Schilling quits 37 seconds into MMA return after headbutt

BBC Sport 23 травня 2026, 20:45 0 переглядів 1 хв читання

Mike Beltran holds back Joe Schilling as Donegi Abena holds up his hand — Image caption,
Joe Schilling has lost seven of his 11 fights as a mixed martial artist

ByBobbie JacksonBBC Sport journalist

Published1 hour ago

Joe Schilling quit from his PFL light-heavyweight fight against Donegi Abena following a headbutt in the opening round.

Abena attempted to headbutt Schilling 37 seconds into the contest in Brussels as they were grappling on the canvas.

The strike missed as Schilling, fighting for the first time in almost seven years, reacted sharply to move out of the way.

Suriname's Abena, making his MMA debut, was subsequently deducted a point by referee Mike Beltran as the American referee decided against disqualfying Abena.

The referee tried to restart the fight from the position at which it had been paused - with the American on his back - but the 42-year-old protested and then verbally tapped.

Abena, 29, comes from a kickboxing background and won the GLORY light-heavyweight title in 2023.

In the welterweight main event in Brussels, hometown fighter Patrick Habirora needed just 20 seconds to beat American Benson Henderson.

Habirora, 25, dropped Henderson with a hard left hook before the referee stepped in to stop the contest.

Habirora is now undefeated in nine fights.