PFL fighter Schilling withdraws from bout in Brussels following headbutt controversy

Joe Schilling has withdrawn from his Professional Fighters League light-heavyweight bout against Donegi Abena in Brussels, ending the contest just 37 seconds into the opening round. The American fighter, making his first appearance in nearly seven years, cited the referee’s handling of an attempted headbutt as the reason for his exit.

The incident occurred while the two competitors were grappling on the canvas. Abena, a 29-year-old Surinamese fighter making his Mixed Martial Arts debut, attempted to headbutt Schilling. The strike missed, but the sequence prompted an immediate reaction from Schilling, who moved out of the way.

Referee Mike Beltran assessed the incident and deducted a point from Abena. However, Beltran chose not to disqualify the Surinamese fighter, opting instead to pause the contest and prepare for a restart from the position in which it had been stopped.

Schilling, 42, protested the referee’s decision to allow the fight to continue. Rather than resuming the bout, the American fighter verbally tapped out, effectively withdrawing his consent to compete under the current ruling.

Abena brings a strong kickboxing pedigree to the sport, having won the GLORY light-heavyweight title in 2023. The outcome of this PFL event marks a sudden conclusion to Schilling’s return to the octagon, with the bout ending before any significant exchanges could take place.