Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra is making a significant transition from the soccer pitch to the mixed martial arts cage.
Officials from the Professional Fighters League (PFL) have confirmed that the former captain of the French national team and Manchester United has signed an amateur contract with the promotion. Evra is scheduled to make his amateur fighting debut on May 23rd at the Accor Arena in Paris, France.
As of now, an opponent for Evra`s first foray into combat sports has not been publicly named.
The 43-year-old boasts a highly successful soccer career, marked by numerous accolades including being selected for the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions. He was a cornerstone of the Manchester United squad for nearly a decade, playing for the legendary club between 2005 and 2014.
In preparation for his move into the PFL`s Smart Cage, Evra has reportedly been training alongside prominent French MMA fighter Cedric Doumbe. Intriguingly, Evra has already expressed a desire to face a specific opponent from his soccer past.
Taking to Twitter, Evra publicly announced his new path, stating: “BREAKING: I’m officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe… They will pick my opponent. They asked who I wanna face. I said Luis Suarez. I’ll pay out of pocket, he can even bite me.”
The PFL event featuring Evra`s debut is expected to be headlined by a lightweight bout between Mansour Barnaoui and Archie Colgan. The fight card is also slated to include a matchup between former UFC competitor Taylor Lapilus and Ali Taleb.
Murray Blackwood