At UFC 328, a historically rare event occurred twice in one night when fighters who executed eight or more takedowns in title fights still lost their bouts. Historically, UFC fighters landing five or more takedowns in championship fights win 81.08% of the time, and those landing seven or more win 83% of the time. Khamzat Chimaev landed nine takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed eight with nearly 11 minutes of control time, yet both were defeated. The analysis suggests that while elite wrestling remains an 80% path to victory, total versatility in skillset is superior, as wrestling is energy-intensive and highly dependent on weight cut, health, and circumstances.
UFC 328 produced a statistical anomaly on Saturday night when two separate fighters landed eight or more takedowns in championship bouts and still walked away with losses, a double occurrence that stands among the rarest outcomes in UFC title fight history.
Khamzat Chimaev, known as "Borz," entered his middleweight title fight as the division's number-one ranked contender and the tenth-ranked fighter pound-for-pound in the sport. The 32-year-old representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center carried a 15-1 record into the contest, boasting an elite grappling output of 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and a striking rate of 4.04 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. Despite landing nine takedowns on the night, he was unable to secure the victory.
Tatsuro Taira, the fifth-ranked flyweight contender from Japan, brought an 18-2 record and a reputation as one of his division's most well-rounded threats. The 26-year-old, who stands five-foot-seven with a 70-inch reach, averages 3.12 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.6 submission attempts in the same span. Taira landed eight takedowns and accumulated nearly 11 minutes of control time, yet that sustained grappling dominance was not enough to earn him the decision.
Why it matters
- UFC fighters landing five or more takedowns in title fights historically win 81 percent of the time, making both outcomes statistical outliers on the same card.
- Fighters landing seven or more takedowns in championship bouts win at an 83 percent clip, amplifying how extraordinary both losses were.
- The results reinforce that elite wrestling alone does not guarantee championship success, as the physical toll of repeated takedown attempts, compounded by weight cuts and overall health, can erode a fighter's ability to finish or control a bout decisively enough to win.
- Both losses open significant questions about divisional rankings at flyweight and middleweight heading into the back half of 2026.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
