Cain Velasquez requests special permission to compete for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide while out on bail
Out on bail but still in the thick of continuous legal battles, Cain Velasquez has requested special permission to return to professional wrestling.
Velasquez appeared at an arraignment Monday in a Santa Clara (Calif.) County court. It was the first hearing to which he’s been able to wear street clothes rather than a jail jumpsuit after he was released on bail Nov. 8.
In addition to typical arraignment procedures, Velasquez and attorney Ed Sousa went before Judge Daniel T. Nishigaya and made a motion for the court to permit him to compete at a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide professional wrestling event Dec. 3 in Arizona.
Currently, Velasquez has travel restrictions among a list of other bail release stipulations. Velasquez’s legal team indicated he would still partake in GPS monitoring and even would pay fees for police to accompany him on the trip.
A district attorney representative present at Monday’s hearing objected to Velasquez’s request and asked the hearing be rescheduled for later this month when lead prosecutor Aaron French, who was absent from Monday’s hearing, is available.
Sousa rebutted that the decision would not be able to wait that long because the wrestling promotion needs to advertise the event. According to the promotion’s website, the event takes place at Mullett Arena in Tempe.
Due to the special circumstances of the situation, Nishigaya redirected the request to a different judge more familiar with the circumstances of the Velasquez case. The second judge is expected to make a formal ruling on the matter Tuesday.
Monday, Velasquez pleaded not guilty to trial charges and waived his right to a speedy trial. His next hearing will be Dec. 28, at which he is expected to identify counsel representing him ahead of trial. He currently faces seven charges, including attempted murder, after he allegedly chased and shot at Harry Goularte, a man accused of molestation of Velasquez’s then 4-year-old son.
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Goularte also is out on bail. He faces one felony charge of lewd acts with a child. In October, Goularte was permitted by the court to return to work as a construction worker. He also has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a pre-trial hearing in January.
Velasquez competed for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide following the conclusion of his MMA career in 2019. It preceded a stint in WWE, which featured a feud with former UFC opponent Brock Lesnar. He departed WWE in 2020. In late 2021, Velasquez returned to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
