Paulo Costa was seen trying to provoke Azamat Murzakanov during what appears to be pre-fight promotional activities. Murzakanov responded to Costa's attempts with only a smile, showing composure in the face of trash talk. The fight between these two middlewights is scheduled for this coming weekend. The post mentions the confrontation was captured on video. This appears to be part of the standard UFC pre-fight promotion building up to their upcoming contest.
Paulo Costa made an attempt to get under Azamat Murzakanov's skin during pre-fight promotional activities ahead of their contest this weekend, with the exchange caught on video. Murzakanov's response was a simple smile, leaving Costa's trash talk to land without reaction.
Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," enters the bout ranked 13th in the middleweight division with a record of 16 wins and 4 losses. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains out of Team Borracha and is one of the more aggressive strikers in his weight class, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He fights out of an orthodox stance and stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach.
Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," comes in at 16-1-0 and sits 12th in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old Russian out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe fights southpaw and stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy, and also contributes on the ground with 0.55 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Costa's antics went unrewarded, with Murzakanov's composed reaction denying him any psychological edge heading into the bout
- The matchup crosses divisional lines, with Costa a ranked middleweight and Murzakanov a ranked light heavyweight, adding context to the size and reach dynamics
- Both fighters rely primarily on striking, with neither showing a submission game, pointing toward a stand-up contest
