Prediction: Joaquim Silva via KO
Puelles needs this fight on the ground. His whole game is built around grappling, and when he gets it there, he’s slick, creative, and dangerous. But the problem is how he gets it there. His entries are slow, predictable, and from way too far out. Against someone like Silva, that’s just not going to cut it.
Silva is built like a brick house. He’s tough to drag down, even tougher to hold there, and if Puelles is shooting those desperate, telegraphed takedowns, Silva is going to see them coming every time. And that’s when Silva’s advantages really come into play. In close, he’s got serious power. When he lets his hands go, it doesn’t take much to hurt people. As Puelles starts to get more frustrated and more desperate to find a takedown, those openings are only going to get wider.
The longer this fight goes, the worse it gets for Puelles. He’ll be stuck trying to force shots that aren’t there, leaving his chin right in line for Silva’s power. That’s why I see Silva not just winning, but likely finding the finish. He’s the stronger, harder hitting fighter, with the right tools to shut down what Puelles does best, and eventually that power in his hands is going to end the night.