Andrey Pulyaev believes Azamat Murzakanov lost to Paulo Costa at UFC 327 due to poor cardio preparation. Pulyaev expressed disappointment that Murzakanov lost on his birthday and noted he himself is not a cardio machine. He also questioned how Costa recovered so well between the second and third rounds, pointing out that Costa looked exhausted but came out fresh for the third round. The loss marked a setback for Murzakanov, who was fighting in the light heavyweight division.
Russian fighter Andrey Pulyaev has publicly pointed to cardio problems as the reason his compatriot Azamat Murzakanov lost to Paulo Costa at UFC 327 on April 11, while also raising questions about how Costa managed to recover so sharply between rounds.
Pulyaev, a 28-year-old southpaw from Russia competing under Storm Shlemenko Fight Team, carries a 10-5 professional record and brings notable striking output to his fights, landing 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. Speaking after the event, he expressed personal disappointment that the defeat fell on Murzakanov's birthday, and was candid enough to acknowledge that he himself is no cardio machine.
Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," entered UFC 327 ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division with a record of 16-1. The 37-year-old Russian, who fights out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe in a southpaw stance, is a physically compact presence at five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy, and his 0.55 takedowns per 15 minutes adds a consistent grappling dimension to his game. The defeat to Costa represented his second career loss and a meaningful step back in the division.
Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight and carrying the nickname "The Eraser," moved up in weight for the contest. The 35-year-old Brazilian is one of the sport's most relentless volume strikers, averaging 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy across his 16 wins. Pulyaev noted that Costa appeared visibly exhausted heading out of the second round, which made his energy and output in the third round difficult to explain.
Why it matters
- The loss drops Murzakanov back in a competitive light heavyweight division where positioning is difficult to rebuild
- Pulyaev's public comments on Costa's recovery add a layer of scrutiny to a fight that already drew attention
- The crossover matchup between a ranked light heavyweight and a ranked middleweight raises broader questions about divisional competition at 205 pounds
Saturday, April 11, 2026
