Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov at pre-fight event

Paulo Costa tried to get inside Azamat Murzakanov's head at a pre-fight event this week, but the Russian contender met every attempt with a smile and showed no signs of being rattled ahead of their bout this weekend.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the fight at 16-4-0 and ranks thirteenth in the middleweight division. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains out of Team Borracha and is one of the more aggressive pressure fighters in the sport, landing an exceptional 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. His orthodox stance and 72-inch reach at six-foot-one have made him a consistent finishing threat throughout his UFC career.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," carries a 16-1-0 record and sits twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. The 37-year-old southpaw from Russia trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe and stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and also contributes on the grappling side with 0.55 takedowns per fifteen minutes. His near-perfect record suggests a fighter who rarely makes costly mistakes, and his composed reaction at the pre-fight encounter appeared very much in keeping with that reputation.

Why it matters

• Costa is a middleweight competing against a light heavyweight, making the divisional crossover an unusual dynamic heading into fight week.
• Murzakanov's calm response denied Costa any psychological edge from the pre-fight confrontation.
• Both fighters bring high striking accuracy above 57 percent, setting up a potentially sharp stand-up exchange.
• Costa's pressure style against Murzakanov's southpaw counter-striking makes for a technically interesting stylistic matchup.