SUMMARY
- Biaggio Ali Walsh took to MMA instead of boxing unlike his brother Nico Ali Walsh and grandfather Muhammad Ali.
- After facing a defeat on his amateur MMA debut, he conjured up six knockout wins on the trot with five of them in the PFL.
Biaggio Ali Walsh, grandson of the boxing legend Muhammad Ali, has an inspiring story. Biaggio is the son of Rasheda Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, and Bob Walsh. Rasheda is one of the twin daughters of Ali.
Biaggio was born on September 4, 1998. Although by this time Ali was years into his diagnosis of Parkinson’s syndrome, Biaggio had fond memories of his grandfather. However, Biaggio did not plan to enter the combat sports industry.
Biaggio Ali Walsh was interested in football and pursued it early in his life. That career choice, however, did not work out for him. According to Al Jazeera, Biaggio worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. He looked to get into real estate but missed being an athlete. “I just thought, I miss being an athlete. I miss having something to strive for and miss having some kind of purpose,” he said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Before getting into MMA, he sank into a downward spiral of drinking and doing drugs. “I was just kind of spiraling in this dark road,” he said. “And that’s pretty much what got me into fighting and just getting back into the light. [Training was] the only thing that excited me.”
His first amateur MMA fight was against Devin Rothwell in June 2022 at the Fusion Fight League. Biaggio lost in his amateur debut via a rear naked choke submission. However, after his debut loss, he conjured up six straight knockout wins with five of them coming in the PFL.
Biaggio Ali Walsh’s most spectacular finishes
In August 2022, Biaggio defeated Bradley Seaver in his first amateur win with a KO (strikes) in the first round. In September 2022, he signed a development contract with the PFL.
“I have a legacy to live up to, a legacy that my grandfather began, that my brother and I continue, I chose to continue that legacy here in the Professional Fighters League,” Biaggio stated in a release, according to MMA Fighting. “My one and only goal is to one day become a PFL World Champion.”
Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Biaggio Ali Walsh gets the first round finish on his PFL debut.💥#PFLWorldChampionship #MMA
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) November 25, 2022
In November 2022, Biaggio made his PFL debut. He faced Tom Graesser at lightweight on the undercard at PFL 10: 2022 Championships. Biaggio defeated Graesser with a first-round knockout at the Madison Square Garden, where his grandfather fought several times.
“I was about to p*** myself! It was scary,” he said of his debut at the MSG.
Biaggio, however, was not phased. He fought four times in 2023 and won all his bouts via knockouts. Firstly, he faced Isaiah Figueroa in April at PFL 2: Regular Season and defeated him via a first-round KO (punches). Next, he pulled off another first-round KO (punches to ground and pound) against Travell Miller at PFL 5: Regular Season.
Biaggio’s next two fights were second-round knockouts. He defeated Ed Davis at the PFL 9: 2023 Playoffs via punches and Joel Galarza Lopez at the PFL 10: 2023 PFL World Championship via right hook to left hook.
Why did Biaggio Ali Walsh not get into boxing like his brother?
Biaggio is the elder brother of Nico Ali Walsh. After making his pro-boxing debut in 2021, Nico went 8-0 before facing his first defeat in August 2023. After his grandfather’s domination in boxing, Biaggio also saw Nico enter the boxing industry, however, none of that could entice him to join in the same combat sport. He preferred MMA as he had more options while fighting.
“[MMA is] kind of like street fight. I don’t get to just punch somebody, I get to kick someone in the head and take someone down, choke someone out, you know?” he said. “I got options.”
MMA also helped him get closer to God. “In a sport like MMA, I think it’s very important to have a very strong relationship with God because you’re going in there and you don’t know if you could die,” he said.
Biaggio never had the passion to pursue boxing. He trains at the Xtreme Couture MMA gym where UFC fighters such as Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis hone their art.
