Andrey Pulyaev believes Azamat Murzakanov's cardio preparation was the main reason for his loss to Paulo Costa. Pulyaev noted the unfortunate timing of losing on his birthday and expressed sympathy, acknowledging he himself is not a cardio machine. He also raised questions about how Costa recovered so well between the second and third rounds. Costa appeared exhausted but came out fresh for the third round, which Pulyaev found surprising.
Russian light heavyweight Andrey Pulyaev has weighed in on teammate and compatriot Azamat Murzakanov's defeat to Paulo Costa, pointing to poor cardio preparation as the decisive factor in the loss.
Pulyaev, 28, carries a 10-5 record and competes out of Storm Shlemenko Fight Team. Standing six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach, the southpaw is a volume striker who lands 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. In commenting on Murzakanov's performance, he was candid enough to acknowledge that he himself is no cardio machine, adding a degree of self-awareness to his criticism.
Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," entered the Costa fight ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division with a 16-1 record. The 37-year-old Russian, who trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe, had built his reputation as a durable and aggressive striker, averaging 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. The loss to Costa represented a significant setback, made more painful by the fact it fell on his birthday — a detail Pulyaev acknowledged with sympathy.
Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight and fighting out of Brazil for Team Borracha, holds a 16-4 record at 35 years old. The fighter known as "The Eraser" is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Pulyaev's comments specifically flagged Costa's surprising recovery between the second and third rounds — Costa appeared visibly exhausted at the end of round two but emerged noticeably refreshed for the third, a turnaround Pulyaev found difficult to explain.
Why it matters
- Murzakanov's loss at ranked 12th in light heavyweight damages his divisional positioning after entering with just one career defeat
- Questions around Costa's between-round recovery add an intriguing subplot to his performance at middleweight
- Pulyaev's public commentary keeps attention on the Russian MMA community's internal discussion around fighter conditioning
