Goncharov predicts Murzakanov will finish Costa at UFC 327

Evgeny Goncharov has publicly backed Azamat Murzakanov to stop Paulo Costa when the two meet at UFC 327 on April 11, declaring his confidence that Murzakanov will secure a decisive finish without significant difficulty.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," enters the fight with a 16-1-0 record and holds the number-12 ranking in the light heavyweight division. The 37-year-old Russian trains out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe and fights as a southpaw, standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate and supplements his striking with 0.55 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," is a ranked middleweight stepping into this contest with a 16-4-0 record. The 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha is ranked 13th in the middleweight division and fights out of an orthodox stance at 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 58 percent accuracy, though he has no submission attempts on record.

Why it matters

• Murzakanov is moving down from light heavyweight to face a career middleweight, creating an unusual cross-divisional style matchup
• Costa's high-volume striking output of 6.26 significant strikes per minute makes him a dangerous offensive opponent despite his current ranking
• A finish victory for Murzakanov would carry significant weight in light heavyweight divisional conversations and boost his ranking at 205 pounds
• Goncharov's public prediction adds external confidence to Murzakanov's camp heading into fight week at UFC 327