Dejan Lovren taps out in 50-second contest with ex-UFC fighter

Dejan Lovren is used to getting into a bit of a tussle with strikers on a weekly basis, but those strikers are very rarely - in fact, never - ex-UFC fighters.

And the former Liverpool star, who has previously and humbly described himself as one of the best centre-backs in world football, has perhaps learnt that he should most definitely stick to the whole football malarkey from now on.

Lovren posted a video of himself taking on ex-UFC fighter Mirko Filipovic in the octagon, but his battle lasted only 50 seconds, as he was forced to tap out by the experienced warrior.

No shame in that, in fairness. The 31-year-old put up an admirable fight, wriggling around on the canvas like a forward throwing themselves to the floor in fake agony, desperately trying to earn a last-minute penalty.

Except, his agony looked very real indeed.

Filipovic used to be a mixed martial arts fighter, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest ever kickboxers in the sport's history. It is fantastic when two of sport's greatest ever athletes go head to head, isn't it?

It has to be said though, considering he was on the back foot from the off, Lovren's defending left a whole lot to be desired - for the first time ever, if you were to ask him.

Still, he'll have learned plenty from this 'short training session', and may take all that knowledge out onto the pitch for Croatia in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, and Zenit Saint Petersburg back in Russia.

Expect plenty of grappling from set pieces and penalties to be awarded in the coming weeks then, as the ex-Red tries to readjust to life on the football field, and away from the octagon.

Dejan The Defensive Liability Lovren may well have found himself a second career after football.