Most Takedowns in a UFC Fight: Full Record List 2026

Quick answer

Khabib Nurmagomedov holds the record for the most takedowns in a UFC fight. He landed 21 against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 in 2013. As of October 21, 2026, Merab Dvalishvili ranks second with 20, followed by Myktybek Orolbai with 19. These are takedowns landed by one fighter, not attempts or the two fighters’ combined total.

Data snapshot: AgentMMA analysis of 8,928 UFC bouts with round-by-round stats from 1994-03-11 to 2026-10-17 (computed 2026-10-21)

Most takedowns in a UFC fight

The table ranks a single fighter’s total in one bout. The Format column matters because a five-round fight offers more time than a three-round fight. Still, the top mark came in a three-round bout. A high count shows repeated successful entries, but it doesn’t tell you how long the fighter held each position.

How this list is counted

AgentMMA adds the takedowns landed in every round for each fighter. The final sum becomes that fighter’s bout total. Attempts don’t count. The opponent’s takedowns also stay separate.

Each row is one performance, so a fighter can appear more than once. Merab Dvalishvili has three entries because he reached the cutoff in three different fights. There is no career minimum and no minimum number of attempts. A bout only needs usable round-by-round data.

Format means the scheduled length, not the number of rounds completed. A 5-round label covers title fights and main events booked for five rounds. This lets you spot the extra time advantage without changing the ranking.

The result column follows UFC Stats as stored in AgentMMA’s database. If a result is overturned, AgentMMA records it as a no-contest. The takedown total still describes what the stats recorded that night, but result filters on another site may remove it.

The UFC has also published Khabib’s 21 as its single-fight record, so the leader matches. Lists can differ below first place when they use an older cutoff, omit no-contests, or lack an early bout’s round data. Some UFC record-book categories also apply their own date windows or minimums. This page doesn’t borrow those filters.

Notable names on the list

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Nurmagomedov landed 21 takedowns in a fight scheduled for only three rounds. He had less available time than every five-round entry. AgentMMA isn’t turning that into a pace ranking, but the context explains why the mark stands out.

UFC formally confirmed his retirement with a 29-0 pro record in 2021. His competitive status has changed. This record hasn’t. No later fighter in AgentMMA’s sample reached 21 through October 17, 2026.

Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili’s 20 against Cory Sandhagen is the closest anyone has come. It happened over five rounds, while Khabib had three. Dvalishvili remained an active UFC bantamweight at the study cutoff, so this isn’t a list made only of retired names.

His other rows matter too. He landed 13 against Gustavo Lopez and 12 against Casey Kenney. Those entries show that his high total against Sandhagen wasn’t an isolated result.

Myktybek Orolbai

Orolbai reached 19 against Chris Curtis in March 2026. Like Khabib, he did it in a three-round fight. MMA Fighting reported the same wrestling-heavy unanimous decision, while AgentMMA’s round totals set the exact count at 19.

He was still listed on the UFC welterweight roster when this page was computed. His entry matters because it shows the old top mark is still being tested by active fighters.

Demetrious Johnson

Johnson appears twice: 14 against Kyoji Horiguchi and 12 against John Moraga. Both were scheduled for five rounds. He retired from MMA in September 2024, so neither row can move, but both remain part of UFC history.

This is also a useful warning about totals. Two long title fights can produce large numbers through different patterns of control, resets, and returns to the feet.

What does a 21-takedown fight tell you?

It tells you the fighter completed the scoring action 21 times. It doesn’t mean 21 long periods of top control. An opponent may stand quickly, force a reset, and get taken down again seconds later.

That is why this list shouldn’t double as a ranking of the best UFC wrestlers. Career volume, accuracy, opposition, control time, damage, and takedown defense answer different questions. A fighter can dominate with three long rides. Another can land 12 takedowns because the opponent keeps escaping.

Use the count as a record of repeated success in one fight. Then check the scheduled format and the bout itself for context. For the other side of the exchange, read how UFC takedown defense is calculated.

Related AgentMMA pages

• Most significant strikes in one fight
• Most UFC wins
• Longest UFC win streaks
• Most submissions
• Most finishes

How solid is this data?

The base is 8,928 UFC bouts with round-by-round stats. It runs from March 11, 1994, through October 17, 2026. AgentMMA sums stored UFC Stats figures instead of estimating takedowns from video.

Only UFC bouts count. Fights from other promotions may appear in a fighter’s pro record, but they never enter this UFC figure. Results follow UFC Stats as stored by AgentMMA, and an overturned result counts as a no-contest.

Coverage is close to complete since 2000 and includes most 1990s UFC bouts. A missing early fight can’t appear, so this isn’t a claim that every unrecorded exchange from the first events has been recovered. Five-round fights also get more time to build totals. The Format column keeps that limit visible.

AgentMMA refreshes this maintained page after new results change the order or add a qualifying performance. The next update depends on a completed UFC bout, not a fixed publishing calendar.

FAQ

Who has the most takedowns in a UFC fight?

Khabib Nurmagomedov holds the record with 21 landed takedowns against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 on May 25, 2013. He did it in a three-round fight.

What is the UFC takedown record for a single fight?

The UFC single-fight takedown record is 21 by Khabib Nurmagomedov. AgentMMA found the same leader across 8,928 bouts through October 17, 2026.

Who is closest to Khabib’s 21 takedowns?

Merab Dvalishvili is second with 20 against Cory Sandhagen. Myktybek Orolbai is third with 19 against Chris Curtis.

What is the most takedowns in a three-round UFC fight?

Khabib’s 21 is also the three-round record. Orolbai landed 19 in three rounds, and Farman Hasanov landed 17.

Do takedown attempts count toward this record?

No. AgentMMA counts only takedowns marked as landed in the round-by-round data. Failed attempts don’t raise a fighter’s total.

Why does another UFC takedown list look different?

Check its cutoff date, treatment of no-contests, and data coverage. Older lists may stop before 2026, while some record books use category-specific minimums.