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.

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50 record performances
35
Rafael Estevam
Rafael Estevam vs Jesus Aguilar
15 Feb 2025
24
35
Kurtis Campbell
Kurtis Campbell vs Trevor Peek
5 Sep 2026
24
35
Lucas Rocha
Lucas Rocha vs Stewart Nicoll
11 Oct 2025
24
49
Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader vs Ovince Saint Preux
16 Aug 2014
23
49
Phillip Miller vs James Zikic
13 Jul 2002
23

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.

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