A rare statistical anomaly occurred at UFC 328 when two fighters who secured eight or more takedowns in title fights both lost their bouts. Historically, UFC fighters who land five or more takedowns in championship fights win 81.08% of the time, with that figure rising to 83% for those landing seven or more. However, Khamzat Chimaev landed nine takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed eight, yet both were defeated. Taira particularly had strong takedowns with full control lasting nearly 11 minutes, but was still finished by Kai Asakura. The results highlight that wrestling dominance alone cannot guarantee victory against elite, well-rounded strikers, and that factors like weight cutting, injuries, and overall health can significantly impact a wrestler's effectiveness.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
