Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other weapon charges Friday at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, according to MMA Junkie's Nolan King.
Velasquez's pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 26. He is due back in court on Aug. 29 for a motion hearing.
The retired fighter is facing an attempted murder charge and nine other counts of gun-related charges in relation to an alleged shooting on Feb. 28 in San Jose. He's accused of shooting a man while targeting Harry Goularte, who is accused of molesting Velasquez's young relative. The relative has since been identified as Velasquez's four-year-old son.
After a high-speed chase, Velasquez, now 40, allegedly fired a handgun multiple times into a vehicle carrying Goularte and two of his relatives. Velasquez allegedly shot Goularte's stepfather, Paul Bender, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Velasquez is currently being held without bail and has been denied bail three times, most recently in July. His lawyer, Mark Geragos, appealed the denial of Velasquez's bail later that month. The appeal is still pending, according to King.
