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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Danny Segura

Khabib Nurmagomedov puzzled by Cain Velasquez’s imprisonment: ‘What about other guy?’

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t understand why Cain Velasquez is still in prison and why the man who allegedly molested a family member of Velasquez’s isn’t.

The former UFC lightweight champion thinks Velasquez should’ve been granted bail after his arrest for an alleged shooting of Paul Bender back in March. Police say Velasquez shot Bender in the arm while he targeted Bender’s stepson, Harry Goularte, as they were chased in a truck in San Jose, Calif.

Nurmagomedov is understanding of Velasquez’s reaction, and despite it being careless and dangerous, Nurmagomedov doesn’t think it means Velasquez is a danger to society.

“Anybody in the world who respects himself, who loves his family is going to do same thing, exactly,” Nurmagomedov told TMZ. “Come on, nobody is going to think of law or something when you have something about your family. You have to protect your family. If animals protect their family, of course, humans are going to protect their family.

“They talk about law court about jail, but I don’t understand these things. This is not fair. He sit in jail and other guy is outside. What about other guy? Put this guy in jail too. He’s more dangerous for people than Cain Velasquez.”

Nurmagomedov was a teammate of Velasquez back when they were active fighters. Both fighters trained at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose under the tutelage of Javier Mendez.

From years of knowing Velasquez, Nurmagomedov said the former UFC heavyweight champion was far from a threat to anyone outside of the octagon.

“Never in his life, and he’s 40 years old, never in his life he had problem in social, outside with people, in gym,” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s the most respectful guy I’ve ever seen in my life. I trained with him for more than 10 years. I know his family. Everybody loves Cain. This is his kids. I don’t understand. Ok put him in jail, but what about other guy? He’s more dangerous than Cain. Cain is dangerous for only one guy, but this guy is dangerous for everybody. I don’t understand this.”

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