UFC 328 features rare double occurrence of fighters losing despite 8+ takedowns

A rare statistical anomaly occurred twice at UFC 328, where fighters who secured 8 or more takedowns in title fights still lost their bouts. Historically, UFC fighters who complete 5 or more takedowns in title fights win 81.08% of the time, while those with 7 or more takedowns win 83% of the time. However, both Hamzat Chimaev and Tatsuro Taira completed 9 and 8 takedowns respectively but lost their fights. Taira particularly had quality takedowns with nearly 11 minutes of control time yet was ultimately finished by Joshua Van. The analysis suggests this demonstrates that while elite wrestling provides an 80% win probability, total mixed martial arts universalism remains superior. Factors like weight cutting complications, injuries, travel, and recovery can dramatically reduce a wrestler's effectiveness against skilled striker-grapplers, making well-rounded skill sets increasingly important at the highest levels.