Ex-UFC fighter Cain Velasquez arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after Bay Area shooting

Former mixed martial arts heavyweight Cain Velasquez was arrested Monday on suspicion of attempted murder after a shooting in the Bay Area, authorities said.

A man was shot around 3 p.m. in Morgan Hill, according to the San Jose Police Department.

The man, who was not identified, was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Authorities did not offer additional details about the shooting but said Velasquez, 39, was taken into custody. The Santa Clara district attorney’s office is reviewing the case, according DA spokesperson Sean Webby.

“[Velasquez] was booked into Santa Clara County main jail ... [on suspicion of] attempted murder,” San Jose Police said on social media. “The motive and circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation at this time.”

According to jail records, Velasquez was still in police custody as of Tuesday and was expected to appear in court Wednesday.

Born in Salinas and raised in Yuma, Ariz., Velasquez wrestled while attending Arizona State University. He was named wrestler of the year in the NCAA’s Pac-10 Conference in 2005.

He went on to win two heavyweight titles while he was with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His career spanned from 2008 to 2019. He went on to enter into a contract with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and briefly joined World Wrestling Entertainment.