Kavanagh: McGregor had no injury at UFC 329, MMA-type training to resume in 2027

MMA-TV Newsroom Summarized with AI Yesterday at 6:42 PM Updated Yesterday at 6:43 PM AI checked Today at 2:19 AM

The bottom line

Kavanagh says McGregor entered UFC 329 with 'zero injury', is rehabbing his knee and should return to MMA-type training next year, with one UFC fight left on his deal.

From 8 reports by 7 outlets

Latest Kavanagh: McGregor had 'zero injury' going into UFC 329 Yesterday at 6:43 PM 7 outlets

Kavanagh: McGregor had no injury at UFC 329, MMA-type training to resume in 2027 — Photo via Heavy on UFC · added Today at 2:19 AM

What we know

McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract and remains in the testing pool.
McGregor tore his ACL at UFC 329 and had surgery in early August.
Kavanagh says McGregor had 'zero injury' going into UFC 329 and felt 'supremely confident'.
Kavanagh expects McGregor to return to MMA-type training next year; no fight is booked.

Reported, not confirmed

Kavanagh said McGregor's last UFC fight could be the one he has left, and suggested signing him to Ki MMA, which launches in 2027. Knockout Daily
Kavanagh is joining Ki MMA in an ambassador role. Knockout Daily

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, his coach, 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 spinning kick, went down 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 an 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, which puts any fight well beyond 2027's opening months. McGregor is 38 and has not won since January 2020; his last fight before UFC 329 ended with a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in 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 whether it would be a full return to regular MMA competition, and that this could be McGregor's last UFC fight. Knockout Daily reports he also joked that McGregor could be signed by Ki MMA, the Scott Coker 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 a rematch and Conor Benn's reaction to rumors, remains talk; nothing is booked. Watch for McGregor's own update on his rehab and for the first signs of a return to the mats.

Summary: Kavanagh says McGregor entered UFC 329 with 'zero injury', is rehabbing his knee and should return to MMA-type training next year, with one UFC fight left on his deal.

Key points (one per line): Kavanagh says McGregor had 'zero injury' going into UFC 329, rejecting theories he was hurt beforehand.
MMA-type training is expected to resume next year; McGregor is rehabbing after ACL surgery.
McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract and is still in the testing pool.
Kavanagh floated Ki MMA as a possible destination after the UFC deal, per Knockout Daily.