Paulo Costa reacts to Azamat Murzakanov's comments about 'secret juice'

Paulo Costa has fired back at Azamat Murzakanov after the Russian light heavyweight contender made a series of cryptic remarks ahead of their scheduled bout, comments that appear to have gotten under the Brazilian's skin.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," made the provocative statements recently, telling the public that "very soon we will show what the secret is" and teasing that people will learn "what people from Russia have." He stopped short of elaborating further, leaving the remarks open to interpretation. Costa, for his part, reacted visibly to the comments, though the specific nature of his response was not detailed.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the fight at 16-4-0 and sits ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division at 35 years old. The Sao Paulo native is one of the more dangerous strikers in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He trains out of Team Borracha and fights out of an orthodox stance with a 72-inch reach.

Murzakanov carries a 16-1-0 record and holds the twelfth spot in the light heavyweight rankings at 37 years of age. The Russian southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and trains with K Dojo Warrior Tribe. He lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and adds a modest takedown threat at 0.55 attempts per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• The pre-fight verbal exchange signals early tension between two hard-hitting strikers
• Costa moves up from middleweight, creating a notable size and weight class dynamic
• Murzakanov's cryptic language has injected an element of intrigue into the lead-up to the fight
• Both fighters sit just outside the top ten in their respective divisions, giving the winner a strong case for a rankings climb