John Kavanagh has given an insight into what being in a business relationship with Conor McGregor is truly like. The legendary UFC coach has revealed how the pair manage their entrepreneurial endeavors while maintaining their bond as student and coach. In his esteemed career, Conor McGregor has utilized not just his gift of the gab but also his phenomenal left hand and remarkable striking IQ to become one of the biggest stars in the UFC. However, he might not have scaled the mountain had John Kavanagh not been by his side, formulating intelligent game plans to beat some of the best fighters in the sport. However, the pair have now ventured into the next stage of their relationship by going into business with one another. The duo have joined forces, with McGregor investing in Alta Global Group, the parent company of Train Alta, which Kavanagh has spearheaded. The online platform goes the extra mile to offer both in-gym and online training to mixed martial artists around the world. Kavanagh has now revealed how his bond with McGregor has evolved and how important it was that his protégé invested because he saw the vision, not just because he respects him as his coach. In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow via LuckyBlock, the MMA aficionado explained: “The timing of our interview couldn’t have been better; it was just today (Monday) that the big announcement was made [that McGregor has increased his investment in Alta]. “This was something I was very slow to do. You can imagine for somebody like Conor, everybody in his group has some great idea that they want him to hear, they want him to invest in, and they want him to get involved in. “I’ve been with Alta almost eight years now and I never wanted to go to him about anything because I’m very guarded about our relationship. It’s very pure. We’re almost 20 years working together as coach and athlete and it was very important for me that that was kept – don’t muddy the waters between that. “What I did was, because of my contact with Conor, I was able to set up a meeting with our team and his team – but I did say to his team, listen, give us the same scrutiny, we’ll go through the same due diligence of any company that Conor’s shown an interest in, and only go with it if it makes complete business sense, no favors for old coach here. “If you fast forward a year, two or five years and something goes wrong, I don’t want to be the guy that was pushing you to do something because of some emotional reason. Only go for it if it makes complete sense and that’s made it all the sweeter, to be honest. “Today’s announcement, his big Instagram post, was almost a year in the making, and our company had to jump through a lot of hoops with his companies, and it was only accepted on their end when everything made complete sense.” Kavanagh continued: “I was glad to be able to squeeze the door open a little bit on the intro, but then I stood back from it. Conor and I never really spoke about it. We only ever really speak about training, which is important to me that we keep that relationship pure, but in the background. His team put our team through a pretty rigorous due diligence over a couple of months, and he went for it because it made sense. “So, from that point of view, I am very, very proud of it. It’s obviously a massive moment for our little company. We’ve been listed on the stock exchange for a couple of months, but this is by far and away the biggest news, the biggest breakthrough we’ve had, and I’m excited to see what we can do together. “You can imagine with his profile over the years, how many companies are approaching him. There’s only been a handful that have gotten through that process, and they are all doing pretty damn well, so he has that kind of golden touch. He’s very perceptive of the market and what’s needed out there, and we had a product that he’s seen the value in, and his team have seen the value in, and we’re expecting big things to come from this now.” Earlier this year, Kavanagh joyfully welcomed his second baby boy into the world. And while he’s admittedly not sleeping as much as he used to, the Irishman is loving every second of the journey and believes it’s actually enhanced his motivation for being the best trainer he can possibly be. The 36-year-old beamed: “He’s [baby boy] doing okay. I’m dying of a lack of sleep, but no story that any parent doesn’t understand. He’s boy number two, he just turned six months, and thankfully, he’s smiling and happy. It’s definitely changed things. Back in the day, it could be at a moment’s notice or at the drop of a hat, we could be getting flown anywhere in the world and spending six weeks, eight weeks, sometimes ten weeks somewhere remote. Things now require a bit more planning. Conor has a load of kids. I’ve got a few kids. Ultimately, I think it’s made everything better. It gives you even more reason for what you’re doing. With any situation in life, it’s rarely the situation that is the problem, it’s how you perceive it, how you look at it and I only see the positives of it, so a little bit more planning is required, but nothing’s really changed.” Conor McGregor, the former mixed martial arts (MMA) champion, has been given bonus shares in a new MMA business that could be worth as much as $14 million (€12.6 million), new filings show. McGregor is a shareholder in Alta Global, a publicly listed business that has created an MMA training platform in conjunction with a number of MMA gyms around the world. The most recent announcement shows that McGregor has signed a three-year deal to be brand ambassador for the company in order to pump up its share price. In return for serving in that role, McGregor has struck a deal in which he will get a potential 700,000 performance share awards in the company, which will be tied to his ability to boost the company’s share price. On signing the deal he has been given 150,000 shares, which will vest to him once the company’s share price rises to certain targets, with an upper limit of $20 a share. The initial tranche, at the current share price of $3.50, would be worth $525,000. He will get another tranche of 100,000 shares when the price reaches $7.50; then 150,000 more when it reaches $10; 150,000 more when it reaches $15; and the final tranche of 150,000 when it reaches $20. The combined total value of the shares, based on their price at the time of vesting, is about $8 million. However, in theory, if McGregor were to earn all the shares, and hold on to them until the final tranche was awarded, the full value of the award could be as high as $14 million. McGregor already has shares in Alta Global, but the precise size of his holding has not been disclosed. When The Irish Times contacted the company, it declined to say what his holding of ordinary shares stands at. In a statement announcing the deal, Nick Langton, the founder of Alta, said McGregor’s “involvement is a game changer for Alta Global Group”. McGregor’s interest in the company comes through his coach, John Kavanagh, who is one of the founders of the company and a shareholder. The Dublin fighter has proven a controversial figure in the past, with several run-ins with the law, including for assaulting a man in one of his pubs. McGregor has also stated that he intends to run for the presidency of Ireland, for which he would need to either get the signatures of 20 members of the Oireachtas, or get the support of four local authorities. Alta Global Group announced a partnership with Conor McGregor, the iconic UFC champion and global superstar. This new deal envisions McGregor eventually becoming a significant stakeholder in the company, further solidifying Alta’s influence in the MMA community. McGregor will leverage his extensive 63+ million fan base to promote Alta’s innovative platform and products. As a former UFC Featherweight and Lightweight World Champion, the first to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously, and a former Cage Warriors Featherweight and Lightweight Champion, McGregor’s achievements have cemented his status as the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA history. His fights have consistently broken records, with his bout at UFC 229 drawing 2.4 million buys and his boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. garnering over 5.3 million buys. Performance share rights issued to McGregor will vest once the 30-day volume-weighted average price achieves the following trigger; 150,000 on execution of the Ambassador Agreement; 100,000 when the share price reaches $7.50; 150,000 when the share price reaches $10.00; 150,000 when the share price reaches $15.00 and 150,000 when the share price reaches $20.00. Aligned with the three year term of the ambassador agreement, McGregor is restricted from selling shares within three years of issuance unless specific conditions are met, such as the company’s written consent, a sale or liquidation of the company, or if the company breaches the agreement. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on MMA: