Paulo Costa attempts to provoke Azamat Murzakanov during UFC 327 faceoff

Paulo Costa tried to get inside Azamat Murzakanov's head during their face-off at UFC 327 fight week proceedings, but the Russian contender refused to take the bait, meeting Costa's provocation with nothing more than a smile.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," enters Saturday's light heavyweight contest at 16-4-0. The 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha is primarily known as a middleweight, where he ranks thirteenth, but steps up to 205 pounds for this contest. An orthodox striker standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa is one of the more prolific volume strikers in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," carries a 16-1-0 record into the fight and holds the number-12 ranking in the light heavyweight division. The 37-year-old southpaw from Russia, representing K Dojo Warrior Tribe, stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He lands 4.70 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and adds a modest ground threat, averaging 0.55 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Costa is moving up in weight, creating an intriguing stylistic question about how his striking translates at light heavyweight.
• Murzakanov's calm demeanor during the face-off suggests the psychological approach Costa attempted had no visible effect.
• Both fighters sit just outside the division's top ten, meaning a strong performance could push the winner toward ranked contention.
• The clash of an aggressive volume striker in Costa against Murzakanov's measured southpaw style sets up a compelling stand-up exchange.