Andrey Pulyaev believes poor cardio conditioning was the main reason for Azamat Murzakanov's defeat against Paulo Costa. Pulyaev expressed disappointment that Murzakanov lost on his birthday and admitted he himself is not a cardio machine. He also noted his surprise at how well Costa recovered between rounds two and three, appearing fresh for the third round despite being visibly tired earlier. The commentary focuses on the conditioning disparity that affected the fight's outcome.
Russian fighter Andrey Pulyaev has pointed to poor cardio conditioning as the primary reason his compatriot Azamat Murzakanov fell to Paulo Costa at UFC 327 on April 11.
Pulyaev, a 28-year-old southpaw competing out of Storm Shlemenko Fight Team, carries a 10-5 record and knows the demands of high-level striking exchanges firsthand. He lands 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate, and was candid enough to acknowledge that he himself is no cardio machine — lending some humility to his assessment of Murzakanov's night.
Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," entered the bout ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division with a 16-1 record. The 37-year-old Russian southpaw out of K Dojo Warrior Tribe had built a reputation as a powerful finisher, averaging 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. Pulyaev noted added personal significance to the loss, as the fight fell on Murzakanov's birthday.
Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight and moving up in weight, improved to 16-4 on the night. The 35-year-old Brazilian, known as "The Eraser," is one of the sport's most prolific volume strikers, averaging a striking 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Pulyaev expressed surprise at how well Costa recovered between rounds two and three, returning to the cage visibly fresh after appearing fatigued just minutes earlier.
Why it matters
- The result hands the 12th-ranked Murzakanov his second career loss and raises questions about his conditioning ahead of future light heavyweight contention.
- Costa's ability to recover and sustain his trademark high output highlighted the conditioning gap Pulyaev identified as decisive.
- A cross-divisional win for Costa could have broader ranking implications should he continue competing at 205 pounds.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
