Andrey Pulyaev commented on Azamat Murzakanov's loss to Paulo Costa, pointing to cardio as a key weakness. He expressed disappointment that Murzakanov lost on his birthday and noted he himself is not a cardio machine. Pulyaev also questioned how Costa recovered so well between rounds two and three, observing that Costa looked very tired but came out fresh for the third round. The remarks suggest concerns about both fighters' conditioning and potential recovery methods.
Russian light heavyweight Andrey Pulyaev has weighed in on Azamat Murzakanov's defeat to Paulo Costa at UFC 327 on April 11, pointing to cardio as the decisive factor in Murzakanov's loss and raising questions about how Costa managed to recover so dramatically between the second and third rounds.
Pulyaev, 28, holds a 10-5 record and competes out of Storm Shlemenko Fight Team. Standing six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach, the southpaw striker lands 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. He acknowledged that he is not a cardio machine himself, lending some personal candor to his criticism of Murzakanov's conditioning.
Murzakanov, ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division, carried a 16-1 record into the fight and, at 37 years old, is among the older contenders in the 205-pound bracket. Known as "The Professional," the southpaw from Russia lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. Pulyaev noted the added sting of the loss falling on Murzakanov's birthday.
Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser" and currently ranked 13th at middleweight, improved to 16-4 with the victory. The Brazilian finishes with one of the higher striking outputs in the sport at 6.26 significant strikes per minute and 58 percent accuracy. Pulyaev specifically questioned how Costa, who appeared visibly exhausted during the second round, came out looking fresh and dangerous in the third — a observation that stopped short of a direct accusation but carried unmistakable implications about conditioning and recovery methods.
Why it matters
- Murzakanov's first career loss raises questions about his ceiling as a light heavyweight contender at 37
- Costa's cross-divisional performance against a top-15 light heavyweight strengthens his middleweight ranking case
- The public commentary from a fellow Russian fighter adds external scrutiny to the manner of the result
Saturday, April 11, 2026
