Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 event

Paulo Costa made an attempt to get under Azamat Murzakanov's skin ahead of their UFC 327 matchup on April 11, but the effort landed with little effect — Murzakanov responded with nothing more than a smile.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the bout ranked 13th in the middleweight division with a record of 16-4. The 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha is one of the more active strikers in the UFC, landing an eye-catching 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. An orthodox southpaw matchup awaits him, as this contest is scheduled at light heavyweight, a division where Costa has tested the waters before.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," carries a 16-1 record and sits 12th in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old Russian trains out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe and fights out of a southpaw stance. Standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, he lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and has shown a modest takedown threat at 0.55 per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Costa's psychological gamesmanship had no visible effect, with Murzakanov projecting composure throughout the encounter.
• A Costa win could push him back toward relevance in a division he has not consistently competed in, while Murzakanov looks to climb from 12th in a stacked light heavyweight rankings picture.
• The striking styles are closely matched in accuracy, though Costa's significantly higher volume could be the defining factor in how the fight is contested on the feet.
• No physical incident occurred during the confrontation, leaving the tension to be settled inside the cage at UFC 327.