal meet-and-greet, Q&A and shared conversation, and a group photo,” he added.

If the first chapter after release felt symbolic, the second feels intentional. Instead of teasing a comeback or going back into a gym for headlines, Cain Velasquez is focusing on something much quieter. For a man once defined by relentless pressure and ground-and-pound, the pivot is striking.

Cain Velasquez considers breathwork as something that helped him physically, mentally, and spiritually during a difficult period of his life. The seminar, which is scheduled as a limited-capacity ticketed event in Northern California, suggests that his next phase will not be focused on titles or rivalries. Instead, it is regaining balance—and bringing others along with it.