Former GLORY kickboxing champion Donegi Abena won his MMA debut at PFL Brussels under controversial circumstances against 42-year-old Joe Schilling. Abena accidentally headbutted Schilling on the ground, which was not a severe blow, but Schilling immediately jumped up and began verbally protesting. The referee deducted a point from Abena and attempted to restart the fight, but Schilling refused to continue. The bout was officially ruled a TKO victory for Abena after just 37 seconds. Schilling had not competed in MMA since 2019, and the incident raised questions about fighters being brought in as easy opponents.
Donegi Abena claimed a TKO victory in his professional MMA debut at PFL Brussels on May 23, 2026, but the bout ended in contentious fashion when opponent Joe Schilling refused to continue fighting after an accidental headbutt.
The sequence unfolded quickly. Abena caught Schilling on the ground with an inadvertent headbutt in what observers described as a minor contact, not a severe blow. Rather than shake it off, Schilling immediately rose to his feet and began arguing with the referee. A point was deducted from Abena, and the official moved to restart the contest, but Schilling would not engage. The fight was waved off at just 37 seconds, with the result recorded as a TKO victory for Abena.
Schilling, a 42-year-old American standing six-foot-three at 191 cm, carried a 2-5-0 professional MMA record into the contest. He had not competed in MMA since 2019, making Saturday night a return after roughly seven years away from the sport. His career numbers show 2.84 significant strikes landed per minute at 52 percent striking accuracy, though he has recorded zero takedowns and zero submission attempts per 15 minutes across his MMA career.
Why it matters
- Schilling's refusal to continue after a relatively minor foul leaves his competitive intentions open to scrutiny
- The incident reignites debate around veteran or faded-record opponents being matched against debuting prospects on major platforms
- Abena, a former GLORY kickboxing champion, now holds an unbeaten MMA record but his debut victory carries an asterisk given the circumstances
- PFL's matchmaking decisions surrounding the bout are likely to face questions from fans and analysts alike
