Most takedowns in a UFC fight: Does Khabib Nurmagomedov hold the record?
In the UFC, the record of most takedowns in a single fight belongs to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Russian fighter landed 21 takedowns against Abel Trujillo in a three-round fight in 2013. Nurmagomedov was relentless with his takedowns who manhandled his American opponent in every round.
Nurmagomedov himself alluded to his record by saying that all he planned to do was just "grab and throw his opponent".
"At this fight, which happened 7 years ago, I placed a record in #UFC
21 takedowns in single fight. Month before the fight I injured my knee and wasn’t able to take opponents back. Decision to make was very simple)) just grab and throw your opponent for 15 minutes straight. if there is a desire, there will always be a solution," read Nurmagomedov's Instagram post.
Nurmagomedov won the fight via unanimous decision with all the judges scoring the contest 30-27. 'The Eagle' also put on an end to Trujillo's five-match win streak.
Who are some of the most prominent takedown artists in the UFC?
One of the biggest names to have excelled in the art of takedowns is none other than the great George St. Pierre himself. The French-Canadian fighter has overall 90 takedowns under his belt in the UFC, and he also holds the record of most number of takedowns in title fights which stands at 66.
Geision Tibau is another veteran who consistently reflected his extraordinary takedown skills. The 37-year-old Brazilian has 84 total takedowns in the UFC and also gave Khabib Nurmagomedov a rough night at the office when he faced the Russian in 2012.
Some other prominent fighters with impressive takedown skills include Khabib Nurmagomedov, Demetrious Johnson and Tito Ortiz, to name a few.
One of the most important aspects for the fighters to excel in the sport of mixed-martial-arts is their ability to take their opponents down. The art of takedown is instrumental when it comes to asserting dominance over your opponents, which in turn ultimately may help the fighters to dictate the bout as per their convenience.
However, it requires impeccable speed, execution, and timing to successfully land a takedown; undoubtedly, it is not everyone's cup of tea.
Over the years, we have seen several fighters in the UFC to have mastered the art of takedown, but who is the best at it?
Check Out Khabib Nurmagomedov's Net Worth Here