Costa attempts to provoke Murzakanov at UFC 327 face-off, gets smiles

Paulo Costa's pre-fight mind games fell flat at the UFC 327 face-off on Thursday, as Azamat Murzakanov met every provocation from the Brazilian with a calm smile rather than any visible irritation. The two fighters are set to collide on Saturday night at UFC 327.

Costa, known by the nickname "The Eraser," carries a 16-4 record and is ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains out of Team Borracha and fights out of an orthodox stance, standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach. He is one of the most prolific strikers in the division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, numbers that underline why his striking-based pressure game is taken seriously by any opponent.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," carries a record of 16-1 and sits twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe and stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.70 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and mixes in a modest takedown threat at 0.55 per 15 minutes. His unruffled demeanor at the face-off appeared entirely in keeping with his nickname.

Why it matters

• Costa's psychological aggression is part of his broader fight strategy, and Murzakanov's composure suggests it had no effect
• A win for Costa would help him climb back toward the middleweight top ten after back-to-back losses in 2022 and 2023
• The style matchup pits Costa's high-volume orthodox striking against a southpaw who has lost just once in his professional career
• Both fighters are in the latter stage of their thirties, giving the bout added urgency in terms of divisional positioning