Conor McGregor’s UFC comeback set to be pushed back to summer of 2024 from April says coach John Kavanagh

Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the UFC could be pushed back to next summer, according to coach John Kavanagh.

McGregor, who hasn’t fought since July 2021, said recently that he was hoping to return in April 2024.

He stepped up his comeback by re-entering the USADA drug-testing pool.

But it now looks like he might have to wait until beyond April to get back into the octagon.

“We were hoping for April. That was the hope. That was what we were told. And now it seems to be the summertime,” Kavanagh said on The MMA Hour.

“I don’t know [why]. That’s literally what we were having a bit of a back and forward about today.”

There was speculation that McGregor could return at UFC 300 in April.

Instead a potential fight at International Fight Week, which is usually held in July, could be on the cards.

Kavanagh says McGregor is “very frustrated” and he was “worried” about his mental health, but added: “Hearing him today, he’s out there finding this great group of training partners — at least he’s doing that.

“It’s not quite the same as getting in to compete in front of a large crowd, but at least he’s getting training in, and that’s so important. We heard Volk [Alexander Volkanovski] talk about that, ‘Keep me busy,’ and all that. So I love to hear that he’s training hard with these guys.

“But look, and this is what I was saying to him as well - yeah, OK, it’s a knock back if we’re hearing it was April but now it’s July, but it’s not the end of the world. It is an extra couple of months. It’s not great. But hey, you’re enjoying your training at the moment. Let’s just keep that going.

“But the sport, you are around for such a short time as compared to - well, I’m not going to try to make a comparison to other sports or whatever, but like our careers, we can do this for decades. For fighters, it is a short time.

“I hope it changes and I hope there is an April date. If he gets a good win then maybe back in again in September.”

“He is 100 per cent and has been for a while.”

On McGregor's future in the sport, Kavanagh added: "He needs it, he loves it, he enjoys it.

"It's not forever but maybe there's a couple of years and things he wants to achieve and do."

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