Chimaev and Taira both lost UFC 328 title fights despite 8+ takedowns each

At UFC 328, a rare occurrence happened twice when fighters who completed eight or more takedowns in title fights still lost. Historically, UFC fighters who land five or more takedowns in title bouts win 81.08% of the time, and those with seven or more win 83% of the time. Khamzat Chimaev landed nine takedowns and Tatsuro Taira landed eight, yet both were defeated. Taira particularly had quality takedowns with nearly 11 minutes of control time but was still finished. The post analyzes that while elite wrestlers maintain high win percentages, total well-roundedness is superior, as wrestling is energy-intensive and vulnerable to factors like weight cuts, injuries, and opponent quality. The analysis suggests Chimaev should develop more striking versatility rather than relying primarily on wrestling.