Most Combined Takedown Attempts in a UFC Fight

Most takedown attempts by both fighters combined in a single fight. UFC bouts with round-by-round data, 1994–present.

50 record performances
14
Mario Miranda
Mario Miranda vs Aaron Simpson
26 Mar 2011
28
14
Dan Argueta
Dan Argueta vs Cody Haddon
12 Oct 2024
28
14
Din Thomas
Din Thomas vs Matt Serra
28 Feb 2003
28
14
Victor Altamirano
Victor Altamirano vs Vinicius Salvador
25 Mar 2023
28
20
Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson vs Kyoji Horiguchi
25 Apr 2015
27
20
BJ Penn
BJ Penn vs Diego Sanchez
12 Dec 2009
27
20
Curtis Blaydes
Curtis Blaydes vs Alexander Volkov
20 Jun 2020
27
20
Eduarda Moura
Eduarda Moura vs Denise Gomes
8 Jun 2024
27
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20
Colby Thicknesse
Colby Thicknesse vs Asaf Chopurov
24 Oct 2026
27
20
Farman Hasanov
Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan
27 Jun 2026
27
26
Frankie Saenz
Frankie Saenz vs Merab Dvalishvili
9 Dec 2017
26
26
Muhammad Mokaev
Muhammad Mokaev vs Charles Johnson
23 Jul 2022
26
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28
Dominick Cruz
Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson
1 Oct 2011
25
28
Alexandre Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja vs Steve Erceg
4 May 2024
25
28
Jens Pulver
Jens Pulver vs Caol Uno
23 Feb 2001
25

The most takedown attempts ever recorded in a single UFC fight — pure grappling persistence, whether or not they finished the shot.

The Most Takedown Attempts in a Single UFC Fight

Landed takedowns tell you who won the grappling; takedown attempts tell you who never stopped trying. This record book ranks the most persistent single-fight wrestling performances in UFC history by total takedown attempts, whether or not each shot finished.

Merab Dvalishvili's 49 attempts against Petr Yan is the gold standard of relentless pressure, but the full list is a celebration of cardio and grappling will. Switch between Single Fighter and Combined and filter by division to find the busiest wrestling nights ever recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a takedown attempt?
Every shot credited by the official statistics counts, whether it lands or is stuffed: singles, doubles, body locks and trips from the clinch. The figure is the attempted side of the takedown column, so it always includes the takedowns that landed as well as the ones that failed.
Why track takedown attempts separately from takedowns landed?
Attempts measure a fighter's grappling intent and relentlessness, not just their success. A wrestler who shoots forty times against elite takedown defense shows a completely different kind of dominance than one who lands cleanly on his first few tries, so the two lists tell separate stories.
Do lots of takedown attempts tire a fighter out?
They can, which is what makes the top of this list so impressive. Repeatedly shooting, driving, and re-shooting for fifteen or twenty-five minutes demands elite cardio, and the fighters here maintained that pressure without gassing, often winning decisions on volume and control.
Is a high attempt count a sign of strong takedown defense by the opponent?
Often, yes. A huge number of attempts frequently means the opponent was defending well, forcing the wrestler to keep working. The landed-takedowns record and this attempts record therefore complement each other in judging a grappling battle.
Most Takedown Attempts in a UFC Fight - top 10 (MMA.SOCIAL): 1. Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan (58), 2. Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan (49), 3. Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen (37), 4. Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos (33), 5. Merab Dvalishvili vs Umar Nurmagomedov (30), 5. Per Eklund vs Sam Stout (30), 7. Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan (29), 7. Anthony Hernandez vs Michel Pereira (29), 7. Anthony Hernandez vs Gregory Rodrigues (29), 10. Matt Serra vs Din Thomas (28)
Most Takedown Attempts in a UFC Fight - top 10, updated Oct 26, 2026.
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Most Takedown Attempts in a UFC Fight: top 10

The top 10 as one image. Free to share, updated after every UFC card.