Biaggio Ali Walsh’s biggest professional test resulted in one of the rarest submissions you’ll ever witness inside an MMA cage. Muhammad Ali‘s grandson competed in the PFL Austin prelims at the Moody Center in Texas, looking to build on his 4-1 start to his professional career.

Standing across from him was unbeaten Dagestani prospect Gamid Khizriev, who came into the night with a perfect 4-0 record. And when the bell rang, it didn’t take long for him to prove why he was considered Biaggio Ali Walsh’s most formidable opponent to date.

Khizriev closed the distance quickly, using strikes and persistent grappling before bringing the 27-year-old into a scramble on the mat. Although the American was able to get back on his feet more than once, each escape merely allowed the Dagestani to strengthen his position.

Gamid Khizriev eventually took Biaggio Ali Walsh’s back, locked in a body triangle, and calmly waited for an opening while his opponent struggled to spin away. That escape attempt benefited Khizriev.

As Ali Walsh rolled, the Dagestani fighter caught him in a modified twister submission known as the “Scottish Twister,” a highly rare and painful submission in mixed martial arts which was popularized by Scottish veteran Stevie Ray.

The spinal lock led Ali Walsh to tap at 2:32 of the first round, leaving the 25-year-old moaning in agony on the ground before several officials helped him to his feet. The victory improved Gamid Khizriev’s professional record to 5-0 and was the most high-profile win of his brief career, while Biaggio Ali Walsh fell to 4-2, suffering his second submission defeat in MMA.

Biaggio Ali Walsh had earlier lost to Ronnie Gibbs via an arm-triangle choke in the second round at PFL World Tournament 7 in June 2025, in what was his very first pro-MMA loss.

Regardless, Biaggio Ali Walsh’s defeat on Saturday night also served as yet another brutal reminder that having one of combat sports’ most recognizable surnames does not ensure success inside the cage.

Biaggio Ali Walsh’s honest confession on handling the pressure of carrying Muhammad Ali’s legacy

The PFL has closely followed the lightweight prospect’s journey ever since he signed with the promotion. Biaggio Ali Walsh, who had a 6-1 amateur record, became professional in Saudi Arabia and quickly established himself as an exciting finisher before getting the step up to compete against Gamid Khizriev.

And ahead of the fight, Ali Walsh admitted he welcomed the challenge, believing it was the greatest method to measure his growth.

“I’m still a baby in this game, trying to earn my stripes and get up there to the elite level.” Ali Walsh told Bloody Elbow. “For me, I’m just trying to get as much experience as I can, and in order to do that, I need to fight as often as I can. This isn’t a huge layoff, and it’s a quicker turnaround than usual, which I’m happy about.

“I’m super excited to take on a legit challenge and see where I’m at. I love tests, I love challenges, and I always say ‘Bring it on,’ so I can see where I’m at. This is a good opponent, and I have a game plan that consists of going in there and fighting the way that I fight.”

Long before this current setback, Biaggio Ali Walsh had discussed the expectations that come with being Muhammad Ali’s grandson, saying that his faith has helped him cope with the constant pressure.

“You’re Ali’s grandson; there’s so much expected of you,” Ali Walsh said in an interview with Deadspin. “How I deal with the pressure really is my faith and my religion and belief in God. What I like to do and what helps me a lot is accepting the fact that I can’t control the outcome.

“The only things that I can control [are] how hard I train and pulling the trigger in a decisive moment in the fight, right? I know my family will still love me. I know my fiancé will still love me. To me, the biggest thing is acceptance. Acceptance really helps me and takes that pressure off.”

Although the outcome in Austin did not match his expectations, Biaggio Ali Walsh was eventually able to leave the cage on his own after receiving assistance from officials. Meanwhile, Gamid Khizriev’s solid submission victory cemented the unbeaten Dagestani’s status as one of the PFL’s brightest lightweight prospects.