Daniel Cormier praises Paulo Costa's performance against Azamat Murzakanov

Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier publicly lauded Paulo Costa following Costa's victory over Azamat Murzakanov, praising the Brazilian's return to finishing form after a stretch of decision losses.

Costa, ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division, improved to 16-4-0 with the performance. The 35-year-old from Brazil trains out of Team Borracha and competes as an orthodox striker standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach. His finishing credentials have long been part of his identity, and the win over Murzakanov was notable for two reasons: it marked his first stoppage victory since he stopped Uriah Hall back in 2018, and it gave him his first winning streak of two or more consecutive fights since 2019. Costa's output numbers remain elite, as he lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent.

The man Costa defeated in that 2018 stoppage, Uriah Hall, carries a career record of 18-11-0. The 41-year-old Jamaican fights out of Fortis MMA and holds an imposing 79-inch reach, standing six feet tall.

Cormier, the 47-year-old Hall of Fame fighter with a 22-3-0 record, offered his assessment in a media setting, highlighting that the Murzakanov performance signals a meaningful career turnaround for Costa. Notably, the victory also came at light heavyweight, representing Costa's move up from his home division.

Why it matters

• Costa's first stoppage win in roughly seven years reestablishes his credentials as a finisher at the highest level
• A two-fight winning streak is his first since 2019, suggesting renewed momentum heading into future divisional assignments
• The move up to light heavyweight opens a new competitive landscape for Costa beyond the stacked middleweight rankings
• Cormier's public praise amplifies the narrative around Costa's resurgence and raises his profile ahead of potential next matchups