Paulo Costa knocks out Azamat Murzakanov in third round at UFC 327

Paulo Costa moved up a weight class and made a statement at UFC 327 on April 11, stopping Azamat Murzakanov by knockout in the third round to claim a scalp in the light heavyweight division.

Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," carries a 16-4-0 record and is ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division. The 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — numbers that translated effectively against a larger opponent on Saturday night.

Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," entered the bout ranked twelfth in the light heavyweight division with a 16-1-0 record and had never previously been stopped by knockout in his professional career. The 37-year-old Russian, representing K Dojo Warrior Tribe, is a southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy, and his game plan coming in leaned heavily on his striking offense.

According to commentary on the bout, Murzakanov's approach was described as frankly monotonous, with predictable offensive patterns that Costa was able to read and counter throughout the night. Costa's tactical execution was praised as the decisive factor in the finish.

Why it matters

• Costa's win over a top-fifteen light heavyweight strengthens any case for his relevance across two divisions
• Murzakanov suffers his first career knockout loss, which may affect his ranking at light heavyweight
• The size and reach disadvantage Costa overcame adds weight to the result, highlighting his striking precision and ring generalship