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

At UFC 328, a rare statistical anomaly occurred twice in title fights. Both Khamzat Chimaev and Tatsuro Taira completed 9 and 8 takedowns respectively in their championship bouts but still lost. Historically, UFC fighters who complete 5+ takedowns in title fights win 81.08% of the time, and those with 7+ takedowns win 83% of the time. Taira particularly had quality takedowns with full ground control totaling nearly 11 minutes, yet was still finished. The analysis suggests that while elite wrestling maintains around 80% win probability, total well-roundedness remains superior, as wrestling is highly energy-intensive and dependent on health, weight cut, and circumstances that can dramatically shift odds against skilled striker-generalists.