It’s going to be difficult following in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali. However, Biaggio Ali Walsh has gotten a great start. Last night, the 25-year-old grandson of Ali debuted in his first MMA fight in Saudi Arabia. He took on 19-year-old MMA prospect Emmanuel Palacio and won the fight via unanimous decision after three rounds of battle.

Fighting from PFL’s corner in the PFL vs. Bellator event, something made possible after PFL acquired Bellator in November last year, Walsh dominated all three rounds of the fight. Even though the fight was largely uneventful, Walsh did jump into action in the third round to cement his victory. Meanwhile, following Biaggio’s win, brother Nico Ali Walsh took to social media today to react to the victory.

Biaggio Ali Walsh’s debut success receives praise from family

Turning to his Instagram story, Nico Ali Walsh, who is a pro boxer with an 8-1 record, shared a picture of his brother on TV — during the fight. In the following window, Nico shared a clip from the fight. It was a post from PFL’s official Instagram account, where Biaggio was being announced as the winner. Nico simply captioned the clip with “1-0,” congratulating Biaggio for the win.

Meanwhile, Nico wasn’t alone in congratulating the young mixed martial artist. Biaggio’s aunt and Muhammad Ali’s daughter took a similar approach as Nico to congratulate the 25-year-old fighter. While sharing a clip from the fight, Maryum Ali wrote, “Great fight Biaggio. Congratulations.” However, the win would not have been possible if Biaggio hadn’t left football.

What led to Biaggio fighting in MMA?

Before his debut in the brutal sport, Biaggio had a career lined up in football. He even received a scholarship from the University of Las Vegas. However, certain injuries and bad repo with the team led him down the lane of MMA. While speaking to talkSport in August 2023, Biaggio claimed, “I kind of just grew away from it.” 

Also Read: “I Was Just Depressed and Lost” – Muhammad Ali’s Grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh Lays Bare His Tough Situation Before Turning to MMA

“After football, I was kind of lost and didn’t like where my life was heading. I didn’t like my lifestyle, I was going out. I was partying a lot and doing a lot of stupid stuff,” he continued. Biaggio Wlash further added that he became a regular at Xtreme Couture and later fell in love with the sport. “Eventually, I ended up saying, ‘You know what? I’m young. I’m not too old to get into a new sport and try my best with it,” said Walsh.

Reaching the height Muhammad Ali once ruled over will be extremely difficult for Biaggio Ali Walsh. However, if he continues to dominate his opponents like in his last fight, picturing Walsh at the top isn’t farfetched. Meanwhile, his recent win delighted his family and Muhammad Ali’s fans as the world reacted to his first win. What did you think of Biaggio’s fight? 

Read More: “I’m Still a Baby… This Is Not a Sport to Rush in”- Muhammad Ali’s Grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh Made a Striking Revelation About Going Pro in MMA