Joe Schilling’s return to a major combat sports platform will come against a fellow elite striker, as he is set to face former GLORY light heavyweight champion Donegi Abena at PFL Brussels on May 23 at ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium. The bout, agreed for light heavyweight, will serve as Abena’s long‑awaited mixed martial arts debut and pits two high‑level kickboxers against each other under the PFL banner. Match originall announced by Mike Bohn.
Joe Schilling vs. Donegi Abena in the PFL Announced
Schilling’s inclusion in this matchup is significant because of his own extensive background in high‑level striking. He is a veteran of GLORY’s middleweight division and a long‑time figure in American kickboxing, known for violent finishes and a willingness to face top opposition during the peak of the GLORY era in North America.
His kickboxing résumé includes notable knockouts that were replay staples on combat sports highlight reels, and that history is central to why PFL has positioned him opposite Abena rather than using the GLORY champion in a softer introduction to MMA. Schilling also owns prior experience in MMA, competing sporadically over the years while juggling his kickboxing career, which adds a layer of familiarity with the cage that Abena does not yet have.
Abena arrives at PFL Brussels as a recent GLORY light heavyweight titleholder making a strategic move from kickboxing to mixed martial arts. In GLORY, he fought his way through a tough division, eventually winning the light heavyweight belt and cementing himself as one of the best kickboxers in that weight range.
His decision to sign with PFL and debut in 2026 followed growing discussion in European fight media about the state of the kickboxing market and the appeal of MMA’s larger global reach and financial upside. For PFL, securing Abena on a long‑term deal and assigning his first fight to a European card signals clear intent to invest in striking‑based talents with existing name value on that side of the Atlantic.
The stylistic pairing is at the heart of why this fight stands out on the Brussels card. Schilling’s history in GLORY and other kickboxing organizations means he understands Abena’s world better than most MMA veterans would. Both men have spent years competing under rules that reward aggressive striking and precise timing, and that shared background shapes expectations for how the early exchanges may look.
The key unknowns revolve around how Abena adapts to MMA’s extended rule set and whether Schilling’s prior experience with takedowns, clinch grappling, and cage positioning gives him a practical edge once the fight moves beyond pure stand‑up. Even if both prefer to trade on the feet, the threat of level changes, clinch trips, and ground scrambles will be present in a way neither faced in GLORY.
This bout functions as a collision of two different phases of the kickboxing‑to‑MMA pipeline. Schilling represents an earlier wave of GLORY and American kickboxers who tested the waters of MMA before the current PFL era, often without the benefit of a structured season format or the promotional focus the league now places on crossover stars.
Abena, by contrast, arrives as a recent world champion at a relatively young age, entering MMA with momentum and a clear promotional push behind him. A strong debut from Abena in Brussels would immediately place him on the radar for future PFL campaigns and reinforce the idea that top European and Surinamese‑Dutch strikers can successfully transition to the cage.
For Schilling, an upset over the former GLORY champion would be a significant result that could revive his MMA run and add a notable win to his record at a time when PFL is expanding its international schedule and building depth across divisions.
The event is headlined by unbeaten Belgian welterweight Patrick “The Belgian Bomber” Habirora (8‑0) against former UFC champion Benson “Smooth” Henderson (30‑12), with Schilling–Abena part of the supporting lineup.
