Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 face-off

Paulo Costa made a bold attempt to rattle Azamat Murzakanov during their pre-fight face-off on Thursday, one day before the two meet in the co-main event of UFC 327 on April 11.

Costa, who has built a reputation for theatrical pre-fight behavior, leaned into his usual psychological tactics at the staredown. Murzakanov, however, was unmoved, responding with little more than a smile — an image that captured the contrasting personalities heading into this weekend's bout.

The Brazilian middleweight, nicknamed "The Eraser," carries a 16-4 record and is ranked thirteenth in the division at 35 years old. Fighting out of Team Borracha, Costa is one of the more aggressive strikers in the UFC, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and fights from an orthodox stance.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," presents a different profile entirely. The 37-year-old Russian represents K Dojo Warrior Tribe and holds a 16-1 record, sitting twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. He is a southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, landing 4.70 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. His takedown rate of 0.55 per 15 minutes gives him a modest grappling dimension as well.

Why it matters

• Costa is a middleweight stepping up to face a ranked light heavyweight, adding an unusual divisional dynamic to the matchup.
• Murzakanov's calm demeanor at the face-off suggests he is not susceptible to the mental games Costa typically employs.
• Both fighters rely primarily on striking, with neither recording submission attempts, pointing toward a stand-up encounter.
• A strong result for either man carries real rankings implications in what has become a competitive light heavyweight division.