McGregor Launches Training Camp for 2026 UFC Return

Conor McGregor, the former UFC two-division champion, has begun a structured training camp aimed at a 2026 return to the octagon, targeting a headline bout at the promotion's White House event in June, according to his longtime coach John Kavanagh.

Kavanagh, speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, described McGregor as fully committed to the preparation. "On our end, we're 100 percent in," Kavanagh said. "He has asked me to basically lay out a program between now and June on how we will ramp up our training. He's showing up again, he's back in the gym most mornings early. He's having fun with it." The coach noted that McGregor has been sending enthusiastic messages after recent UFC events, expressing a desire to fight multiple opponents. To build his team, Kavanagh is assembling training partners, including potential sessions at McGregor's home, with an emphasis on wrestling drills. McGregor has specifically requested work with fighters like Khamzat Chimaev and Merab Dvalishvili to sharpen those skills.

The 37-year-old Irish fighter's last appearance came in July 2021 at UFC 264, where he suffered a severe leg injury in the first round of his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier,...