Patrice Evra is trading his football boots for mixed martial arts gloves.
Officials from the PFL promotion have confirmed that the former captain of the French National Team and Manchester United has signed a contract to compete in MMA. His amateur debut is scheduled for May 23 at the Accor Arena in Paris, France.
Evra`s opponent for his initial foray into fighting has not yet been revealed.
The 43-year-old achieved significant success in football, notably being included in the PFA Team of the Year three times. He was a key player for the renowned Manchester United team for nearly a decade, from 2005 to 2014.
Evra is preparing for his transition to the PFL Smart Cage by training alongside French MMA star Cedric Doumbe, and he already has a specific opponent in mind.
“BREAKING NEWS: I am officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe,” Evra tweeted. “They will pick my opponent. They asked who I want to face. I said Luis Suarez. I will even pay out of my own pocket, he can even bite me.”
The main event for the May 23 card will be a lightweight bout between Mansour Barnaoui and Archie Colgan. The event will also feature former UFC fighter Taylor Lapilus competing against Ali Taleb.
Wesley Dunham