UFC 328 sees rare occurrence: two fighters lose title bouts despite 8+ takedowns

At UFC 328, an unusual statistical anomaly occurred twice when fighters who secured 8 or more takedowns in title fights still lost their bouts. Historically, UFC fighters landing 5 or more takedowns in title fights win 81.08% of the time, and those with 7 or more win 83% of the time. Khamzat Chimaev landed 9 takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed 8 with nearly 11 minutes of control time, yet both lost their championship fights. The analysis suggests that while elite wrestling remains highly effective, complete mixed martial arts versatility is increasingly crucial, as wrestling is energy-intensive and highly dependent on weight cut, health, and other variables that can drastically shift winning percentages against well-rounded strikers.