Most Takedowns in a UFC Fight

Most takedowns by one fighter in a single fight. UFC bouts with round-by-round data, 1994–present.

Filters All divisions · Single fighter
50 record performances
1
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Abel Trujillo
25 May 2013
21 of 27
2
Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen
4 Oct 2025
20 of 37
3
Myktybek Orolbai
Myktybek Orolbai vs Chris Curtis
14 Mar 2026
19 of 24
4
Farman Hasanov
Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan
27 Jun 2026
17 of 27
5
Raul Rosas Jr.
Raul Rosas Jr. vs Rob Font
7 Mar 2026
16 of 18
5
Sean Sherk
Sean Sherk vs Hermes Franca
7 Jul 2007
16 of 19
7
Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson vs Kyoji Horiguchi
25 Apr 2015
14 of 22
7
Curtis Blaydes
Curtis Blaydes vs Alexander Volkov
20 Jun 2020
14 of 25
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9
Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili vs Gustavo Lopez
13 Jun 2020
13 of 18
9
Makhmud Muradov
Makhmud Muradov vs Bryan Barberena
22 Jul 2023
13 of 16
9
Luigi Fioravanti
Luigi Fioravanti vs Luke Cummo
1 Mar 2008
13 of 16
9
Kurtis Campbell
Kurtis Campbell vs Trevor Peek
5 Sep 2026
13 of 24
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13
Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson vs John Moraga
27 Jul 2013
12
13
Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman vs Rafael Dos Anjos
30 Nov 2018
12 of 18
13
Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili vs Casey Kenney
15 Feb 2020
12 of 24

The most takedowns ever landed in a single UFC fight — the definitive wrestling-domination record, by one fighter and by both combined.

The Most Takedowns in a Single UFC Fight

Few numbers capture total dominance like a towering takedown count. This record book ranks the greatest single-fight takedown performances in UFC history — the nights a wrestler put an opponent on the mat again and again — by one fighter and by both fighters combined.

Khabib Nurmagomedov's 21 takedowns against Abel Trujillo set a bar that defines the wrestling era, but relentless modern grapplers keep chasing it. Use the Single Fighter and Combined tabs and the division filter to explore the most suffocating grappling nights ever recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the record for the most takedowns in a UFC fight?
Khabib Nurmagomedov, with 21 takedowns. Set against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160: Velasquez vs Silva 2, May 2013. Second: Merab Dvalishvili (20). Measured over UFC bouts with round-by-round statistics recorded on MMA.SOCIAL. A bout with no per-round data cannot appear here.
What counts as a takedown in UFC statistics?
A takedown is credited when a fighter brings an opponent to the mat from a standing position and keeps them there long enough to be scored. This board counts takedowns landed, with the number attempted shown beside each figure, so a clean night and a night of relentless re-shooting are easy to tell apart.
What is the difference between the single and combined takedown records?
The single view counts the takedowns one fighter landed in a bout; the combined view adds both fighters together, which highlights the fights where the wrestling went both ways rather than one grappler dominating.
Does landing the most takedowns guarantee a win?
Usually, but not always. Takedowns are a core scoring metric and a sign of control, yet a fighter can be taken down repeatedly and still win via submission attempts, sweeps, or damage from the bottom. Every row links to the fight page, so you can see how often takedown dominance translated into victory.
Are takedown totals affected by fight length?
Yes. A five-round bout gives a wrestler far more opportunities to accumulate takedowns than a three-round fight, which is why championship and main-event grappling clinics are so heavily represented near the top of this leaderboard.
Most Takedowns in a UFC Fight - top 10 (MMA.SOCIAL): 1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Abel Trujillo (21), 2. Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen (20), 3. Myktybek Orolbai vs Chris Curtis (19), 4. Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan (17), 5. Raul Rosas Jr. vs Rob Font (16), 5. Sean Sherk vs Hermes Franca (16), 7. Demetrious Johnson vs Kyoji Horiguchi (14), 7. Curtis Blaydes vs Alexander Volkov (14), 9. Merab Dvalishvili vs Gustavo Lopez (13), 9. Makhmud Muradov vs Bryan Barberena (13)
Most Takedowns in a UFC Fight - top 10, updated Oct 25, 2026.
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Most Takedowns in a UFC Fight: top 10

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What is the record for the most takedowns in a UFC fight?

Khabib Nurmagomedov, with 21 takedowns.

Set against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160: Velasquez vs Silva 2, May 2013. Second: Merab Dvalishvili (20).

Measured over UFC bouts with round-by-round statistics recorded on MMA.SOCIAL. A bout with no per-round data cannot appear here.