In another somewhat left-field turn of events in the sporting world, ex-Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to swap his boots for gloves as he prepares to make his MMA debut.
The retired Man United player and French international ended his playing days back in 2019 after a short one-year spell at West Ham, and has mostly worked as a pundit in recent years.
Evra, 43, stunned his millions of followers online and even more football and fight fans alike by announcing he would be trying his hand at combat sports earlier this week.
Hopping on social media to confirm the news, it’s fair to say he’s already relishing the challenge.
The former left-back made 379 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 14 trophies, but this will be his first in the European division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the second-biggest promotion in MMA after the UFC.
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As far as we know, Evra has little to no background in fighting of any discipline, even if he was used to the more physical side of the game as a defender.
Writing via X on Friday, 25 April, the 2008 Champions League and ’09 Club World Cup winner, said: “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.
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“I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”
Suárez, still playing at 38, was not only found guilty of at least three instances of biting other players but was famously charged with racially abusing Patrice Evra back in 2011, with the two sharing a strong feud ever since.
Now, since the Uruguayan striker is still playing professional football over in the MLS, alongside the one and only Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, we wouldn’t hold our breaths.
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Nevertheless, it seems as though he will be fighting someone on 23 May, once an opponent is selected in the coming weeks.
Evra has been training with Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and friend, Cédric Doumbé, a former kickboxing specialist and now an established fighter in the welterweight class.
Joking aside, although there are a lot of controversial moves that are legal in MMA, biting isn’t one of them – not that it ever stopped the former Liverpool forward in the past.
Speaking in an official press conference, Evra said: “I’ve performed on the world’s biggest stages, won every major trophy in football, but PFL Europe Paris will be an incredibly special night for me.
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“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years, and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on 23 May, so come watch the spectacle.”
As out of the blue as it may seem, he obviously isn’t the only former athlete to have swapped one sport for another after calling time in their first career.
In fact, he’s not even the first United player to change lanes.
Be part of the biggest Great Manchester Run ever
Danny Jones
Runners and regular Mancs alike, start lacing up your trainers and sorting safety pins early, because the Great Manchester Run is back for 2026, and you can be part of it.
With sign-ups flying and bibs selling out fast, we really recommend getting a move on and booking your place now to make sure you’re part of what is, without fail, not just one of the most exciting dates on the local sporting calendar, but always a great day for the city in general.
Returning for its 23rd edition and fourth year being backed by principal sponsors, AJ Bell, we can assure it’ll be as well-attended as ever.
In fact, judging by the numbers already and the increasing crowds of spectators every year, this is looking on course to be the biggest Great Manchester Run to date.
The only question is, are you going to help make it the BEST yet by joining the thousands of others already finding the perfect spot to hang their shiny new medal?
Half-marathon, 10k, junior and mini races
As ever, the Great MCR Run isn’t just limited to one event: there are multiple distances, routes and age groups that can race the route in and around the city centre.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day
So, whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day, there really is fun for all ages.
In all seriousness, even watching the massive metropolitan event stood next to the roads with homemade signs promises plenty of atmosphere, but with fancy dress galore, various different activations in the middle of the city, there’s not a chance you’ll get bored.
Even in the years we’ve missed out on running it ourselves (it sold well in advance last year, for instance), the pure buzz we got from joining countless other Mancs cheering from the pavement is enough to keep us coming back time and time again.
All that being said, if you’re looking to sort the perfect Christmas present for a runner, or simply need more reason to give yourself the kick up the backside you’ve been waiting for and just put your name down, this is it.
Besides the full annual marathon in April, running events simply don’t get bigger in this region than this one, so don’t miss out.
Sign up for the 2026 Great Manchester Run right HERE.
Featured Images — Great Run Company/AJ Bell (supplied)
Sport
Wigan Warriors finally reveal next season’s kits following update on delayed release
Danny Jones
Wigan Warriors have now officially revealed their new shirts for next season, following a much-anticipated update regarding the 2026 kits, the release of which had been delayed.
The Greater Manchester club lost this year’s Grand Final but still had a strong season, and with another local outfit having been relegated from the division, they are one of just two teams from the region competing for the title in the upcoming campaign.
However, supporters were fretting that they might not be able to get their new threads until after Christmas due to the launch of the latest merchandise being postponed.
Thankfully, this week, the club not only informed fans that things are getting back on schedule but also officially revealed the Wigan Warriors home and away shirt strips for the 30th anniversary edition of the Super League on Tuesday afternoon.
As you can see, the nearby rugby outfit is staying with Kappa as their manufacturer and, as ever, is sticking with the deep red, white and black colour combos across both jerseys.
Branding the home shirt as the ‘Loyal’ fit and the away one as their ‘Rebel’ version, the kits both feature horizontal stripes and other geometrical variations.
Most notably, Warriors now have a positive update on the status of the kits’ full launch, even if they don’t have an exact timeline just yet.
Writing to fans in an official statement, the club said: “Wigan Warriors are happy to report that [we are] expecting delivery of the 2026 home and away kits imminently.”
They go on to explain that they have been “experiencing significant delays” regarding the supply pipeline, which they say “were beyond the control of the Club.”
Nevertheless, the cogs are moving once again; you can see a closer look at some of the details below.
The home shirt…A.K.A. ‘Loyal’ kitAnd the away jersey…Or ‘Rebel’ strip
Warriors Chief Executive, Kris Radlinski, continued: “We want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support. Due to issues outside of our control, delivery timelines have unfortunately been impacted.
“We understand how frustrating this has been for supporters, particularly so close to Christmas, and we genuinely share that frustration. Please be assured that our team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure delivery as quickly as possible.
“We apologise that we have not been able to provide an earlier update while matters were ongoing. We are pleased to confirm that the delivery has now cleared customs and will be arriving at the Club imminently.”
Although personalisation will not yet be made available due to a focus on processing “as many orders as possible in the shortest time frame”, pre-orders for both shirts are now live, and those interested are being urged to opt for click and collect/visit in store where possible to avoid any further waiting.
Danny Jones -
26th April 2025 
