Few men know UFC superstar Conor McGregor better than his longtime coach John Kavanagh. Kavanagh is head of SBG Dublin, where Conor McGregor has trained for his entire MMA career of over fifteen years, and in a recent interview with BBC Sport, Kavanagh revealed that “The Notorious” has returned to MMA training. In fact, he wants the world to see the side of Conor McGregor that he gets to see when McGregor shows up to jiu-jitsu class just like the rest of his students.
“He’s healthy, happy and it’s great to have him back. The last few sessions in the gym here were MMA-orientated – he’s got the all-clear for that now.
Longtime Coach Wishes The Public Saw “Incredibly Respectful” Side to Conor McGregor
He did a great session last night, we got some great rounds in. He hasn’t lost a beat and was looking great.” McGregor has been sidelined since last July by a broken leg sustained fighting Dustin Poirier. Since then, he stacked on some serious mass, but John Kavanagh remains assured that Conor McGregor can pick and choose his weight division at will. Even if the star’s “silverback arm” is a serious threat on the mats.
“Trust me, I got to have a bit of a wrestle with him last night and I felt it. When that silverback arm goes around your neck there’s a bit of an extra squeeze there, so, he’s very, very strong at the moment.
But look, when we get to the stage of looking at weight classes and opponents there’s nobody more professional than Conor at making weight and it will all be done properly.”
McGregor remains in the habit of turning up to regular jiu-jitsu classes at SBG Dublin, a side to the superstar his coach wishes the world could see more of.
“He just walks in and takes part in a regular jiu-jitsu class, and you’ve got guys on the mat there who have only been training a couple of months. So imagine like a group of guys on the park having a kickaround, and then Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo comes up and says ‘hey, I’ll join in’ – it really elevates everybody’s attitude on the mat.
I always tell people, they see this kind of performance part of his persona. It’s two or three times a year, at the press conferences and it’s all very loud and glitzy and glamour and entertainment, but it’s the 52-weeks-of-the-year guy that part of me wishes some people would be more aware of.
How he is walking on the mat, he gives a handshake to everybody, and is always incredibly respectful towards me as a coach, saying ‘yes sir and no sir’, and lining up at the end of the class when everybody bows down. He’s got that true kind of martial arts personality. He comes in and approaches training with such a focus and positive energy, and really puts everything into every drill.”
Which McGregor do you like to see? Let us know in the comments.
