Muhammad Ali's grandson credits MMA for saving him from out-of-control lifestyle

03 April 2023 , 20:40

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Muhammad Ali's grandson credits MMA for saving him from out-of-control lifestyle

When Biaggio Ali Walsh cut his college football career short, the grandson-of-a-legend went off the rails after turning to alcohol as his life spiralled out of control.

Walsh, 24, was a talented American football player in his teenage years and earned himself a scholarship at the University of Las Vegas. Injuries and bad relationships with his team staff steered Walsh away from the sport in which, unlike many teenagers, he never had dreams of becoming an NFL star.

The 24-year-old was in a bad place after falling out of love with American football and admitted he turned to a lifestyle of partying, something that goes against his religion. Walsh is now making waves in the Professional Fighters League and boasts an amateur record of 2-1, with both his wins coming by first round knockout. The grandson-of-a-legend who trains at the world-renown gym Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas has credited MMA for turning his life around.

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"When my football career was over, I was lost. I lost control, I was a big party animal," Walsh told Mirror Fighting. "I was going out, doing stupid stuff and trying new things. I didn't like the lifestyle I was heading down and I just found myself very confused and lost. I didn't know what to do, I felt like I had no purpose anymore.

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"I got an internship at a sports facility and was also working at Adidas. When I was interning a lot of the fighters I worked with came from Xtreme Couture, where I train. I thought why I am coaching these guys at 22-years-old? I didn't want to have questions later on in life about 'Would I have been a good fighter?'. That's when I told myself I'm going to just go for it and that way I'll be a lot happier in the end."

Biaggio Ali Walsh is following in the footsteps of his legendary grandfather

"When I started taking it more seriously, I found myself getting away from that lifestyle because you can't be a party animal and then train MMA expecting to do good in the gym. You're going to gas out sooner and get your a** whooped, that's exactly what happened. I thought to myself 'I'm going to choose this route instead of that road' and ever since then I have felt better, my life has opened up in a whole new way."

Much like his legendary grandfather, Walsh is known for his excellent striking but the PFL star has been solely working on grappling ahead of his upcoming fight on April 7. The 24-year-old amateur plans to get four wins under his belt in 2023 and is hoping to turn professional at the start of next year.

Harry Davies