Daniel Cormier has given high praise to Paulo Costa following his victory over Azamat Murzakanov. The post highlights that Costa's most recent finish came in 2018 against Uriah Hall, a significant drought between stoppages. Furthermore, the last time Costa had a winning streak of two or more consecutive victories was in 2019, making this recent performance particularly notable. Cormier enthusiastically endorsed Costa's work in the fight, stating that Costa was genuinely impressive. The victory represents a significant career moment for Costa after several challenging years.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has publicly lauded Paulo Costa following Costa's victory over Azamat Murzakanov, calling the Brazilian's performance genuinely impressive and signaling what could be a meaningful resurgence for the middleweight contender.
Costa, 35, carries a professional record of 16-4-0 and is currently ranked thirteenth in the UFC's middleweight division. Fighting out of Team Borracha, the orthodox Brazilian stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and has long been regarded as one of the division's most dangerous strikers, landing an eye-catching 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent. The win over Murzakanov is particularly significant given that Costa's previous finish had come back in 2018 against Uriah Hall — a gap of roughly seven years between stoppages. Additionally, the last time Costa strung together two or more consecutive wins was in 2019, making this a genuinely notable moment in what has been a turbulent stretch of his career.
Uriah Hall, now 41 and holding an 18-11-0 record, was the man on the receiving end of that 2018 stoppage. The Jamaican striker averages 3.23 significant strikes per minute himself and competes out of Fortis MMA.
Cormier, 47 and a retired legend with a 22-3-0 record across light heavyweight and heavyweight, offered his endorsement in a post-fight media role, a position he has occupied consistently since stepping away from competition.
Why it matters
- Costa snapping a finish drought dating back to 2018 raises his profile significantly in the middleweight division
- A second consecutive victory — his first winning streak since 2019 — repositions him as a threat among the top fifteen at 185 pounds
- Cormier's vocal praise amplifies the moment and draws wider attention to Costa's ranking trajectory at number thirteen
