Featherweight: Dinis Paiva vs. Kyle Driscoll
Tale of the Tape
32-years-old
5’9″
East Providence, Rhode Island, US
Juniko
13-7
26-years-old
6’0″
Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
American Kickboxing Academy
11-3
Pros and Cons
Dinis Paiva
Pros
- Good wrestling
- Good left hand
- Good jab
- Accurate striking/Good shot selection
- Fast starter
- Very tough
- Nice power in his hands
Cons
- TDD needs work
- Holds his hands low
- Overextends a lot
- Takes a lot of damage
Kyle Driscoll
Pros
- Good wrestling
- Good ground and pound
- Decent kicks
- Good chain-wrestling
Cons
- No set-ups
- One-dimensional
- Flustered against pressure
- Will at times just ride position
- Persistent wrestling
- Will telegraph his shots at times
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Paiva
Speed: Driscoll
Output/Volume: Paiva
Knockout Power: Paiva
Chin: Paiva
Kickboxing: Driscoll
Footwork: Driscoll
Wrestling: Driscoll
Grappling: Even
Submissions: Even
Cardio: Driscoll
Prediction
Many people are probably expecting the Oklahoma wrestler Driscoll to just out-wrestle Paiva. It may not be as noticeable, but Paiva was a wrestling state champion in Massachusetts. And while Paiva has struggled with takedown defense before it seems he’s improving in that area.
Driscoll meanwhile has shown he will telegraph his shots over time and someone like Paiva, who will not go down easy, is likely to have Driscoll shooting from too far out. Paiva losing by submission four times is a bit concerning, but I don’t rate Driscoll much of a submission threat. If Driscoll can’t hold Paiva down, which I don’t think he can, he will probably get pieced up by Paiva. Driscoll could give him problems with movement and kicks but the boxing of Paiva is superior. I’m siding with Paiva because I just think he’s ultimately the better fighter.
See what Dinis Paiva had to say ahead of this one right here!
