Dana White stands behind his former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Cain Velasquez.
It wouldn’t take long for the UFC President to support Velasquez, who was arrested for attempted murder on February 28th. Just a few days later on March 4th, White would send out a letter to Santa Clara County Superior Court to consider Velasquez’s character in the case. White would describe Velasquez as a ‘humble, soft-spoken man who was very much dedicated t0 his family’.
White’s Letter
You can read White’s full letter to the court below (via MMA Junkie).
To the honorable judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court,
I write this reference in full knowledge of Cain Velasquez’s current charges of attempted murder and assault. I was stunned to learn of these charges against him, as they are completely out of character for the man I was proud to say was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion.
I have known Mr. Velasquez for more than 15 years, and during his time as an active athlete with UFC, he represented our company with dignity and always treated others with respect. He was a model example of how a professional athlete should carry himself, projecting a positive image to UFC’s fanbase. Mr. Velasquez was extremely professional and went above and beyond to make a connection with our fans and promote the sport of mixed martial arts—- not only as an entertainment product, but also as a character—building discipline.
As a Mexican American, Mr. Velasquez was proud of his heritage and never passed up an opportunity to visit Mexico on behalf of our company and demonstrate his gratitude
to the Mexican fans for their support.People who know him best describe him as a humble, soft-spoken man who was very much dedicated t0 his family, including his wife and his two children.
If given the opportunity, I’m sure Mr. Velasquez would like nothing more than to return to his family and continue to make a positive impact on his community.
I sincerely ask that you take this into consideration as you adjudicate next steps in this process concerning Mr. Velasquez.
lf you wish for me to confirm any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Dana White
UFC President
White wasn’t the only one to write a letter supporting Velasquez. Other faces in the fight game also lent a hand including (but not limited to) Bellator’s Scott Coker, UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman, former UFC champions Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Brandon Moreno, and Fabricio Werdum.
Despite the aid from his fellow fighters, it’s still a tough legal battle for Cain Velasquez. The former champ has been denied of bail three times by the court, citing high-risk analysis for his incarceration.
