Biaggio Ali Walsh Pursues a Lasting Impact in Combat Sports

Biaggio Ali Walsh’s name may sound familiar—he is the grandson of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali— and those who have been paying attention know he has also become a mainstay of the Professional Fighters League. Because he has been with the PFL since 2022, with five amateur fights and his pro debut having taken place under its banner, the 25-year-old Xtreme Couture rep has basically grown up with the promotion.

Walsh returns to the stage to face Brian Stapleton in a PFL 8 lightweight showcase this Saturday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Considering the bloodline and legacy he carries, it has always been an important factor for Walsh to establish his own name—a decision he made for himself back during his gridiron days.

“I kind of had the same mindset when I was playing football in high school,” Walsh told Sherdog.com. “Football is obviously a different sport than what my grandfather participated in. I kind of wanted to make my own name in football, [but] life happens. Football wasn’t really working out, and MMA kind of just fell into my lap. Originally, I was looking to train MMA just to stay in shape, but then eventually, I started to really like it.

“It was a time in my life where it was like, ‘What now?’” he added. “I remember telling my dad, ‘Maybe I’ll get one amateur fight.’ Then one turned to two, and then it turned into a career. In football, I wanted to make my own name. In MMA, I want to do the same. It’s all part of the journey.”

Another vast difference from Walsh is that while he competes at a time when social media and trash talk get attention—and with his grandfather being known as one of the greatest trash talkers of all-time—it’s not part of the game that suits him. He just wants to stay true to himself and focus on competition.

“I kind of just be myself. I like to just fight,” Walsh said. “My grandpa did the trash talk. I don’t really need to do the trash talk. I keep that in ‘Call of Duty.’”

Having a majority of his fights with the PFL has meant everything to Walsh. He holds deep gratitude toward the company for investing in him.

“It’s a huge blessing,” Walsh said. “I can’t even put into words how grateful I am. I heard [the PFL was] coming to me when I was 0-1 as an amateur. I mean, as an 0-1 amateur, you don’t really get signed with the PFL until you’re a seasoned pro. When they came to me, at first, I was very hesitant, I didn’t want to rush my career. It just shows me the PFL saw a lot of potential in me, and that even though I lost my first amateur fight, they saw a lot of potential. I’m just grateful that I was able to get that type of experience that early in my career.”

Despite his early success, Walsh is not looking to rush the process or fast track himself to championship opportunities. No matter what happens, he wants to stay grounded with the timing of his career. Most importantly, Walsh wants to use his platform to help others.

“I’m a realist,” he said. “I’m not going to be a world champion in one year. That doesn’t sound realistic. It takes time. It takes a lot of ups and downs. This fight journey is a learning journey. It’s a rollercoaster. It’s not always up. You’re going to have some down points, as well. I acknowledge that. I know that’s the realistic way of thinking [about] things. Thinking that way makes me more calm.

“I’m doing this just to help people eventually,” Walsh added. “I want to give back to my community. I want to be that kind of mentor, not just for my future kids but for other kids who may not have had guidance at their house or might have been in my position as college athletes who were in that stage of ‘What now?’ That’s the only reason why I fight.”

Not only focused on himself and his success inside the PFL SmartCage, Walsh makes it clear that utilizing his talents and position to benefit others is of utmost importance to him.

“Look at my grandfather,” he said. “He was the People’s Champ for a reason. He wasn’t the People’s Champ because he was the heavyweight champ and won fights. He had principle. He had conviction and belief, regardless of [whether or not] the U.S. government was on his ass about it. He gave back to his people. He gave Black people confidence that they didn’t really have at the time. It was very racist in America at that time.

“That’s why he is remembered,” Walsh added. “He’s not remembered because of boxing or what he did in the ring. He’s remembered for what he did outside the ring. That’s why it’s equally important, if not more important, [to give back].”