Murzakanov and Costa face off before UFC 327 clash

Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa came face to face Thursday as UFC 327 promotional duties brought the two light heavyweight contenders together for their pre-fight staredown, with the footage released by UFC Eurasia ahead of their scheduled meeting on April 11.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," enters the bout carrying a 16-1-0 record and holds the number-12 ranking in the light heavyweight division. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw, who trains out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe, stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate and adds modest takedown pressure at 0.55 per 15 minutes.

Costa, a Brazilian middleweight who has now moved up to light heavyweight, brings a 16-4-0 record and is ranked 13th in the middleweight division. The 35-year-old Orthodox fighter nicknamed "The Eraser" trains with Team Borracha and stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach. He is one of the more prolific strikers in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, with almost no takedown or submission activity in his game.

Why it matters

• Murzakanov is a ranked light heavyweight looking to climb the 205-pound ladder, while Costa is moving up from middleweight, adding divisional intrigue to the matchup
• Costa's high-volume striking output against Murzakanov's solid accuracy and takedown ability sets up a compelling stylistic contrast
• A victory for either man would carry significant momentum heading into the upper tier of the light heavyweight rankings