Conor McGregor ‘back healthy’, says coach John Kavanagh as UFC return draws nearer

McGregor suffered a broken leg last July in his second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier

Conor McGregor is finally able to train in ‘all the facets of MMA’ again following his recovery from the broken leg that he sustained in his last fight.

McGregor fought and lost twice in 2021, suffering a knockout defeat by Dustin Poirier last January before breaking his own leg in their July clash.

The Irishman recently practised kicks for the first time since sustaining the injury, and his coach John Kavanagh has said McGregor is ‘back healthy’ at last.

“We had a great roll-around,” Kavanagh told The Mac Life. “I think that’s literally my first time doing some grappling with him since the lead-up to the last fight. So, it’s been a while.

“He’s back healthy now, he’s back able to do all the facets of MMA training.

“He kind of remarked at the end of the session: ‘Well, that’s day one.’ I said: ‘Na, that’s more like day 100,000. You had a bit of a break there, but that ain’t our first time doing this.’”

McGregor, who looks like a “2,000lbs gorilla” at the moment according to Kavanagh, also took part in a jiu-jitsu class with regular members of his coach’s gym.

“He walks in, and the whole gym kind of lifted,” Kavanagh said. “There was a great energy in it, he brings that intensity to every training session. It was great to see all the younger guys on the mat there get a great buzz off that.”

McGregor, who turned 34 today, is expected back in the Octagon at the end of 2022 at the earliest, and the former featherweight and lightweight champion has teased bouts at welterweight and middleweight ahead of his return.