Most Takedowns in UFC History: Full Career Leaders

Quick answer

As of October 21, 2026, Merab Dvalishvili holds the record for the most takedowns in UFC history. He has landed 119 across 17 UFC fights. Georges St-Pierre is second with 90, while Gleison Tibau is third with 84. Dvalishvili also leads all active fighters and averages 7.0 takedowns per UFC fight. These totals count successful takedowns, not attempts.

Data snapshot: AgentMMA analysis of 8,950 UFC bouts, covering every fighter's UFC appearances from 1994-03-11 to 2026-10-17 (computed 2026-10-21).

Most takedowns in UFC history: full career table

Most takedowns in UFC history

The table ranks fighters by career takedowns landed in UFC bouts. “Per fight” divides that total by the listed UFC appearances and rounds to one decimal place. Status reflects the database snapshot, so it can change before the totals do.

How this list is counted

AgentMMA adds every successful takedown in a fighter's UFC round-by-round statistics. A takedown counts only when the stats provider records it as landed. A failed shot is an attempt, not a takedown, so it adds nothing here.

The total is career volume, not takedown accuracy or takedowns per 15 minutes. Those measures answer different questions. A fighter can rank highly through pace, a long UFC run, or both.

There is no minimum number of fights. Every fighter with UFC statistics is eligible, then the 25 largest totals form this table. Ties keep the order produced by AgentMMA's maintained dataset.

Only UFC bouts count. A fighter's wins or takedowns in ONE, Bellator, PFL, Strikeforce, regional shows, or amateur competition stay outside this total. Those fights may appear in a professional record, but they never raise the UFC figure.

Results follow UFC Stats as stored in AgentMMA's database. If a result is overturned, AgentMMA treats it as a no-contest. The round data remains tied to the source record rather than being reconstructed from video.

The UFC Record Book showed the same leading totals of 119, 90, and 84 in its October 18, 2026 update. Another list may still differ because it uses another cutoff, an active-only filter, or revised source data. Some record pages also state that their wider scope begins at UFC 28. AgentMMA reports its own stated range and preserves its computed table.

Don't confuse this ranking with defense. How UFC takedown defense is calculated explains why stopping shots needs a different denominator.

Notable names on the list

Merab Dvalishvili: the clear career leader

Merab Dvalishvili sits first with 119 takedowns in 17 UFC fights. That is 29 more than St-Pierre, the previous benchmark. His 7.0 per-fight rate is also the highest in this table. The UFC still lists him as active, so his record is not closed.

The number measures completed takedowns, not time spent controlling an opponent afterward. That distinction matters with Dvalishvili. His style can produce repeated takedowns when an opponent stands, rather than one long spell on top.

Georges St-Pierre remains second

Georges St-Pierre landed 90 takedowns in 22 UFC appearances, or 4.1 per fight. He officially retired in 2019, which fixes his total unless the historical source changes. His place shows how unusual his blend of accuracy, timing, and career volume was.

Dvalishvili passed him, but 90 still leaves St-Pierre six ahead of Tibau. Retirement also makes the comparison simple: St-Pierre's column will not grow through another bout.

Gleison Tibau and Demetrious Johnson

Gleison Tibau is third with 84 across 28 UFC fights. His 3.0 average is lower than the two names above him, but the long run built a large total.

Demetrious Johnson is fifth with 74 in only 18 UFC fights. He averaged 4.1 per appearance, matching St-Pierre's displayed rate. Johnson ended his MMA career in September 2024, so this is also a closed UFC total.

Khabib Nurmagomedov's shorter run

Khabib Nurmagomedov landed 61 takedowns in 13 UFC fights. His 4.7 per-fight mark trails only Dvalishvili among these 25 fighters. He officially retired with an unbeaten professional record, but only his UFC bouts feed this table.

That is why he sits below several fighters with lower rates. This ranking rewards the full career total. It does not try to decide who was the best wrestler.

The active group behind the record

Curtis Blaydes and Tim Elliott are the highest active fighters after Dvalishvili, both on 70. Rafael Dos Anjos follows on 68, with Darren Elkins on 67. Valentina Shevchenko and Neil Magny each have 64.

Anthony Hernandez is lower at 57, but his 4.4 per-fight rate stands out. Mateusz Gamrot has 54 at 3.9 per fight. Their totals can move, while inactive fighters provide fixed targets unless the underlying stats are revised.

Related AgentMMA pages

• Most UFC wins
• Longest UFC win streaks
• Most submissions
• Most finishes
• Most title-fight wins

How solid is this data?

This is AgentMMA's analysis of 8,950 UFC bouts through October 17, 2026. It covers every fighter's UFC appearances in the database. It is a maintained record page, not a one-time editorial ranking.

Round-by-round statistics cover nearly every UFC bout since 2000. The earliest UFC years have less complete statistical coverage, which is the main historical limit. That gap does not justify filling missing numbers by guesswork.

Fights in other promotions never count toward a UFC total. A professional record can include them, so don't treat the two scopes as interchangeable. Overturned results are stored as no-contests in line with the UFC Stats result held by AgentMMA.

The UFC's official record book agrees with the leading figures in this snapshot. Small differences can still appear after a correction or when two pages update on different days. AgentMMA will refresh this table when a new UFC result changes it or the source statistics are amended.

FAQ

Who has the most takedowns in UFC history?

Merab Dvalishvili holds the record with 119 landed takedowns across 17 UFC fights as of October 21, 2026. He averages 7.0 per UFC appearance.

Who are the UFC career takedown leaders?

The top five are Merab Dvalishvili with 119, Georges St-Pierre with 90, Gleison Tibau with 84, Clay Guida with 78, and Demetrious Johnson with 74.

Is Georges St-Pierre still the UFC takedown record holder?

No. St-Pierre is second with 90. Dvalishvili leads him by 29 takedowns in AgentMMA's October 21, 2026 snapshot.

How many UFC takedowns did Khabib Nurmagomedov land?

Khabib Nurmagomedov landed 61 takedowns in 13 UFC fights. That works out to 4.7 per fight in this table.

Does this record count takedown attempts?

No. It counts only takedowns recorded as landed. Failed attempts do not increase a fighter's career total.

Do takedowns from other MMA promotions count?

No. The ranking covers UFC bouts only. Takedowns from any other promotion may affect a professional record, but they do not affect this list.