Paulo Costa reacts to Azamat Murzakanov's 'secret juice' comments ahead of UFC 327

Paulo Costa has pushed back against cryptic comments made by his UFC 327 opponent Azamat Murzakanov, who suggested that Russians possess a "secret juice" that gives them a competitive edge — remarks Costa clearly did not take well ahead of their April 11 showdown.

Costa, 35, enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division with a 16-4 record. The Brazilian striker, known as "The Eraser," trains out of Team Borracha and brings one of the more aggressive output rates in the division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, the orthodox finisher has built his reputation almost entirely on forward pressure and power punching.

Murzakanov, nicknamed "The Professional," is 37 years old and holds a 16-1 record while sitting twelfth in the light heavyweight rankings. The Russian southpaw from K Dojo Warrior Tribe measures five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. His cryptic claim — that the public would soon learn what Russians have that others do not — was left deliberately unexplained, but the implication was enough to draw a sharp reaction from Costa.

Why it matters

• Costa is a middleweight stepping up in weight or competing at a catch weight, adding an unusual physical dynamic to the bout
• Murzakanov's "secret juice" comment carries loaded connotations in a sport with a complicated history of performance-enhancing drug violations, making Costa's offense understandable
• The verbal tension raises the profile of what was already a ranked light heavyweight contest on the UFC 327 card
• Both fighters rely primarily on striking, setting up a high-volume stand-up exchange between two aggressive competitors