Patrice Evra challenges Luis Suárez head of MMA debut: “Bite me if you want”

From soccer legend to MMA fighter under one of the world’s premier promotions, Patrice Evra’s professional journey has been nothing short of extraordinary—and nearly impossible to categorize. The 43-year-old Frenchman recently announced that he’s been training in mixed martial arts for quite some time and is seeking an opponent for the Professional Fighters League (PFL) event slated for May 23 at the Accor Arena in Paris.

Evra throws gauntlet down to Luis Suárez

Following the official announcement from the organization, Evra wasted no time stirring the pot with a fiery message on social media: “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 Suárez. I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”

Always controversial, Evra infamously found himself at the center of a racial conflict involving Luis Suárez during his playing days. Then part of Manchester United’s back four, Evra alleged that the Uruguayan directed a racist remark at him during a Premier League game against eternal rivals Liverpool in October 2011.

Suárez denied the accusations, saying: “There is no evidence I said anything racist to him. I said nothing of the sort. There were two parts of the discussion, one in Spanish, one in English. I did not insult him. It was just a way of expressing myself. I called him something his team-mates at Manchester call him, and even they were surprised by his reaction.”

The Liverpool striker was subsequently charged by the FA, handed an eight-match ban and forced to pay a £40,000 ($53,300) fine.

When the two teams met again a few months later, Suárez refused to shake Evra’s hand ahead of kick-off, reiterating he had never made such a comment and that the accusation was entirely fabricated by the then-United captain.

Whimsical ventures

No stranger to the spotlight, the Frenchman found his way back into the public eye after retiring from soccer. He embraced an adventurous lifestyle aboard a boat he captained himself, and during his travels, he shared a humorous video dedicated to his friend Cristiano Ronaldo. The lighthearted clip went viral, showcasing Evra’s knack for entertaining and keeping fans engaged even off the field.

Shortly after, Evra made headlines again by shedding light on homophobia within elite soccer teams. He claimed that some of his teammates “refused to shower in the same place as homosexuals,” a controversial statement that sparked widespread attention and debate.

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