John Kavanagh Won't Doubt Conor McGregor's Push for Another UFC Comeback

Conor McGregor says he wants to fight again. John Kavanagh believes him, but the longtime coach is not pretending the road back already has a finish line.

Kavanagh gave the clearest update yet on McGregor's recovery during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. McGregor tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee during his July return against Max Holloway at UFC 329. Kavanagh expects rehabilitation to keep him out of MMA-specific training until 2027.

"He says he does [want to fight again]," Kavanagh said. "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."

That is faith from a coach who has known McGregor for 22 years. It is not a fight announcement. The UFC has not booked McGregor's return, and Kavanagh did not name an opponent or firm date.

The comeback before the comeback

McGregor's UFC 329 return lasted 69 seconds. He landed awkwardly after attempting a jumping switch kick, fell more than once and could no longer put weight on his right leg. Referee Mike Beltran stopped the bout, awarding Holloway the TKO victory. The UFC's official event record lists the result as a first-round stoppage.

McGregor later said the injury involved his ACL and meniscus, the same combination he damaged against Holloway in 2013, only in the opposite knee. He underwent surgery after the July loss.

Kavanagh said McGregor now looks to be "moving around quite well" and has attacked his therapy aggressively. The coach still drew a sensible line between progress in rehabilitation and readiness for a fight camp.

"I guess it'll be next year before he can start returning to MMA-type training," Kavanagh said.

That distinction matters. Returning to the gym is only the first checkpoint. McGregor would then need to rebuild his conditioning, trust the repaired knee under live pressure and prepare for an opponent. At 38, after two major leg injuries and only one completed round of competition since January 2021, none of that should be treated as automatic.

One UFC fight may remain

Kavanagh said he believes McGregor has one fight left on his UFC contract, but he was careful about what might follow.

"I just don't feel like he's done with competition just yet," Kavanagh said. "What does that look like? I don't know."

That may be the most useful part of the update. McGregor's intention is clear; the shape of a comeback is not. A final UFC appearance, a move into another combat sport or no return at all remain possible until his knee and the promotion's plans provide an answer.

McGregor has already defied a long recovery once. He spent five years out after breaking his left leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021, then made it back for the Holloway rematch. The cruel part is that the return ended with another joint injury before anyone could learn how much of the old fighter remained.

Kavanagh thinks desire, rather than physical ability, could become the deciding factor. He said McGregor can regain fight shape if the motivation survives the months of repetitive work ahead. That is a large if, and the coach did not hide it.

For now, the honest update is smaller than a comeback date: McGregor wants another run, Kavanagh still believes that desire is real, and the repaired knee gets the next vote.