Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has been awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu by his longtime head coach, John Kavanagh.
Conor McGregor, the former two-division UFC champion, has attained another laurel to add to his already impressive list. His latest achievement comes in the form of a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, awarded to him by his veteran head coach John Kavanagh. Upon receiving this honor, McGregor expressed his gratitude saying, “Received my black belt tonight from my coach, friend, and mentor, John Kavanagh of SBG Ireland. 20 years of hard work! Thank you John for everything over the years, and to all of my teammates throughout this incredible jiu-jitsu journey!” He seemed particularly excited by the achievement, “A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, wow! Praise be to God and then Helio [Gracie].”
John Kavanagh is not just another coach; his credentials speak volumes about his expertise in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Trained under the lineage of Helio Gracie through coaches that end with Matt Thornton, Kavanagh was presented his own black belt in 2007. Interestingly, he was the first person to receive a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in the Republic of Ireland. Alongside mentoring athletes, he has also set up his own affiliate school of Thornton’s Straight Blast Gym (SBG), located in Oregon. This school has been the primary training spot for McGregor since before his UFC days.
McGregor’s acquisition of the black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has received immense recognition and praise. Among the congratulatory messages, one was a nod from Gordon Ryan who is globally recognized as the top grappler across all weight divisions. Ryan acknowledged the accomplishment on Instagram by commenting, “Well deserved. Despite what people say, you’re pretty exceptional on the ground, especially with MMA being your main focus.” Currently, McGregor is preparing for his UFC comeback where he is expected to take on Michael Chandler. However, an official fight is yet to be scheduled and it is speculated that his return may have to wait until some time in 2024.