Kavanagh says McGregor entered UFC 329 with zero injury and still wants to fight; MMA-type training is not expected before 2027, with one UFC fight left on his deal.
From 16 reports by 14 outletsLatest Kavanagh: McGregor still wants to fight; MMA-type training not before 2027 2 updates 14 outlets
What we know
- McGregor had ACL reconstruction surgery in early August after the injury at UFC 329.
- Kavanagh says McGregor entered UFC 329 with no injury and was probably healthier than before his last few fights.
- Kavanagh expects McGregor to return to MMA-type training in 2027, with no fight date set.
- McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract, and Kavanagh says it could be his last UFC fight.
Reported, not confirmed
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Kavanagh said on the show he is joining Scott Coker's Ki MMA, which launches in 2027, as an ambassador.
Knockout Daily
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The opening move was a jumping switch kick McGregor had drilled in at least 50 sparring sessions, according to Kavanagh.
The Mac Life
The theory that Conor McGregor was already hurt when he walked out at UFC 329 now has a direct denial from the man in his corner. John Kavanagh said on The Ariel Helwani Show that McGregor had no injury at all, and that McGregor has told him privately he felt "supremely confident" going in.
The fight lasted 69 seconds. McGregor, in his first fight in five years, opened with a jumping kick, went down with a knee injury and could not continue against Max Holloway. Kavanagh said the camp ran about nine months, six of them intense, and that the opening move had worked for six months in the gym. McGregor had ACL reconstruction in early August, which he called surgery number five of his career.
The timeline is long. Kavanagh guessed McGregor would not be back to MMA-type training until next year, but described him as moving well and "very aggressive" in rehab. A full camp would come after that. McGregor is 38 and has not won since his January 2020 knockout of Donald Cerrone; his last fight before UFC 329 ended with a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
Kavanagh has no doubt about the intent. After 22 years around McGregor, he said he has seen him do too many seemingly impossible things to doubt him. What he cannot picture is the shape of a return. He said he does not know what it would look like, and that the next fight could be McGregor's last in the UFC. According to Knockout Daily, he also joked that McGregor could be signed by Ki MMA, the promotion Kavanagh is joining as an ambassador.
The contract matters. McGregor still owes the UFC one fight, so any move elsewhere has to wait. Other talk, including Floyd Mayweather's interest in fighting McGregor again, remains talk; nothing is booked. Watch for McGregor's own update on his rehab and for the first signs of a return to MMA training.
The fight lasted 69 seconds. McGregor, in his first fight in five years, opened with a jumping kick, went down with a knee injury and could not continue against Max Holloway. Kavanagh said the camp ran about nine months, six of them intense, and that the opening move had worked for six months in the gym. McGregor had ACL reconstruction in early August, which he called surgery number five of his career.
The timeline is long. Kavanagh guessed McGregor would not be back to MMA-type training until next year, but described him as moving well and "very aggressive" in rehab. A full camp would come after that. McGregor is 38 and has not won since his January 2020 knockout of Donald Cerrone; his last fight before UFC 329 ended with a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
Kavanagh has no doubt about the intent. After 22 years around McGregor, he said he has seen him do too many seemingly impossible things to doubt him. What he cannot picture is the shape of a return. He said he does not know what it would look like, and that the next fight could be McGregor's last in the UFC. According to Knockout Daily, he also joked that McGregor could be signed by Ki MMA, the promotion Kavanagh is joining as an ambassador.
The contract matters. McGregor still owes the UFC one fight, so any move elsewhere has to wait. Other talk, including Floyd Mayweather's interest in fighting McGregor again, remains talk; nothing is booked. Watch for McGregor's own update on his rehab and for the first signs of a return to MMA training.
- Summary
- Kavanagh says McGregor entered UFC 329 with zero injury and still wants to fight; MMA-type training is not expected before 2027, with one UFC fight left on his deal.
- Key points (one per line)
- Kavanagh says McGregor walked into UFC 329 with 'zero injury' and felt 'supremely confident'.
McGregor is rehabbing after ACL surgery; MMA-type training is not expected until 2027.
McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract; nothing is booked.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/27/conor-mcgregors-coach-comments-on-his-ufc-future-for-the-first-time-since-comeback-ended-in-injury/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/conor-mcgregors-coach-just-shut-down-the-ufc-329-injury-conspiracy-for-good
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/55c464f8-f646-4922-8fc6-3d57d7f24b9f/john-kavanagh-conor-mcgregor-ufc-329-runners-walkout
Sherdog | https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Conor-McGregors-coach-gives-2027-training-timeline-after-knee-injury-203376
BJPenn.com | https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/conor-mcgregor/conor-mcgregor-coach-encouraging-update-fighting-future/
MMA.pl | https://mma.pl/trener-mcgregora-zostal-zapytany-o-powrot-irlandczyka-odpowiedzial-wprost/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/conor-mcgregors-coach-puts-his-comeback-on-a-2027-clock-and-floats-a-ki-mma-twist
Heavy on UFC | https://heavy.com/sports/ufc/conor-mcgregor-coach-mentality-injury-max-holloway/
X: @arielhelwani | https://x.com/arielhelwani/status/2115142715222687882
ActuMMA | https://www.actumma.com/lentraineur-de-conor-mcgregor-donne-des-nouvelles-de-sa-blessure-et-evoque-son-retour-a-lufc/194250/
Kimura | https://www.kimura.se/conor-mcgregor-kavanagh-inte-klar-med-tavlandet/
The Mac Life | https://themaclife.com/sports/mma/john-kavanagh-says-conor-mcgregor-still-intends-to-fight-again-following-acl-injury/
InTheCage | https://inthecage.pl/conor-mcgregor-ponownie-wroci-do-ufc-jego-trener-zabral-glos-nie-sadze-zeby-to-byl-koniec/
FightTime.ru | https://fighttime.ru/news/item/44540-trener-konora-makgregora-otsenil-veroyatnost-vozvrashcheniya-irlandtsa-v-boi.html
Blood & Sweat | https://www.bloodandsweat.ru/2026/10/dzhon-kavana-konor-govorit-chto-snova-xochet-dratsya/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/john-kavanagh-wont-bet-against-conor-mcgregor-and-just-floated-a-ki-mma-twist
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What they're saying
Ariel Helwani@arielhelwaniIn the story
John Kavanagh shares his thoughts on Conor McGregor's fighting future:"He's been very aggressive with his therapy and his recovery.I just don't feel he's done with competition just yet. What does that look like? I don't know.It's hard for me to visualize that being it.Can…
Oct 27 · View on X
Red Corner MMA@RedCorner_MMAIn the story
John Kavanagh refuses to rule out Conor McGregor comeback, envisions potential return next summer "I've just seen him do too many things that seem to be impossible, and he does them repeatedly. So, if he says he does, I'm not going to doubt him... If anybody can, he can." Via: @arielhelwani
Oct 27 · View on X
Championship Rounds@ChampRDSIn the story
🚨 Conor McGregor announced he’s getting knee surgery today“Surgery number 5 of my career coming up.”(via @TheNotoriousMMA)
Aug 3 · View on X
Mcgregor Forever@mcgregorufc22In the story
Conor McGregor starts the fight with a high flying kick 😳
Jul 15 · View on X
Ariel Helwani@arielhelwaniNews
John Kavanagh reflects on the devastating injury Conor McGregor suffered at UFC 329 and shuts down speculation that he entered the Octagon compromised:
“Conor's always liked to have the first move of a fight down. This one, he had come up with that kick, and he had done it a thousand times.
He started every spar with this move, and it always went really well, whether it was a good shot that was landing or at least throwing the opponent off.
I've always said with MMA, it's the highest highs and the lowest lows, and that was certainly one of those moments where I just couldn't believe it.
And for the conspiracy theorists out there, he walked in with no injury. Zero injury. There was absolutely no injury.
I can guarantee you that he was 100% going in. In fact, probably more healthy going into this one than the last few.
Everything was really 100%, and then it wasn't.”
Oct 27 · View on X
Fighters in this story
Conor McGregor
Conor Benn
Floyd Mayweather
Max HollowayMore photos
How the story developed
-
Kavanagh: McGregor still wants to fight; MMA-type training not before 2027
InTheCage
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Kavanagh: McGregor had 'zero injury' going into UFC 329Knockout Daily
Sources
Bloody Elbow
Combat Sports UK
BJPenn.com
MMA.pl
Heavy on UFC
ActuMMA
Kimura
FightTime.ru
Blood & SweatSummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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