​John Kavanagh has admitted that Conor McGregor’s injury ahead of UFC 303 might have been prevented with a different approach to training and sparring. McGregor, who has not fought since breaking his leg in July 2021, was set to face Michael Chandler in June 2024. However, a broken pinky toe forced him off the card. UFC 303 marked the first time McGregor had pulled out of a fight, but after such a long layoff, the Irish star was determined to return at full strength. Kavanagh says the responsibility for the mishap lies with him, acknowledging that he could have been more cautious during McGregor’s sparring sessions.
“I’ll be blunt about it—more so than McGregor would,” Kavanagh told The Ariel Helwani Show. “I should have had the protective gear on both guys from the start. The initial phase was rushed. It’s different when you’re sparring for entertainment or for ‘Embedded’ or ‘Countdown,’ and it was a bit haphazard. ‘What are we doing?’ ‘Okay, you two just move around for the cameras,’ but it was still a sparring session. It just wasn’t done correctly. I’ll put my hand up for that.”
Kavanagh explained that McGregor awkwardly caught Tristan’s elbow in the opening minute of Round 1, and McGregor told him between rounds that his toe felt broken. He says he tried to intervene, but McGregor insisted on continuing through the next four rounds. McGregor pushed through all five rounds, buoyed by adrenaline, even as the injury was causing real pain. “It was nasty,” Kavanagh recalled, acknowledging the unfortunate consequences of the moment.
McGregor is poised to make his long-awaited comeback in a rematch against Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a bout broadcast on Paramount+. The three-year layoff had grown to five years of inactivity by the time fight night arrived, and Kavanagh says he bears the weight of that extended absence. “Sick,” he described the feeling. “Really, really sick. It’s my fault. I’m not going to beat around the bush on it: we should have had the gear on them. So we’ve been incredibly careful in this training camp. There isn’t a niggle on him, not a bump, not a bruise, 100 percent, and we’ll get to see the best version of him.”
This account reflects Kavanagh’s candid reflection on the sequence of events that contributed to McGregor’s setback, and his commitment to a safer, more controlled training environment going forward. The aim is to protect McGregor’s health while still preparing him to perform at the peak level fans expect. The story, originally reported by MMA Junkie, highlights the accountability Kavanagh is taking and the steps being taken to ensure a healthier return for McGregor in future bouts.