GLORY 53: Scheinson intends to beat Jaraya then call for Groenhart rematch 

If someone were looking for an image with which to illustrate the emotions of shock and amazement, look no further than Alan Scheison’s reaction to the decision in his GLORY 51 fight with Thongchai.   Absolutely certain that victory was his, Scheinson found himself instantly plunged into a nightmare, first as it was announced that the judges were split on the decision and then secondly when that decision went Thongchai’s way.   “Man, after that fight… I came out of the ring like in a daze. Me and my team stood in a huddle and just didn’t know what to do. We were all just stood there, not understanding what just happened,” he says, shaking his head, still bewildered.   It was the third split-decision loss of his four GLORY fights and, while he disputes all the decisions, this one he found outrageous.    But despite the strength of his feelings, a loss on the record is a loss on the record. He knows he needs to come back in a big way.   “I need to understand what is going on wrong with my decisions,” he fumes.   “Does it need to be a bloodbath or a brawl or something? Do I just need to go forward non-stop with no defense? I think there must be something I need to change to start winning fights from these judges.”   Well, if he wants a brawl, his next opponent will happily oblige.   Mohammed ‘The Destroyer’ Jaraya 64-6-0 (36 KO’s), who debuted at GLORY 51 against Miles Simson, has an infamously aggressive fighting style.    War is all but guaranteed when he steps in the ring, so if Scheinson wants to make a statement with this fight, he couldn’t ask for a better adversary.   “Yeah I think this is a good fight for me after the fiasco with Thongchai,” he says.    “Jaraya has a lot of hype, a lot of followers, so once I beat him in this fight then I can get into a better position, get more money and more fans.    “Actually this fight already brought more fans - as soon as I said I was going to fight him, a lot of people added me on social media, started following me.”   Jaraya - a former lightweight champion in the Netherlands - does indeed have a hefty social media following.    He has a large young fanbase from all over the Netherlands and beyond, drawn to him by his destructive fighting style and clean-cut boyish good looks.    But Scheinson isn’t convinced about joining the Jaraya fan club himself.   “I’m from Argentina not the Netherlands, so I didn’t really know much about him til I got here. I feel like his hype is a bit over the top and I am surprised he has moved up from lightweight to welterweight,” he says.   “In his GLORY debut I felt he looked sluggish and like the weight didn’t suit him. He didn’t look athletic. I spar with Miles Simson and he said Jaraya doesn’t throw with a lot of power, he told me don’t worry about that.   “I think a lot of the hype maybe is about his fighting style and also his Dutch-Moroccan heritage, maybe they are looking at him like the new Badr Hari or something, but I don’t see him bringing anything new to the table.    “I think the power at this weight is different as well. Taking damage from a welterweight fighter is a lot different to taking it from a lightweight - although I train with Marat Grigorian and man, he hits like a truck. Sometimes I would rather spar with Jamal [Ben Saddik] than him!   “This fight with Jaraya will be good though. He only comes forward and for sure I am not expecting an easy night. This can easily be Fight of the Night I think.   “And after I win, I will have leverage. Then I will call for a rematch with Murthel Groenhart.    “Of all my split-decision losses in GLORY, that’s the one which bothers me the most. I didn’t lose that fight. And we’ve got some issues to settle from all the things that got said and done before that fight.”   Alan Scheinson faces Mohammed Jaraya at GLORY 53 LILLE on Saturday, May 12 at the Zenith de Lille Arena in Lille, France.    Tickets are on sale now and the fight takes place on the Superfight Series section of the card, which airs live worldwide via UFC Fight Pass.