UFC 328 sees rare occurrence: Two fighters lose despite 8+ takedowns

UFC 328 featured a rare statistical anomaly occurring twice in one event: fighters who completed 8 or more takedowns in a title fight both lost their bouts. Historically, fighters who land 5+ takedowns in UFC title fights win 81.08% of the time, while those landing 7+ takedowns win 83% of the time. Khamzat Chimaev completed 9 takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed 8, both losing their respective championship fights. Taira particularly dominated control time with nearly 11 minutes while maintaining strong positions, yet was still defeated and finished. The post analyzes how even elite-level wrestling cannot guarantee victory against well-rounded strikers, especially when factors like weight cutting, injuries, or physical condition affect performance. The analysis suggests Chimaev could benefit from developing a more universal striking game rather than relying primarily on wrestling.