At UFC 328, a rare occurrence happened twice: fighters who completed 8 or more takedowns in title fights still lost their bouts. Historically, UFC fighters who land 5+ takedowns in title fights win 81.08% of the time, and those with 7+ takedowns win 83% of the time. Khamzat Chimaev landed 9 takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed 8 with nearly 11 minutes of control, yet both lost their respective fights. The analysis notes that while elite wrestlers maintain 80% winning odds, total all-around skills remain superior, as wrestling is energy-intensive and highly dependent on health factors and weight cut conditions. The post suggests this demonstrates the importance of universalism in MMA rather than relying solely on one skillset.
UFC 328 produced a statistical anomaly on Friday night when two fighters each completed eight or more takedowns in title fight appearances and still came away with losses, a combination that history suggested was nearly impossible.
Khamzat Chimaev, known as "Borz," entered his middleweight title fight as the division's top-ranked contender and the number-ten fighter in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old fighting out of the UAE under Allstars Training Center carried a 15-1 record into the night, landing 9 takedowns across the bout. His career averages — 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes, 4.04 significant strikes per minute, and 60 percent striking accuracy — paint the picture of a relentless two-way threat. It was not enough.
Tatsuro Taira, the 26-year-old Japanese flyweight ranked fifth in his division, was equally dominant on the mat. The Blackbelt Japan product landed 8 takedowns and accumulated nearly eleven minutes of control time, yet also left without the belt. Taira averages 3.12 takedowns per fifteen minutes and 1.6 submission attempts per fifteen minutes, backed by a 60 percent striking accuracy mark and an 18-2 professional record.
Why it matters
- Fighters completing 7 or more takedowns in UFC title fights had previously won 83 percent of the time, making two such losses on the same card historically unprecedented
- Both outcomes reinforce that wrestling dominance, while a powerful tool, does not guarantee victory against well-rounded championship-level opposition
- The energy cost of repeated takedown attempts, combined with weight-cut conditions, may reduce a grappler's finishing ability late in championship rounds
- The results strengthen the argument that overall skill universalism, not singular grappling volume, remains the defining factor in UFC title fights
Saturday, May 9, 2026
