MANCHESTER CITY keeper Ederson revealed he put the club’s legendary midfielder Yaya Toure in a rear naked choke in a dressing room play fight.
Pep Guardiola‘s No1 admitted his former Ivorian team-mate begged him to stop the sophisticated MMA move.
Speaking to Brazilian YouTube channel Pilhado, Ederson, 27, said: “I once played with him [Yaya Toure] in the locker room. I gave him a rear naked choke.
“We were playing in the locker room and I used to make fun of him, I played with him a lot. I had that freedom because I liked him and he liked me too. We played a lot.
“Then, once in the locker room, we ended up catching each other and I put a rear naked choke on him.
“He was like ‘Ed, Ed, stop, stop’. I think he’s old too. Age weighs a little too.”
The Brazilian shot-stopper is a massive boxing fan and admitted his team-mates have learnt the hard way not to field any of his punches.
He added: “I like boxing a lot. I fight sometimes, I play.
“Sometimes at the club, when I went to the gym, it was more to train boxing. I didn’t like using any apparatus. Just boxing.
“Man, I always liked it. I always watch videos on YouTube. There was a time when I even considered hiring a teacher to do some special training.
“But it’s very busy here, there are a lot of games and there won’t be much time left. Then, whenever I could, I trained a little at the club.
“Sometimes it’s good, when you’re stressed, to take the stress out. Playing a little is good for the mind. Relax. Take some of the anger, the weight off the mind.”
In the interview, Ederson was told that compatriot and City striker Gabriel Jesus had let slip that players were scared of him because of his freakish strength.
He replied: “Ah, it’s respect, it’s not fear (laughs). People are sometimes afraid to play with me that sometimes I don’t know how to control strength very well and I end up exaggerating a little.
“The guys have already complained that I punch too hard. The right cross has power.
“Sometimes I play, I say ‘punch me three times I’ll punch you once’. But people are now aware and don’t play anymore.”
