Former France captain Evra to make mixed martial arts debut

Former France fullback Patrice Evra is turning to mixed martial arts and volition combat his archetypal bout successful May successful Paris, American promoter the Professional Fighters League (PFL), announced connected Friday.

“Former skipper of ‘Les Bleus’, Evra volition fulfil his caller imagination of competing successful an MMA bout,” said the PFL successful a statement.

The PFL said the 43-year-old had been grooming successful combat sports since 2016 alongside his person the Paris-based PFL prima Cedric Doumbe.

“You guys should cognize by now, I emotion this crippled too! I’ve performed connected the world’s biggest stages, won each large trophy successful football, but PFL Europe Paris volition beryllium an incredibly peculiar nighttime for me,” said Evra, who won 81 France caps and played for Manchester United and Juventus.

“I’ve been grooming alongside the champion successful the satellite for years, and they’ll besides archer you I’m acceptable for this.”

The sanction of his hostile volition beryllium announced “shortly”.

On societal media, Evra joked astir facing erstwhile Uruguayan footballer Luis Suarez, who helium accused of racially insulting him during a Liverpool-Manchester United crippled successful 2011. Suarez was banned for 8 games.

Evra posted connected societal media that the PFL “asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suarez… He tin adjacent wound me.”

The combat has been scheduled connected a PFL card, connected May 23 astatine the Accor Arena successful Paris.