Rare UFC 328 anomaly: Two fighters lose title fights despite 8+ takedowns each

At UFC 328, an unusual statistical anomaly occurred twice in title fights. Historically, fighters who complete 5+ takedowns in UFC title bouts win 81.08% of the time, and those with 7+ takedowns win 83% of the time. However, both Khamzat Chimaev and Tatsuro Taira lost their respective title fights despite landing 9 and 8 takedowns. Taira's performance was particularly notable with strong takedowns, full ground control, and nearly 11 minutes of control time, yet he was stopped and finished. The post suggests this highlights the importance of complete versatility in modern MMA, as wrestling alone, despite being highly effective, becomes less reliable when factors like weight cutting, injuries, or health issues come into play.