Andrey Pulyaev has stated that poor cardio preparation was the reason for Azamat Murzakanov's defeat against Paulo Costa. Pulyaev admitted he wanted Murzakanov to win, especially since the loss came on his birthday. He also questioned how Costa managed to recover so well between the second and third rounds, noting that Costa looked tired but then came out fresh for the final round. Pulyaev acknowledged he himself is not a cardio machine. The comments reflect concerns about Murzakanov's conditioning in the fight.
Russian fighter Andrey Pulyaev has publicly attributed Azamat Murzakanov's loss to Paulo Costa to a failure in cardio preparation, adding a personal layer to his criticism by noting the defeat fell on Murzakanov's birthday.
Pulyaev, a 28-year-old southpaw out of Storm Shlemenko Fight Team, carries a 10-5 record and brings notable striking output to his fights, averaging 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. While not a light heavyweight contender himself, he spoke candidly about Murzakanov's conditioning, even admitting that he personally cannot claim to be a cardio machine either. He also raised pointed questions about how Costa appeared worn down late in the second round yet emerged looking fresh and energized for the third.
Murzakanov, known as "The Professional," entered the fight ranked 12th in the UFC light heavyweight division with a record of 16-1. The 37-year-old Russian, who trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe, stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and fights out of a southpaw stance. He averages 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and adds a modest takedown threat at 0.55 per 15 minutes. The single blemish on his record before this bout underscored how significant the Costa loss was.
Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight, stepped up — or across — to face Murzakanov and picked up the win. The Brazilian known as "The Eraser" is one of the sport's most aggressive volume strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. Now 35 and holding a 16-4 record, Costa's ability to recover between rounds proved to be a decisive factor in Pulyaev's assessment of how the fight unfolded.
Why it matters
- Pulyaev's comments raise questions about Murzakanov's camp and conditioning ahead of future bouts
- A second career loss could stall Murzakanov's climb in a competitive light heavyweight division
- Costa's between-round recovery drew scrutiny, adding an unusual subplot to the post-fight narrative
