Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa face off before UFC 327 clash

Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa came face to face Thursday as part of UFC 327's fight-week media obligations, completing their pre-fight staredown ahead of their bout scheduled for April 11.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division with a professional record of 16-4. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains out of Team Borracha and brings some of the most prolific striking output in the sport, landing an average of 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. An orthodox pressure fighter standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa has built his reputation almost entirely on his hands, recording zero submission attempts per fifteen minutes across his career.

Murzakanov, fighting out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe, is ranked twelfth in the light heavyweight division with a record of 16-1. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw carries the nickname "The Professional" and operates at five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and shows a slightly more well-rounded approach with 0.55 takedowns per fifteen minutes.

Why it matters

• Both fighters sit just outside the top ten in their respective divisions, meaning a strong performance could push either man toward title contention
• The bout is a cross-divisional matchup, with Costa competing up from middleweight to face a natural light heavyweight
• Murzakanov's southpaw angles could present a stylistic puzzle for Costa, whose aggressive forward pressure has been his calling card
• Costa's historically high striking volume against Murzakanov's durability and wrestling threat sets up a contrast in fighter profiles