Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa complete face-off before UFC 327 bout

Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa stood face to face at the UFC 327 ceremonial weigh-in on April 10, completing their final pre-fight staredown ahead of their meeting on the Miami card scheduled for April 11.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the bout as the ranked 13th middleweight in the UFC at 35 years old. The Brazilian out of Team Borracha carries a 16-4 record and is one of the most prolific volume strikers in the division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, the orthodox finisher has shown little interest in the grappling side of the sport, averaging virtually no submission attempts across his career.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," comes in as the number 12 ranked light heavyweight at 37 years old. The southpaw Russian, representing K Dojo Warrior Tribe, holds a 16-1 record and stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and adds a modest takedown threat at 0.55 per 15 minutes. Like Costa, his submission attempts are essentially nonexistent.

Why it matters

• Both fighters are ranked just outside the top ten in their respective divisions, making a strong performance critical for either man's title trajectory
• The bout is a cross-divisional matchup, with Costa operating primarily at middleweight and Murzakanov established at light heavyweight, adding an unusual dynamic to the contest
• Both men rely heavily on striking, setting up a potentially high-output stand-up exchange with similar accuracy rates sitting around 57 to 58 percent