At UFC 328, a rare statistical anomaly occurred twice: fighters who completed eight or more takedowns in title fights still lost. Historically, fighters landing 5+ takedowns in UFC title bouts have won 81% of the time, and those with 7+ have won 83% of the time. Chimaev landed nine takedowns and Taira eight, yet both were defeated. Taira secured nearly 11 minutes of control time with strong positional work, but was ultimately finished. The post argues that elite wrestling remains highly effective, but total well-roundedness is still superior, as wrestling is energy-intensive and vulnerable to factors like weight cuts, injuries, or poor timing. Chimaev showed striking potential and would benefit from more diverse preparation, while Taira dominated position but never took Kai Asakura's back and struggled with head movement in standup.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
