While Conor McGregor continues his own recovery after undergoing successful knee surgery, his longtime coach John Kavanagh has also found himself on the road to recovery after undergoing hip surgery.

McGregor recently underwent surgery after tearing his ACL and meniscus during his UFC 329 clash with Max Holloway last month. Now, Kavanagh has revealed that he too has undergone a successful procedure, prompting several UFC stars to send their well wishes to the veteran coach. Taking to Instagram, Kavanagh shared a humorous video documenting his immediate post-surgery experience.

“Woke up from successful hip resurfacing surgery, some strong stuff they have ya on!” he wrote in the caption.  

In the clip, the SBG Ireland head coach appeared to be staring blankly out of a hospital window before AI-generated leprechauns suddenly appeared, seemingly hinting at the immediate effects of the strong medication he was taking.

For those who may not know, hip resurfacing surgery is performed to treat a damaged hip joint. So, it’s safe to assume Conor McGregor’s coach suffered some sort of hip injury that he never disclosed prior to this recovery update. However, John Kavanagh has previously opened up about his recurring neck injuries. 

In a 2020 interview, Kavanagh told BJJEE that after 10 years of participating in various MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions, he had developed severe neck issues that badly affected his grappling sessions.

“I regret my first 10 years or so of MMA and grappling with people a lot heavier than me,” Kavanagh said. “I’m now left with a pretty serious neck condition that means my own ability to grapple is severely hampered.

“One wrong move could have me off the mats, in pretty severe pain for months. This has already happened a few times. I take comfort that I’m still able to demo and coach and use lessons learned on next generation, but I miss the mat.”

The 49-year-old’s injury problems apparently extended beyond his neck. Six years after discussing his condition, Conor McGregor’s longtime coach revealed that he was also dealing with significant issues involving his hips and had been scheduled for neck surgery in May.

Now, following his successful hip resurfacing procedure, several fighters from the UFC world have reached out to the veteran coach.

UFC fighters send heartfelt thoughts to Conor McGregor’s coach after hip surgery update

Right after John Kavanagh posted his recovery video, former middleweight champion Chris Weidman responded with two laughing emojis, “😂😂,” while Jalin Turner offered a more direct message of support, “Praying for your recovery 🙏🏾❤️‍🩹😂.”

Kavanagh responded by thanking Turner and congratulating him on his recent comeback.

“@thetarantula thank you sir. And congratulations on your ‘comeback,’ although you were never really gone 🕷,” the SBG Ireland coach replied, congratulating him on his two UFC wins after coming out of retirement last year.

After that, former UFC veteran Charles Rosa also sent his thoughts, writing, “Heal fast.” Then, Julianna Miller, who recently picked up a stellar victory over Ravena Oliveira at UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld, replied with more laughing emojis, “😂😂😂😂.”

SBG Ireland fighter John Phillips also joined the conversation with a lighthearted message, writing, “Don’t worry mate I’ve sent Rayburn on his way with some flowers to cheer you up 😂.” Whatever the reference to Rayburn may have been, Kavanagh soon revealed that his hospital stay was already over.

“They actually just released me 👍🏼,” McGregor’s coach replied.

Australian kickboxing legend Wayne Parr also offered an optimistic prediction for Kavanagh’s recovery. “In a month’s time you’ll forget you ever had hip pain. Back to flying arm bars in no time,” Parr wrote.

Kavanagh responded with a cheeky reply while also congratulating Parr on his 18-year-old son Jesse-James Parr’s MMA debut at Eternal MMA 108, where he submitted his opponent in just 33 seconds.

“Great to hear because I could never do them below! BTW congrats on your son, absolute beast!!” Kavanagh replied.

While John Kavanagh’s recovery has clearly attracted plenty of lighthearted reactions, the messages also demonstrate the respect he has earned throughout combat sports.

The SBG Ireland head coach has spent decades helping fighters develop their skills, most notably guiding Conor McGregor through the most successful period of his career. With his surgery now behind him, the 49-year-old will hopefully be back on the mats soon and helping the next generation of fighters chase their own dreams.