While some MMA fans may only know Las Vegas’ Biaggio Ali Walsh as boxing legend and cultural icon Muhammad Ali’s grandson, others have witnessed the PFL fighter’s roaring rampage and winning streak in the cage and know that he has quickly become one of the biggest draws to the promotion during the past two years.
Standing on his own and forging his own legacy as a fighter hasn’t been easy when one of the most prolific fighters in history happens to be your grandfather. Walsh recently sat down with Al Jazeera to discuss how his family heritage has impacted him as a man, and where he sees himself going in his MMA career.
Walsh, 25, told the outlet about his childhood memories with his grandfather. Despite Muhammad Ali’s battle with Parkinson’s disease during Walsh’s youth, they spent time together watching classic Western movies, performing magic tricks, drawing, and reading — often about Ali’s historic “Rumble in the Jungle” bout with George Foreman in 1974.
While Walsh has a love for boxing, having trained at his uncle’s gym and enjoyed hitting the mitts and the bag, he did not initially choose to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps into combat sports. Instead, he pursued football. Moreover, his grandfather Muhammad Ali did not push him toward a fighting career, even as Walsh’s brother Nico took up professional boxing.
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Walsh faced challenges growing up with his famous heritage, including being targeted for street fights by those looking to claim they beat Ali’s grandson. He recounts an incident at 14, where he was coerced into boxing a high school senior at a house party, a confrontation that Walsh humorously recalls ending in his favor.
Walsh’s journey into mixed martial arts (MMA) began at 22, a move prompted by feelings of anger and depression. His natural talent in the sport was quickly evident, and by September 2022, he signed with the Professional Fighters League. With a commendable record of 5-1-0, Walsh is predominantly a striker. Currently, he’s preparing for a lightweight fight against Joel Lopez, who holds a 3-0-0 record. This upcoming bout is part of the undercard for the 2023 PFL World Championship in Washington, D.C.
A victory in this fight could accelerate Walsh’s path to becoming a full-time fighter. Despite his ascent in MMA, Walsh states that his aspirations are not centered on titles. Instead, he pursues a more spiritual and altruistic path, seeking fulfillment beyond the accolades of the sport.
“Getting into the sport, it’s changed my entire life; mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually,” he told Al Jazeera.
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After college football and a stint in film studies didn’t pan out for Biaggio Ali Walsh, he found himself grappling with depression, substance abuse, and a lack of direction, working as a strength and conditioning coach and contemplating a career in real estate. The pull of athleticism and the need for a purpose led him to the sport of MMA, inspired by friends and clients at Xtreme Couture MMA gym and drawn to the multifaceted nature of the sport over traditional boxing.
Walsh’s transition to the fighting world was rocky, with his amateur debut in June 2022 resulting in a loss and a trip to the hospital due to overwhelming nerves. However, his subsequent fights showed a marked improvement, with calmness and a string of first-round knockouts leading up to a pivotal win at Madison Square Garden. Finally able to focus fully on fighting thanks to sponsorships and non-racy content on Only Fans, Walsh is preparing to face his next challenge, the undefeated striker Joel Lopez.
“I feel like those kinds of fights are the most exciting. I mean, look at guys, like, [UFC star] Justin Gaethje. He’s such a fan favourite because he has bangers,” said Walsh. “That’s really what I care about.”
As his name and popularity has grown, so has his faith. Walsh, like the rest of his family, is a practicing Muslim.
“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. “When I read the Quran, it tells me that [material success] is not what’s really important. What’s really important is having a good relationship with God and, and doing good and stacking good deeds, being good to people.
“Like, when you die, you don’t take the Ferrari, you don’t take the house, you don’t take any of this – you take who you were as a person and what you worshipped.”
Walsh cherishes the guidance he received from his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, who was not only famous for his charismatic bravado and poetic trash-talking in the ring, but also for his activism and humanitarian efforts. The most significant advice Ali imparted to his grandson was the importance of humility, urging him to “stay humble” despite the successes and challenges he might encounter.
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