Former football star Patrice Evra is set to transition from the pitch to the octagon with an amateur MMA fight scheduled at Paris's Accor Arena. While organizers have yet to announce his opponent, the ex-Manchester United defender has made his preference crystal clear.
"They'll choose an opponent for me. They asked who I'd like to face. I said: Luis Suarez. I'll pay out of my own pocket [for this fight]. He can even bite me," Evra told BBC.
The statement references the notoriously contentious history between the two players. In 2011, Suarez received an eight-match ban for racist remarks directed at Evra. The following year, the Uruguayan refused to shake Evra's hand before a match, sparking significant controversy. The 38-year-old Suarez, currently playing for Inter Miami, gained infamy for biting three opponents throughout his professional career.
Evra's fighting aspirations aren't coming out of nowhere. According to Statbet analysts, the Frenchman has been seriously training in mixed martial arts since 2016 alongside PFL star Cedric Doumbe, who is his friend and training partner.
The 42-year-old Evra ended his illustrious football career in 2019 after collecting an impressive 20 trophies with Monaco, Manchester United, and Juventus. He also reached the Euro 2016 final with France, finishing as runner-up.
Evra's combative nature has occasionally surfaced outside structured competition as well. In 2017, he made headlines for kicking a Marseille supporter in the head during a pre-match altercation, an incident that resulted in disciplinary action.
