Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov who remains smiling

Paulo Costa's pre-fight mind games fell flat at UFC 327 media day when Azamat Murzakanov met every attempt at provocation with nothing more than a relaxed smile, leaving the Brazilian's psychological tactics without the desired effect ahead of their weekend clash.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division with a record of 16 wins and 4 losses. The 35-year-old from Brazil trains out of Team Borracha and is one of the more dangerous strikers in the sport, landing an eye-catching 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. His orthodox stance and powerful output have made him a threat to anyone he has faced.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," operates at light heavyweight and comes in ranked twelfth in that division with a near-flawless record of 16 wins and just 1 loss. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe stands 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, averaging 0.55 takedowns per fifteen minutes.

Why it matters

• Costa's inability to rattle Murzakanov suggests the Russian enters the fight mentally composed and difficult to destabilize
• A win for the ranked thirteenth Costa over a ranked twelfth Murzakanov carries meaningful positioning implications in the light heavyweight division, where Costa appears to be campaigning
• Both fighters rely primarily on striking, setting up a stand-up battle between two high-accuracy, high-output competitors
• Murzakanov's southpaw stance against Costa's orthodox approach creates a natural style wrinkle that could define the technical exchanges on fight night