Cain Velasquez will not only attend Bellator 300 on Saturday, but he will serve as one of the coaches and cornermen for lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov for his fight against Brent Primus.
The ex-UFC heavyweight champion, who is expected to go to trial on premeditated, attempted murder charges in January, was granted permission by the courts to allow him to corner Nurmagomedov on Saturday. California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday.
“He is scheduled to corner,” Foster said in a text sent to MMA Fighting. “We are in possession of a court order permitting him to do so.”
As a condition of his release on bail this past November, Velasquez is required to receive permission from the courts for any travel or appearances he makes. Velasquez had previously appeared at a professional wrestling card in Arizona as well as other sponsorship duties that required him to travel across the United States.
This will be the first time Velasquez has returned to corner a fighter since he was first arrested in February 2022 on multiple charges including premeditated, attempted murder.
Velasquez was arrested after he allegedly went on a high-speed chase while firing multiple rounds from a handgun at a vehicle containing Harry Goularte — the man facing charges of his own after he allegedly sexually molested Velasquez’s 4-year-old son at a daycare owned and operated by his mother.
Goularte wasn’t harmed in the attack but his stepfather Paul Bender suffered non-life threatening injuries from a bullet wound he sustained. Velasquez was later arrested without incident and spent the next eight months in jail before he was finally granted conditional bail this past November.
This past Wednesday, Judge Daniel T. Nishigaya advised Velasquez via his attorneys that he would set a trial date for his case in mid-to-late January 2024. Velasquez faces a multitude of charges, which if convicted he faces the potential for life in prison.
During his fight career, Velasquez was regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in history with multiple reigns as champion in the UFC. He retired from active competition in 2019.
He will now help Nurmagomedov, who he trains alongside at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, in his upcoming title defense as he clashes with Brent Primus in the main event at Bellator 300, which also serves as a bout in the ongoing Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix.