Historic UFC 328 sees two fighters lose title bouts despite 8+ takedowns

UFC 328 witnessed a rare double occurrence where fighters who landed eight or more takedowns in a title fight ended up losing. Historically, fighters who secure five or more takedowns in UFC title bouts win 81% of the time, and those with seven or more win 83% of the time. However, Khamzat Chimaev and Tatsuro Taira both defied these odds, landing nine and eight takedowns respectively yet still losing their fights. Taira in particular controlled for nearly 11 minutes with solid takedowns but was still finished. The analysis suggests that while elite wrestling remains powerful, total mixed martial arts versatility is ultimately superior, as wrestling is energy-intensive and highly dependent on weight cuts, health, and circumstances.