A Manchester United legend is poised to enter a completely different kind of combat arena in just a few weeks.
In a rather surprising announcement recently, PFL Europe revealed that Patrice Evra is set to make his mixed martial arts debut on May 23.
His opponent and weight class are still pending confirmation, but the former Champions League winner will step into the Accor Arena in Paris.
To assist with his preparation, Evra has recently sought help from PFL fighters Cedric Doumbe and Brendan Loughnane, and he also received a message of support from the renowned Khabib Nurmagomedov.
However, the 43-year-old Frenchman`s connection to combat sports actually began years ago when he stepped inside the cage with one of the UFC’s most dynamic strikers.
Michael `Venom` Page Was Impressed by Patrice Evra`s Punching Power Long Before His PFL Signing
In a video for COPA90 Football back in November 2019, Patrice Evra met up with Michael ‘Venom’ Page for an interview followed by a brief training session.
The two athletes discussed their careers and competitive mentalities. Page was preparing at the time for his fight at Bellator London, where he went on to secure a quick victory over Gianni Melillo in under two minutes.
After chatting about their shared support for Manchester United, it was time for some physical activity. Evra stood on a bench to be at eye level with the 6’3” welterweight for a face-off.
Page then demonstrated his famous flying knee knockout of Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos, which Evra admired, partly due to the memorable Pokemon-inspired celebration that followed.
Following this, the former left-back put on some gloves, and the British fighter taught him some basic boxing principles covering footwork, breath control, and combinations.
Striking without pads or protection, after connecting with a few punches, Page was genuinely impressed by the power the soccer star could generate, despite having announced his retirement from football earlier that year.
The knockout artist complimented his temporary student, and Evra suggested that this training session might be the first of several between them.
Neither of them knew at the time that his MMA debut would actually happen about six years later, as he prepares to step into the SmartCage on May 23.
“Maybe I`ll come and train with you one day because I really enjoy this,” Evra remarked.
Patrice Evra`s Prior Experience with Striking
In the same interview, Patrice Evra disclosed that while he was learning techniques from Michael ‘Venom’ Page, it wasn`t his absolute first time throwing punches.
When asked about his initial interest in martial arts and training at a young age, the former Manchester United player briefly mentioned his childhood experiences with fighting.
“Why go straight into fighting? Because I loved to fight as a kid. I did some street kickboxing, but I stopped going. I just played football,” he explained.
Evra later added that he would sometimes box while actively playing soccer, as it helped him release pent-up frustrations or aggression.
“Before training, I would go downstairs and do some boxing and everything. To be honest, when we started the session, I felt more aggressive. I was tackling. We did that just to awaken all your aggression, so you have to switch it on,” he stated.
