Conor McGregor’s ‘devastated’ coach insists knee was ‘never an issue’ before shocking UFC injury

Conor McGregor’s longtime coach John Kavanagh is saying that the UFC fighter’s right knee was “never an issue” prior to his brief UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway. 

The highly anticipated fight lasted just 69 seconds at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday after McGregor landed wrong on his right knee while attempting a jump kick, and it has led to speculation that the Irish fighter was hurt before the fight. 

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Kavanagh wrote that he was “devastated” by what transpired, but pushed back on any notion that McGregor was already injured. 

“That Opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warm up. Never an issue,” he wrote. “Knee went when he thru the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this.” 

Conor McGregor suffered a serious injury during his bout with Max Holloway at UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zuffa LLC

The Post’s Erich Richter reported after the fight that McGregor was fully healthy before attempting the jumping kick and that he had been practicing it as recently as this week in preparation for the fight against Holloway. 

McGregor is suspected to have suffered a torn ACL and he did not speak with reporters following the fight. 

The Irishman bolted from the Las Vegas arena still in his fighting attire and hobbling while security shouted for people to “make a hole” for the injured fighter to hop into a waiting vehicle. 

McGregor also declined an interview with Paramount Plus, which was broadcasting the fight. 

He did address some of the chatter in a pair of posts on social media, writing that he “had no injury” going into the fight and that the injury “came out of nowhere.” 

(L-R) Conor McGregor speaks with Max Holloway after their fight at UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zuffa LLC

“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened. The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense,” McGregor wrote on X early Sunday morning. “I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow. I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return.”

McGregor had suffered a torn ACL in the past, back in 2013, but UFC CEO Dana White also believed that the 37-year-old was healthy and that “if there was a preexisting injury, somebody would have noticed.”