Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov before UFC 327 fight

Paulo Costa made an attempt to get inside Azamat Murzakanov's head during a pre-fight encounter ahead of UFC 327, scheduled for Saturday, April 11, but the Russian contender responded with little more than a smile.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," enters the bout ranked 13th in the middleweight division with a record of 16-4. The 35-year-old Brazilian is one of the sport's most aggressive strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Fighting out of Team Borracha, the orthodox standout has built his reputation on forward pressure and knockout power, though he has rarely looked to the ground, averaging just 0.32 takedowns per 15 minutes and recording no submission attempts.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," carries a 16-1 record into the weekend and sits 12th in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old southpaw from Russia trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe and has lived up to his nickname in more ways than one. 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 slightly stronger grappling presence than his opponent, averaging 0.55 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Costa's confrontational fight-week approach contrasts sharply with Murzakanov's composed, unbothered demeanor, suggesting a psychological edge for the Russian heading into Saturday.
• A win for Costa would keep him relevant in the middleweight top 15, while Murzakanov is looking to build on his light heavyweight ranking and push toward the division's upper tier.
• The style matchup pits Costa's high-volume striking aggression against Murzakanov's measured southpaw output, making the stand-up chess match the central story of the bout.