Paulo Costa defeated Azamat Murzakanov by knockout in the third round of their fight. The observer noted that Murzakanov's tactics were monotonous throughout the bout, while Costa executed an excellent tactical game plan. This represents Costa's second consecutive victory. The knockout marked the first career loss for Murzakanov, who now holds a 6-1 record in the UFC and drops out of the undefeated ranks.
Paulo Costa earned a third-round knockout victory over Azamat Murzakanov on April 12, 2026, handing the Russian fighter the first loss of his professional MMA career.
Costa, known as "The Eraser," improved to 16-4-0 with the win, his second in a row. The 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight competes out of Team Borracha and brings some of the most aggressive striking output in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, he operates out of an orthodox stance and rarely looks for takedowns or submissions, relying almost entirely on his hands to finish fights.
Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," drops to 16-1-0 following the defeat and falls out of the undefeated ranks for the first time in his career. The 37-year-old Russian is ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division and trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe. A southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, he lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. Observers noted his tactics were monotonous across the three rounds, while Costa imposed a sharp and effective game plan throughout.
Why it matters
- Costa's second straight win pushes him back into middleweight contention at number 13 in the division rankings.
- Murzakanov, ranked 12th at light heavyweight, absorbs his first professional loss, which may affect his positioning among the division's top contenders.
- The result highlights a style-matchup problem for Murzakanov, whose forward-pressure striking game was outworked by Costa's higher-volume, more accurate output.
