Paulo Costa tried to provoke Azamat Murzakanov during their pre-fight interactions ahead of their UFC weekend bout. Murzakanov responded to Costa's provocations only with smiles, refusing to engage with the Brazilian's attempts at psychological warfare. The fight is scheduled to take place this weekend. No specific details were provided about the nature of Costa's provocations or the context of the interaction beyond Murzakanov's calm reaction.
Paulo Costa made clear he had no intention of keeping things polite ahead of his UFC bout this weekend, attempting to get under the skin of Azamat Murzakanov during their pre-fight interactions. Murzakanov, for his part, responded to each provocation with little more than a smile, declining to take the bait from the Brazilian veteran.
Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division with a professional record of 16-4-0. The 35-year-old from Brazil is one of the more aggressive strikers in the sport, landing an imposing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa fights out of an orthodox stance under Team Borracha.
Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," carries a record of 16-1-0 and sits twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old Russian trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe and competes as a southpaw, standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and adds a modest takedown threat at 0.55 per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- Costa's mind games are a known part of his pre-fight arsenal, and his failure to draw a reaction from Murzakanov suggests the Russian is entering the bout composed
- The matchup crosses divisional lines, with Costa moving up from middleweight to face a light heavyweight contender
- Both fighters rely primarily on striking, setting up a potential stand-up battle between two heavy-handed competitors ranked inside their respective division's top fifteen
