John Kavanagh says McGregor had no injury going into UFC 329 and blames dry ice on the canvas for the knee injury; MMA-type training is not expected before 2027.
From 25 reports by 18 outletsLatest Kavanagh blames dry ice on the canvas for McGregor's knee injury 3 updates 18 outlets
What we know
- Kavanagh says McGregor had no injury going into UFC 329 and was 100%.
- Kavanagh expects McGregor to return to MMA-type training in 2027 at the earliest.
- McGregor still owes the UFC one fight; no opponent, date or division has been announced.
Reported, not confirmed
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Kavanagh says dry ice used for walkout effects may have left moisture on the canvas and caused McGregor's foot to slip on the jumping kick.
UFight Greece
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McGregor tore his ACL and meniscus in the right knee and had surgery in early August.
UFight Greece
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Kavanagh is joining Scott Coker's Ki MMA, launching in 2027, in an ambassador role and joked about signing McGregor.
Knockout Daily
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Holloway has no fight booked and has said he is interested in a trilogy with McGregor if the UFC agrees.
MMA Knockout on Sports Illustrated
John Kavanagh has now answered two questions about McGregor's UFC 329 injury: whether he was hurt going in, and what went wrong. His answer to the first is no. His answer to the second is the floor of the arena.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Kavanagh said McGregor walked in with "zero injury" and felt supremely confident. The fight lasted 69 seconds. McGregor opened with the jumping kick, went down and could not continue against Max Holloway. Kavanagh said the kick had been thrown at least 50 times in sparring in camp. According to UFight Greece, he later said dry ice used for walkout effects may have left a thin layer of moisture on the canvas, that the team had never trained on dry ice, and that McGregor's foot slipped. The technique, he said, matched what they did in the gym.
The damage was an ACL and meniscus tear in the right knee, and McGregor had surgery in early August, which he called surgery number five of his career. Kavanagh said McGregor is moving well and has been "very aggressive" in rehab. He guessed McGregor will not be back to MMA-type training until next year, and a full camp would come after that.
The layoff is the backdrop. McGregor is 38. He has not won since his January 2020 knockout of Donald Cerrone, and his previous fight before UFC 329 ended with a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Kavanagh, who has been with him for 22 years, said he has seen McGregor do too many seemingly impossible things to doubt him now, and that he cannot picture this as the end. He also said it will come down to "where the fire is."
What the next fight looks like is open. Kavanagh believes McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract and that it could be his last there. According to Knockout Daily, he joked that Ki MMA could sign him, the promotion Kavanagh is joining as an ambassador. McGregor must fight out the UFC deal first. Holloway has said he is interested in a trilogy if the UFC agrees, but nothing is booked.
Watch for McGregor's own account of his rehab and for the first sign that he is back on the mats.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Kavanagh said McGregor walked in with "zero injury" and felt supremely confident. The fight lasted 69 seconds. McGregor opened with the jumping kick, went down and could not continue against Max Holloway. Kavanagh said the kick had been thrown at least 50 times in sparring in camp. According to UFight Greece, he later said dry ice used for walkout effects may have left a thin layer of moisture on the canvas, that the team had never trained on dry ice, and that McGregor's foot slipped. The technique, he said, matched what they did in the gym.
The damage was an ACL and meniscus tear in the right knee, and McGregor had surgery in early August, which he called surgery number five of his career. Kavanagh said McGregor is moving well and has been "very aggressive" in rehab. He guessed McGregor will not be back to MMA-type training until next year, and a full camp would come after that.
The layoff is the backdrop. McGregor is 38. He has not won since his January 2020 knockout of Donald Cerrone, and his previous fight before UFC 329 ended with a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Kavanagh, who has been with him for 22 years, said he has seen McGregor do too many seemingly impossible things to doubt him now, and that he cannot picture this as the end. He also said it will come down to "where the fire is."
What the next fight looks like is open. Kavanagh believes McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract and that it could be his last there. According to Knockout Daily, he joked that Ki MMA could sign him, the promotion Kavanagh is joining as an ambassador. McGregor must fight out the UFC deal first. Holloway has said he is interested in a trilogy if the UFC agrees, but nothing is booked.
Watch for McGregor's own account of his rehab and for the first sign that he is back on the mats.
- Summary
- John Kavanagh says McGregor had no injury going into UFC 329 and blames dry ice on the canvas for the knee injury; MMA-type training is not expected before 2027.
- Key points (one per line)
- Kavanagh says McGregor had zero injury entering UFC 329 and suggests dry ice on the canvas caused the knee injury
McGregor is rehabbing after August knee surgery; MMA-type training is not expected before 2027
Kavanagh says McGregor has one UFC fight left and floated Ki MMA as a possible future
- 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
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/john-kavanagh-shuts-down-conor-mcgregor-retirement-talk-after-ufc-329-disaster
Ag. Fight | https://agfight.com/ufc/treinador-aposta-em-retorno-de-mcgregor-ao-ufc-nao-vou-duvidar-dele/
MMA Knockout on Sports Illustrated | https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/conor-mcgregor-s-coach-shares-ultimate-verdict-on-ufc-comeback-fight
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/conor-mcgregors-coach-swears-he-was-100-at-ufc-329-and-thats-the-scary-part
UFight Greece | https://www.ufight.gr/mma/27394-conor-mcgregor-o-proponitis-tou-epimenei-oti-o-ksiros-pagos-prokalese-ton-sovaro-travmatismo-tou
MMA Knockout on Sports Illustrated | https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/conor-mcgregor-s-coach-blasts-viral-ufc-pre-fight-narrative-in-max-holloway-loss
Recorte da Luta | https://recortedaluta.com.br/2026/10/30/conor-mcgregor-pode-voltar-ao-ufc-treinador-explica-recuperacao-e-mantem-confianca-no-irlandes-confira/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/conor-mcgregors-coach-torches-the-injury-conspiracy-and-keeps-blaming-dry-ice
Recorte da Luta | https://recortedaluta.com.br/2026/10/31/conor-mcgregor-pode-voltar-ao-ufc-treinador-explica-recuperacao-e-mantem-confianca-no-irlandes-confira/
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UFight.Gr@UFight_GrIn the story
O John Kavanah μιλά για τον Conor McGregor και πότε τον βλέπει να επιστρέφει στην δράση!
Oct 30 · View on X
Jed I. Goodman ©@jedigoodmanIn the story
John Kavanagh talks Conor McGregor. Says he was 100% going into the fight with Max Holloway. #HelwaniShow
Oct 27 · View on X
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
Jed I. Goodman ©@jedigoodmanIn the story
Dana White tells Adam Glyn: I'll focus on Conor when Conor's ready.
Jul 18 · 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
Max Holloway
Conor Benn
Floyd Mayweather
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Dustin PoirierMore photos
How the story developed
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Kavanagh blames dry ice on the canvas for McGregor's knee injuryUFight Greece
-
Kavanagh: McGregor still wants to fight; MMA training not before 2027
InTheCage
-
Kavanagh: McGregor had 'zero injury' going into UFC 329Knockout Daily
Sources
Recorte da Luta
Bloody Elbow
Combat Sports UK
BJPenn.com
MMA.pl
Heavy on UFC
ActuMMA
Kimura
The Mac Life
FightTime.ru
Blood & Sweat
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