Paulo Costa was seen trying to provoke his opponent Azamat Murzakanov in the lead-up to their UFC 327 bout. Murzakanov responded to Costa's attempts with only smiles, remaining calm and unfazed by the provocations. The fight between the two middleweights is scheduled for this weekend. The interaction was captured and shared across multiple platforms.
Paulo Costa made headlines this week for the wrong reasons, attempting to get under the skin of Azamat Murzakanov during the build-up to their UFC 327 matchup on April 11. Murzakanov, however, refused to take the bait, responding to Costa's taunts with nothing more than a smile, projecting calm confidence ahead of the bout.
Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division with a 16-4-0 record. The 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha is one of the more prolific strikers in the UFC, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. His orthodox stance and 185-centimeter frame make him a physically imposing presence, though he carries a nearly nonexistent submission and takedown game.
Murzakanov, who goes by "The Professional," brings a 16-1-0 record and sits twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw trains out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe and stands 178 centimeters tall with a 180-centimeter reach. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and mixes in a modest takedown rate of 0.55 per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- Costa's mind games fell flat, potentially giving Murzakanov a psychological edge heading into fight night
- A win for Costa would boost a ranked middleweight in a cross-divisional contest, while Murzakanov could strengthen his light heavyweight top-fifteen standing
- The contrast in styles — Costa's high-volume orthodox striking versus Murzakanov's southpaw counter-punching — sets up an intriguing technical matchup on the feet
Saturday, April 11, 2026
