Azamat Murzakanov to face Paulo Costa at UFC 327

Azamat Murzakanov steps into the octagon against Paulo Costa on the UFC 327 card on April 11, 2026, in what shapes up as a striking-heavy clash between two of the sport's most aggressive competitors.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," carries a 16-1-0 record into the fight and is ranked twelfth in the light heavyweight division. The 37-year-old Russian out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and fights out of a southpaw stance. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate, and also factors in takedowns at a modest 0.55 per 15 minutes.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," comes in ranked thirteenth at middleweight with a record of 16-4-0. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains with Team Borracha and stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach. He fights orthodox and is one of the most prolific strikers in the UFC, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 58 percent accuracy. Costa records virtually no takedown or submission activity, making his intentions in any fight abundantly clear.

Why it matters

• The bout is a cross-divisional matchup, with Murzakanov operating at light heavyweight and Costa most recently competing at middleweight, adding an unusual dimension to the contest.
• A strong performance for either man could push them up their respective divisional rankings, with both sitting just outside the top ten.
• The stylistic overlap is notable — both fighters are high-output, power-based strikers with minimal grappling activity, setting the stage for a stand-and-trade contest.
• For Murzakanov, fighting at home in terms of timing given the Moscow-friendly scheduling adds an intangible layer to his preparation.