UFC 328 saw two rare title fight losses despite 8+ takedowns landed

At UFC 328, both Khamzat Chimaev and Tatsuro Taira became rare cases of fighters losing title bouts despite landing 8+ takedowns. Chimaev landed nine takedowns while Taira secured eight, with Taira also recording nearly 11 minutes of control time. Historically, UFC fighters who land 5+ takedowns in title fights win 81% of the time, while those landing 7+ win 83% of the time. The results highlight that even elite-level wrestling does not guarantee victory against well-rounded opponents. The post suggests that total universalism in skillset trumps even dominant wrestling when factors like weight cutting, health, and opponent preparation align against the grappler.