The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will face Pablo Molina in a reserve bout at SENSHI 33 Grand Prix
Some fighters enter the ring with a carefully devised game plan. Others bring with them something that cannot be written on a coach’s whiteboard—an unwavering belief that they were born for the big moment. Mike Kena belongs firmly in the second group.
The 29-year-old kickboxer lives and trains in Italy but competes under the flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On September 5, he will make his debut at SENSHI 33 Grand Prix in a reserve bout against Argentinian Pablo Molina. Tickets for the fight gala are available at Eventim.bg.
The stakes in this clash are far higher than the term “reserve bout” might suggest. If necessary, the winner must be ready to step into the main draw of the 95 kg tournament and face one of the contenders for the championship belt. This means Kena cannot afford a slow start, hesitation, or energy conservation. He must arrive in Varna, Bulgaria, prepared not only to defeat Molina but also to continue his fight for a place among the elite. Judging by his words, this is exactly the kind of opportunity he has been waiting for.
“I’m here to take the belt or die trying,” Kena declares. Asked whether anyone in the tournament can stop him, his answer is brief and emphatic: “No.”
Mike Kena is not one of those fighters who first put on gloves as a child. He admits that he had behavioural problems before discovering martial arts. He began training at the age of 21, inspired by two of the most formidable athletes in the heavier weight divisions—Alistair Overeem and Tyrone Spong. Through eight years of relentless work, he has made up for lost time and forged his own identity in the ring. Today, he is a two-time Italian kickboxing champion and the winner of the 2025 Nice Fight four-man tournament. That triumph remains the most memorable moment of his career so far.
His professional record stands at 12 bouts, with 10 victories, only one defeat, and one no contest. Seven of those wins have come by knockout—warning enough for anyone preparing to stand across the ring from him. In August 2025, Kena earned a decision victory over Erol Konning in the over-95 kg division. Two months later, he suffered a decision loss to established Serbian fighter Rade Opacic. Kena, however, refused to allow that setback to alter his course and returned to winning ways in January 2026 with a points victory over Ali Badawi in the 95 kg division.
Every victory has its own value to him because each one makes him a better fighter. At the same time, difficult bouts strengthen the quality he identifies as his greatest weapon—his mindset.
“My mental strength. I always believe in my own abilities,” Kena says when asked to name his biggest advantage ahead of SENSHI 33 Grand Prix.
Kena describes his fighting style with just one word: “emotion.” Behind that word, however, lie serious discipline, relentless determination, and a clear preference for a knockout over a judges’ decision. His favourite punch is the left hook, but his most dangerous quality in the ring is not purely technical. It is his “winning mentality”—the inner conviction that he can find a path to victory even when a bout does not unfold according to plan.
Kickboxing has also transformed his life outside the gym. According to Kena, the sport put an end to his bad behaviour and taught him gratitude—the personal quality of which he is most proud. When he is not training, he returns to another of his passions: football. In the ring, however, there is no room for games. His goal remains singular: to become a champion.
“Because it’s my turn,” he replies when asked why he sees himself as the future SENSHI Grand Prix champion in the 95 kg division.
Kena’s path to this major opportunity runs through a dangerous opponent. Standing across from him will be Pablo Molina—a three-time KWU SENSHI Amateur World Cup champion and one of Argentina’s most promising fighters in the heavier weight divisions.
Molina possesses extensive tournament experience and knows how to win consecutive bouts within a short period. Kena, meanwhile, arrives with more professional fights and seven knockouts to his name. The clash pits a proven champion from the amateur scene against a competitor who has already tested his abilities against formidable names in the professional ranks.
Kena’s message to the Argentine contains no threats or unnecessary words: “Bring your best.” That is all the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo expects from his opponent. He promises to do the same.
Kena wants the audience to remember him one day as a man who left everything in the ring. On September 5 in Varna, Bulgaria, he will receive his first opportunity to begin building such a legacy on the SENSHI stage.
For Mike Kena, the reserve bout is not a place on the fringes of the tournament. It is an open door to the stage where he believes he belongs—and he is coming with every intention of walking through it.
SENSHI 33 Grand Prix is organized with the support of the Professional League of the Kyokushin World Union (KWU International Professional League), as well as the special support of Armeec Insurance JSC, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW Dealer, and Sts. Constantine and Helena Holding.
Media partners of SENSHI 33 Grand Prix are Boec.bg and Boec.com, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport, DIEMA, Beyond Kickboxing, Gol.bg, Sportal.bg, Dir.bg, Topsport.bg, KWUSENSHI.com, KWUnion.com, KyokushinKarate.News, Fighto.News, and Fight Sports Insider 24/7.
