On Wednesday night Biaggio Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, secured another finish inside the PFL cage. But unlike his previous knockouts, this one came with some controversy.
In the first round Ali Walsh nearly stopped his fight with Ed Davis with a wild flurry in the final seconds but the bell rang and he went to the first second round of his PFL career. In that round he landed a strike which dropped Davis and then followed it up with graound and pound before the refree stepped in to stop the fight.
Davis immediately protested the stoppage, and MMA Twitter agreed.
IT'S OVER! Biaggio Ali Walsh throws missiles to secure the finish! 🚀🚀#PFLPlayoffs LIVE NOW
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 24, 2023
🇺🇸 ESPN
🌎 https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI pic.twitter.com/o7OTYGC4MI
MMA Twitter reacts to 'sketchy' stoppage in Biaggio Ali Walsh fight
We didn’t have any bets on that one but the Ali Walsh stoppage was sketchy af, amatuer or not. #PFLPlayoffs #PFL9
— Strong and Jacket©️ (@strongandjacket) August 24, 2023
I get it's an amateur bout, but that's still bad. Ref wayy too quick there. #PFLPlayoffs
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) August 24, 2023
I thought Biaggio Ali Walsh handled that post-fight interview as well as humanly possible.
— Jake Gould (@jakegould10) August 24, 2023
In fairness to him, it is still an amateur fight so it's a lot more understandable why the referee gave Biaggio that stoppage win a bit earlier than a pro fight. #PFLPlayoffs
@BiaggioAli1234 much respect for calling it an early stoppage, which it was. But you looked awesome and gained a lot of new fans not just for your fighting skills or family name.
— Will Heintz (@WillHeintz) August 24, 2023
Bit of an early stoppage but Biaggio Ali Walsh gets the TKO finish in RD2. #PFL9 #PFL pic.twitter.com/5cxu84nD6t
— Deee Black (@Deee_Black_) August 24, 2023
That was a joke of a stoppage, gotta keep the hype train going #PFLPlayoffs
— Brian Cook (@cookienofilter) August 24, 2023
I get it's an amateur bout, but that's still bad. Ref wayy too quick there. #PFLPlayoffs
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) August 24, 2023
Early stoppage, but that's amateur MMA #PFLPlayoffs
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 24, 2023
When it came time for Ali Walsh to take the mic he also admitted it was probably too early, and apologized he couldn't go another round to prove himself.
This bout was an amateur fight.