MMA Preview – Kyler Phillips vs Raulin Paiva at UFC Vegas 32
KYLER PHILLIPS VS RAULIN PAIVA FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 32? Saturday 25th July, 2021 - 22:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 32? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 32? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 32 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 32? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
KYLER PHILLIPS VS RAULIN PAIVA LOWDOWN
Kyler Phillips (9-1) is one of many exciting prospects in the bantamweight division and his last performance propelled him towards the top 10. His only loss was in 2018 missing out on a split decision to Victor Henry for California Xtreme Fighting and since then he has improved with every fight. He blasted Gabriel Silva with a head kick for the Legacy Fighting Alliance to earn a UFC debut where he earnt a unanimous decision over Gabriel Silva. He then put on a ‘performance of the night’ dispatching Cameron Else and is now coming off his biggest win earning another unanimous decision over Yadong Song.
Phillips was scheduled to fight veteran Raphael Assuncao but a bicep injury opened the door for Raulin Paiva (20-3) to make his first appearance of the year. He moves up from flyweight to get a fight in, but it could be a good long-term move especially as he missed weight in his last bout. That was against Zhalgas Zhumagulov earning a unanimous decision which made it two in a row after sparking out Mark De La Rosa in February. Those were very important wins for Paiva as he arrived with a lot of hype and 18-1 record but lost his first two UFC fights against Kai Kara-France (split decision) and Rogerio Bontorin (TKO) to unearth a few doubters.
KYLER PHILLIPS VS RAULIN PAIVA PREDICTION
Despite Paiva moving up to bantamweight, they match up similarly physically both standing at 5’8” with Phillips boasting a three-inch reach advantage. They are both electric strikers and we expect to see an exciting fast-paced scrap on the feet until Phillips decides to mix in a takedown.
Phillips is very well-rounded. He has a solid karate base and is also very tricky on the mat with excellent jiu-jitsu. On paper, Phillips should have the edge in every area. He has the movement, speed, power and grappling to dictate where the fight goes. Paiva is a quality fighter but stepping up to 135 lbs to take on a potential future title contender is another tough task for the Brazilian.
Prediction: Phillips via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
