Mark Henry apologizes to Conor McGregor & John Kavanagh for trash talk

With Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez currently slated to fight in the main event of UFC 205 in New York on November 12th, it’s understandable that the pair have begun to engage in heated verbal exchanges, with insults being lobbed between both men. It came as a surprise to many however, when Alvarez’ coach, Mark Henry, who also coaches Frankie Edgar, began to throw insults at McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh.

Henry went after Kavanagh on Twitter repeatedly, ultimately leading to the latter blocking him on social media. In a recent interview however, Henry revealed that he actually apologized to both men for his actions when he saw them in person.

He spoke to Severe MMA:

“We shook hands, I saw him; I think I was going in the hotel and he was going out. I didn’t really get to talk to him, but I wished him well,” Henry said while speaking with Severe MMA. “I wished him good luck on the fight and wished him well with his personal self. It’s something that shouldn’t have happened.”

“I got a little bummed about even doing it. I really apologized to Conor,” Henry said. “I deserved what he said yesterday [at the press conference]. There’s no way a coach should talk about a fighter, I’ve never done it my whole career in coaching. It’s not what I teach my kids, you know, to talk to people and disrespect on social media or otherwise. It’s definitely not what I have taught the fighters I have known.”

Henry then took things one step further and actually praised Conor McGregor, who he has criticized in interviews in the past for ducking Frankie Edgar:

“I’m gonna be biased on my own fighters, but I think Conor has the best striking in all of MMA, probably even in boxing I agree he could go a long way,” Henry says, then breaks down McGregor’s techniques. “His speed, his accuracy is amazing, his power. Watching him a lot more closely now, that something is finally definite—I watched him a little bit with Frankie, but I really didn’t know—he’s amazing, man.”

Kavanagh responded well to Henry’s apology, revealing on Twitter that he doesn’t hold grudges, and the two men shook hands when they met:

@RAbraldez already shook his hand tuesday night when he apologised. i dont hold grudges.

— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) September 28, 2016